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DC-3 Dakota Cockpit


AlyMac

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I should have posted this earlier on here.

 

Im building a simple home cockpit out of a DC-6 Control wheel (ex TASSA fleet 1948 Douglas DC-6 C/N 43118 scrapped Magaluf Mallorca, original DC-3 trim wheel. Magneto switch, cowl flap valves and pilot and co-pilot seats, and of course some home made panels wired up with the excellent electronics kit from Leo Bodnar.

 

PC hardware will be Saitek Cessna Yoke modded to take the old wheel, two Throttle quadrants also from Saitek.

 

Having had DC-3 experience back in the noughties (some sectors solo!) it has been my favourite aeroplane since. I remember being in Mallorca and it took 9 hours to download the Jan Visser DC-3 on the old copper wires and a sloooooow internet connection - but the result was breathtaking 20 years ago !!

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I always keep a bottle of stimulant handy just in case I see a serpent - which I also keep handy.....
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I have both the V-SkyLabs DC-3 and the AWX DC-3. In my honest opinion the AWX machine is closer to my memories, sounds better with the fabulous sound FMOD file and more importantly works with my overhead panels.
I always keep a bottle of stimulant handy just in case I see a serpent - which I also keep handy.....
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  • 6 months later...

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Got the panels to work with a script written by Angelo Zangarini. Im no good at that sort of thing. The original Magneto switch I couldnt get to work at all.

Edited by AlyMac
I always keep a bottle of stimulant handy just in case I see a serpent - which I also keep handy.....
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[ATTACH=CONFIG]225480[/ATTACH]

The original DC-3 Trim Wheel I added onto the bottom of the Saitek parts. Lots of imagination required. Two littl;e project boxes from ebay, alloy tube, a tape deck idler and two great parts from LeoBodnar

I always keep a bottle of stimulant handy just in case I see a serpent - which I also keep handy.....
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[ATTACH=CONFIG]225481[/ATTACH]

The idler wheel is attached to a Bourns 3590S Potentiometer. This rolls against the axle attached to the wheel which gives 24 turns on the Trim Wheel.

I always keep a bottle of stimulant handy just in case I see a serpent - which I also keep handy.....
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[ATTACH=CONFIG]225482[/ATTACH]

This little beauty turns 10 times. A really useful Pot for many things. Smooth operation without detents I will be using it for elevator and rudder trim too.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]225483[/ATTACH]

The BU0836A board is multi purpose for joystick and switches.

I always keep a bottle of stimulant handy just in case I see a serpent - which I also keep handy.....
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I moved house late in the year and it took a while to get sorted out in the new loft space. A new bigger table was added then I caught Screen-itus.

 

Lovely though the AWX Dc-3 3D Cockpit is (an good grief - it REALLY is!) - I wanted to see what a fourth screen would do to give me 180 degrees view. This was a gamechanger.

 

Then I downloaded AirManager and on two ancient screens I built the panels.

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I always keep a bottle of stimulant handy just in case I see a serpent - which I also keep handy.....
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A quick email to Angelo and he took the stock AirManager P-47 gauges and added a second needle for Manifold Pressure and for RPM's. The fuel gauges are poetic licence - but what the heck. In the Dc-3 I flew we used a broom handle with pencil marks - YES Im serious !

 

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I always keep a bottle of stimulant handy just in case I see a serpent - which I also keep handy.....
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..................and next stop the throttle levers. These were a nightmare. I had to pay to have them drawn for 3D printing and it took us two weeks to get them together. Now they have been printed out in silver PLA silver and they look great ! In tr5ansit as I write I cant wait to fit them onto the quadrant :)

 

The printer mixed them up a bit for the photo but you can work out which is which

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]225488[/ATTACH]

I always keep a bottle of stimulant handy just in case I see a serpent - which I also keep handy.....
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I have been running the FS2004 with the default DC-3 with Win10 and everything works fine. Then I downloaded the FS2004 DC-3 ACOF-BB Centennial Aircraft and my simicons are not working. Once you load it, you can click on several of the icons and everything is okay, but then the panel freezes and I can't bring up another panel even using the Shift - number keys. If I don't click on any of the simicons when I first load the plane, then everything seems okay. Anybody have any ideas as to what is going on. Obviously, with installing a new plane, there were manual additions made to gauges, etc. Has anyone else had this problem?

 

Jack McAfee

macjack39

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  • 1 month later...
I have been running the FS2004 with the default DC-3 with Win10 and everything works fine. Then I downloaded the FS2004 DC-3 ACOF-BB Centennial Aircraft and my simicons are not working. Once you load it, you can click on several of the icons and everything is okay, but then the panel freezes and I can't bring up another panel even using the Shift - number keys. If I don't click on any of the simicons when I first load the plane, then everything seems okay. Anybody have any ideas as to what is going on. Obviously, with installing a new plane, there were manual additions made to gauges, etc. Has anyone else had this problem?

 

Jack McAfee

macjack39

 

sorry old chap - Im on X-plane 11

I always keep a bottle of stimulant handy just in case I see a serpent - which I also keep handy.....
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quite a simple job with two rotary switches and some script written for FlywithLua - by Angelo Zangarrini on Fiverr.

This is the later design than that of the AWX DC-3

All I need now is to have the knobs designed and printed in plastic - and take a high quality scan of the original unit - make a sticker and put it on the face.

I always keep a bottle of stimulant handy just in case I see a serpent - which I also keep handy.....
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I joined up with DC3 Airways again after an 18 year lay-off. Deciding to fly to the USA over the North Atlantic Ferry route "Live" theres lots of time to spare with the Sperry in control - as long as one doesnt wander too far anyway !

 

First sector took me from Glasgow to Stornoway then onwards to Keflavik Iceland, Bluie West One Greenland and onwards to Newfoundland. Long sectors but time for me to fiddle on the cockpit floor.

 

With the cowl flaps done and programmed by Angelo Zangarini on Fiverr - I progressed to the fuel selectors which will go onto the Pedestal.

 

Quite a simple affair for younger engineers, my incinerated fingers and two scrap switches later they were done.

 

The switches are 12 way- 360 degree rotational. Not idea as 5 doesnt go into 12 very well but with a few "Bridged" contacts they work flawlessly. With the wires from the switches soldered to "Jumpre" cables they were plugged into the LeoBodnar Matrix Breakout board mounted on top of the BU0836A potentiometer board used for my elevator trim wheel.

 

Again using Fiverr I "bought in" the experienced staff to do what I cannot do. The fuel tap levers were duly designed by a draughtsman - then 3d plastic printed by someone else.

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Edited by AlyMac
images didnt upload
I always keep a bottle of stimulant handy just in case I see a serpent - which I also keep handy.....
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Not so much a replica - its a homage to the original but all the bits will be in the right place.

 

Aluminium I bought from Ebay and had folded at a local machine shop. I have two quadrants, an ancient PFC unit I bought 20 years ago - and a pair of Saitek units. The Saitek I will use first but I will convert the PFC quad at a later date.

I always keep a bottle of stimulant handy just in case I see a serpent - which I also keep handy.....
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The pedestal is slightly smaller than the real thing but it will have all the right junk in all the right places !

 

I havent shown a picture of the back but there is a large access hole to service the cables, switches, potentiometers for the trims etc.

 

I have little aluminium discs on order for the fuel taps. These taps give a very convincing "Clunk" when switching tanks ! An unexpected bonus of natural amplification within the ally box :D

 

Stickers and paints should come on the next DC3 Airways cargo flight on Tuesday morning !

 

I also added extensions onto the Saitek Levers. These were designed by a great guy called Marko on Fiverr. I made them way too long and had to cut them down. My Mk2 levers are being drafted now and will include the ball ends with "P", "T" and "M" moulded into them above and behind.

 

The difference flying with extensions on the levers is a revelation. Like the real aircraft they can be adjusted perfectly to syncronise the MAP and Pitch. :cool:

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I always keep a bottle of stimulant handy just in case I see a serpent - which I also keep handy.....
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Im flying down to Casablanca tonight with DC3 Airways. Time to set up the Sperry and start working on the cockpit floor.

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I always keep a bottle of stimulant handy just in case I see a serpent - which I also keep handy.....
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The fiberglass rod arrived on a DC4 freight flight from the company. A little epoxy here and there and the structure is strong enough for government work at least.

Actually it looks better in real life than in the photos.

 

All is finished now and Im still about 160 miles from Gibraltar where I'm going to drop in to get some cheap fuel to keep the company happy.

 

Time to go aft and get some cheesy biscuits and a bottle or Rioj... I mean a cup of tea !

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I always keep a bottle of stimulant handy just in case I see a serpent - which I also keep handy.....
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Panel I was going to start last week with DiBond - a PVC sandwich composite with 0.5mm aluminium each side. Being 3mm thick I can partially bury the OBS and other instrumental potentiometers without them being too noticeable.

 

Glad I didnt do it because I asked Angelo Zangarini to rewrite the AirManager instrumentation to my own fit. They are looking superb and they all work beautifully. Still not happy with the generators as they should be on the upper right switch panel. Arduino ? maybe. Angelo is working on the fuel gauge now. this will be operated externally from a 4 position switch.

 

Next will be an early radio stack, working warning lights (LED) and if possible a working Sperry Type A-3 Autopilot.

 

Flight panel

 

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and the engine panel

 

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Edited by AlyMac
spelling miztaic
I always keep a bottle of stimulant handy just in case I see a serpent - which I also keep handy.....
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