Spitfire Throttle Quadrant and Maltloaf's Christmas Musings

[Maltloaf]

As I sit here on the dais overlooking the elves frantically working away on the latest drawings for Maltloaf’s Spitfire Throttle Quadrant, the first snow of Christmas softly accumulates against the factory door. I can see the tips of their quills twitching as 0.3mm lines are crisply drawn in accordance with BS308 as if their lives depended on it, which of course they do. I am considering giving them a half day off for Christmas but the thought quickly passes.

In the real world the Wx is somewhat different. The METAR for EGDM is IFR, visibility just beyond the end of your nose and another squall of rain is racing across Salisbury Plain in a 30Kt South-westerly, gusting 40. The ignition system for my little aircraft is somewhere between the Netherlands and here in the hands of FEDEX so I couldn’t fly that even if the Wx was CAVOK. The club T67 is u/s again due to an over speeding airscrew and the Wx is still shit. I could slide off to my Sim Pit where the Wx is always toasty even at 36,000ft but it is the middle of the day and I am supposed to be working. Instead I thought I would write a Blog/Thread/piece on the latest outpourings from Maltloaf’s potential emporium.

RAE (Retro Aero-Sim Equipment, yes I know it is torturous but I wanted to call it RAE and needed some words to fit) is up and running and the drawings for the Warbird Warthog joystick add-on are with a number of metal bashers around the world being costed. I have had some prices back and the good news is, it looks like it might be a goer. In the mean time I promised a couple of people the next project would be a throttle quadrant. Now I know that we currently don’t have any Spitfires in ACG……………..(how I love the Mig 3) but the Spitfire is an obvious choice for a number of reasons. The first and most obvious is in the world outside the current ACG campaign, sorry to break this news to some people but there is one, the Spit is probably the most flown Warbird in every Sim from Il2-1946 through Warthunder, FSX, X-Plane, DCS, etc etc. It is also a very generic set up, meaning you can fly most airframes using the three levers on offer. I use the mixture and throttle for throttles 1&2 on the DC3 and the RPM for the RPM. It works very well for the DCS Harrier’s nozzle angles as well. It offers a number of useful buttons/switches that can be bound as required. It also just looks fantastic. The prime reason is I am lazy and as I had already made one for myself nearly four years ago most of the work was already done. Further to that I have used it for an embarrassing number of hours with no issues so the component testing is also done.

So let’s get on to the point of the piece. Close your eyes and bear with me a short while. It is Christmas, a wife, parent, girlfriend, civil partner, sugar daddy/mummy is asking you what you want as a small token of their appreciation and you have decided a throttle quadrant would be just the thing to compliment the beautiful Warbird Warthog they bought you for your birthday. Here is the problem. Most HOTAS stick/throttles, in fact most sim throttles are made to sit on the desk or table you sit at to play your favourite Sim. But your hand naturally wants to be just above thigh level, halfway between your crotch and your knee, where most real throttles are. The compromise is that your HOTAS is short and squat and sits far too far forward for comfort or accurate use. You can get extruded aluminium clamps that hang off the edge of the desk for both throttle and joystick that bring them to the correct position and I would probably invest in one of these if I flew at a desk. Or more likely you can build a pile of ‘Guns and Ammo’ magazines (other publications are available to suit taste and preference) to stand your throttle at the correct height off the floor beside your chair: convenient to while away those hours waiting to connect on a Sunday.

A Spitfire throttle quadrant is some 250mm (10in) tall top to bottom. That means for the hand to be at 650mm (25in) from the ground and 50mm (2in) below the desk (all approx.) it needs some way to hang in space 400mm (16in) from the ground. There are two ways I can think of doing this and they are the same as above; you either stand it on the floor or you hang it from the desk, but how?

The photos below are fairly self-explanatory. The first couple are of my four year old rig, slightly worn but still working well after many hours and some shoddy additions (radiator control lever, and yes those are paint tin lids). It is free standing and incorporates a dashboard/switch panel that could be populated in any way the owner wanted. It also incorporates two trim wheels aft of the quadrant and a canopy open/close bar. This is the Rolls Royce set up, five axis, three rotary encoders and thirty switches. I have added a drawing of this without the add-ons for context.

IMG_0262 small.jpg

IMG_0058 (2).JPG

Throttle Quadrant Floor Mount with Dash.JPG

Next is a drawing of a similar rig but without the dash. It could still have some switches and the trim wheels but is less bulky. Easier to store away maybe.

Throttle Quadrant Floor Mount without Dash.JPG

Thirdly is the desk hanging unit. This clamps to the desk. It requires a parallel top to fix to, so that kitchen table with an apron 100 mm in from the edge would require modifying (get that one past the wife). There is space for switches and trim wheels forward of the throttle quadrant under the desk if required. I have tried to give it a period air rather than just use extruded ali sections.

Throttle Quadrant Desk Clamp.JPG

All three have a ‘fuselage skin’ on the LH side which could be polished or camo, and have Sqn decals, pilot’s name, kill tallies etc.

Please ignore the missing parts of the drawings as I didn’t see the need to finish everything before showing and as I assume you still have your eyes closed, imagine whatever fittings you desire in the blank spaces (trim, switches etc).
You can open your eyes now and do some work. One reason I am posting is obviously to flagrantly advertise this project and indoctrinate you all into signing up for some hardware. However, the main reason is I am after some ACG opinions (I can’t believe I just wrote that). Without going into the thorny subject of price, what are your thoughts on the concepts from your lifestyle point of view? Is the full system too big? Do you only want a throttle and not so many buttons? Do you have to break down and tidy away your system from the living room when you finish? Are the free standing versions actually easier to clear away (the WH stands inside it). Does the freestanding unit have to fit under a desk when not in use? Just your thoughts in general.

I think the next project will be finishing the Spit Joystick and by that I mean taking it down to the ground rather than a WH add-on. I will keep you up-dated.

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts.

Bah Humbug

[Trystan]

I am in awe of your abilities.


and


I WANT ONE!


Trystan

[Biggs]

Sweet baby jesus, thats amazing Malt! I like the floor mount... nice place for beer and snacks

The desk hanging option is probably something more my speed though... im not one of those full simpit dudes.
I time to start saving up.... sorry honey the master bathroom will have to wait

[Maltloaf]

I think the master bathroom is still safe, I am trying to make these at an affordable level. Warthog prices or there about. Clearly depends on the set up and but if I can’t keep the price down to a sensible level it won’t happen.