The right hardware is a game changer!

[Brass Wing Hawk]

Over the years I have used a few different, cheap flight controllers. Most recently, a Logitech G940. It has FFB so I was reluctant to replace it. But, after hours of struggles with Supper Carrier LSO. I upgraded to a Thrustmaster Warthog. Now the LSO and I get along much better. After fighting with my vertical decent rate in the UH-1, I managed to budget enough to get a collective from Virpil. Now I can land the Huey as gentle as a feather. Finally, "George" has been much happier with me since I got my Virpil pedals. Quality hardware and DCS mods can get expensive, but no more than other worth wild hobbies. Virpil takes about 2 month to receive in most cases, but I find their controls to be of good quality and worth the wait. If they would create a quality FFB base at an affordable price I would dare to dream.

If your considering flight controllers and if you can fit it in your budget, choose accuracy and metal construction.

[Treker™]

Sadly Warthog metal construction is only on the outside. Gimbal is plastic. I switched stick to Virpil and can't say how happy I'm now :)

[Brass Wing Hawk]

I agree! However, I live on a budget and I want force feedback at 1:1. Hopefully by the time I can save up enough to get another control, Virpil will have filled my plea.

[Brass Wing Hawk]

I cant afford Brunner. Even if I could I doubt I could justify that.

[Gunfreak]

Originally posted by Brass Wing Hawk:

Over the years I have used a few different, cheap flight controllers. Most recently, a Logitech G940. It has FFB so I was reluctant to replace it. But, after hours of struggles with Supper Carrier LSO. I upgraded to a Thrustmaster Warthog. Now the LSO and I get along much better. After fighting with my vertical decent rate in the UH-1, I managed to budget enough to get a collective from Virpil. Now I can land the Huey as gentle as a feather. Finally, "George" has been much happier with me since I got my Virpil pedals. Quality hardware and DCS mods can get expensive, but no more than other worth wild hobbies. Virpil takes about 2 month to receive in most cases, but I find their controls to be of good quality and worth the wait. If they would create a quality FFB base at an affordable price I would dare to dream.

If your considering flight controllers and if you can fit it in your budget, choose accuracy and metal construction.

An affordable/semi-affordable FFB stick is the holy grail.

I went from an x52 to a winwing F18 super libra stick and super tarus throttle.
I also got myself an dedicated F16 setup from winwing (which has actually made me a worse Viper driver) I also got a virpl collective and virpil CM3 base with extender that I used for just helicopters. Now I got myself a brunner FFB stick. So now my F18 winwing stick and CM3 stick are retired.

[Troll Norris]

https://youtu.be/iNhRD2Bsb8o

Problem of FFB is the patent troll which owns the FFB patent rights.

[Brass Wing Hawk]

That looks like it could be COOL!

[Troll Norris]

Just search "VPforce Rhino. But be sure there is very long waiting time to get this.

[XIII]

Originally posted by Troll Norris:

Problem of FFB is the patent troll which owns the FFB patent rights.

Man I hate stuff like that. So much potential destroyed because of those parasitic companies.

[Slithy]

Originally posted by TREKER™:

Sadly Warthog metal construction is only on the outside. Gimbal is plastic. I switched stick to Virpil and can't say how happy I'm now :)

I learned this the hard way. My TM:Warthog only lasted maybe 5 months before it started giving me problems with that trash construction. Switched to Virpil and it has survived 5 (I think 6?) years now with no issues.

The only reason I bought a new Virpil grip and base (waiting for backorder to be filled) recently was not out of necessity but out of desire for the new models. The T-50CM3 is a nice upgrade from my CM2 and they made some improvements from the Alpha to the Alpha Prime that I'm all in for.

[Xupicor]

Rhino is an "affordable" FFB base if you already have a good grip. Well, it's around 800 eur but that's still a bargain for something that's better than Brunner and still half as expensive.

[Gracey Face]

If you still have your 940, look up mods for it. I have seen all sorts of people doing mods that make it great such as sticking extensions and some kind of rubber thing you can stick in to it that reduces the FFB deadzone around the stick. And since you have the warthog you have no need to fear if you destroy the stick :D.

Also since you have a 940 a mod I would suggest is buying a TWCS throttle (if you don't have one) and then replacing the blank left hand throttle grip on the 940 with its throttle grip. This is better for VR than for normal play I would assume, but it gives you more axis and buttons on the grips than you can get on any throttle I have seen on sale and the general size and shape of the TWCS's throttle grip fits with the G940's right and means you have access to all buttons this way. The 940's throttle has so much empty space in the base of it that the board and wires for the TWCS fit in nicely.

[The Ferret]

Originally posted by Slithy:

Originally posted by TREKER™:

Sadly Warthog metal construction is only on the outside. Gimbal is plastic. I switched stick to Virpil and can't say how happy I'm now :)

I learned this the hard way. My TM:Warthog only lasted maybe 5 months before it started giving me problems with that trash construction. Switched to Virpil and it has survived 5 (I think 6?) years now with no issues.

The only reason I bought a new Virpil grip and base (waiting for backorder to be filled) recently was not out of necessity but out of desire for the new models. The T-50CM3 is a nice upgrade from my CM2 and they made some improvements from the Alpha to the Alpha Prime that I'm all in for.

The Warthog construction is far better now than what it used to be, I was turned off from buying one from old reviews till the set (stick and throttle) went on sale cheap and was able to pick both up brand new for £250. I've put over 400 hours into mine over DCS/IL 2/MSFS and it's not once had problems with accuracy/stiction etc.
Maybe I'm just lucky but i wouldn't hesitate to recommend one to some one if they can't afford a virpil set up etc and can get it at a reasonable price.

My most noticeable upgrade was a set of MFG crosswinds V3 with the hydraulic damper, they made such a big difference.

[XIII]

Originally posted by The Ferret:

The Warthog construction is far better now than what it used to be, I was turned off from buying one from old reviews till the set (stick and throttle) went on sale cheap and was able to pick both up brand new for £250. I've put over 400 hours into mine over DCS/IL 2/MSFS and it's not once had problems with accuracy/stiction etc.
Maybe I'm just lucky but i wouldn't hesitate to recommend one to some one if they can't afford a virpil set up etc and can get it at a reasonable price.

My most noticeable upgrade was a set of MFG crosswinds V3 with the hydraulic damper, they made such a big difference.

Tbh I dont feel like its worth buying a Warthog anymore, considering we got VKBs Gladiators. Maybe slightly more expensive, because its just a stick, but seems to have far superior construction and features.

A Virpil seems to mostly just have the metal base parts as an advantage over VKBs. Functionally that shouldnt make much of a difference though, as long as the VKBs dont break easily, which doesnt seem the case.

[Gracey Face]

Originally posted by XIII:

A Virpil seems to mostly just have the metal base parts as an advantage over VKBs. Functionally that shouldnt make much of a difference though, as long as the VKBs dont break easily, which doesnt seem the case.

I have seen people who disassemble the sticks say that Virpil's internals are of a higher quality and that their wire routing is better (with the notable exception of their throttles which have always had wire fracture problems).

Personally I do not know enough about electronics to be able to judge.

[XIII]

Originally posted by Gracey Face:

I have seen people who disassemble the sticks say that Virpil's internals are of a higher quality and that their wire routing is better (with the notable exception of their throttles which have always had wire fracture problems).

Personally I do not know enough about electronics to be able to judge.

Oh Virpil is WAY higher quality than VKB materials-wise. I think Virpil internals are mostly made of metal, isnt it? Their base also costs like 200 bucks IIRC.
The VKB Gladiator im talking about is still mostly plastic on the inside, just a lot more complex and durable than a Warthog. Its ~200 bucks for a the stick+base.

Gotta be a bit careful about VKB wire routing, but it doesnt seem like a problem. The cables also can be easily replaced, should they ever break. Whole thing is modular and can be taken apart for repair.