Tangmere's Lightning Simulator - Progress Report
Posted: 12 Mar 2010, 20:00
I thought it was about time I posted another progress report on the Ligtning simulator we've been building at Tangmere. As those who read my previous posts on the subject will probably remember, it arrived unexpectedly as a pile of junk last year.
Because it was unexpected, it hadn't been budgeted for and the team were all involved with other projects so progress at first was very slow. It did look better after a clean and reassembly, though.
Fortunately, most of the original control rods were still useable and we were able to add potentiometers to them to be conected to the computer interface.
Some of the old springs (there to give the "feel" to the controls) had to be replaced with bungee cord though.
That was about all we managed last year but now, in our new budget year and with the team finishing work on their other projects, things began to move rather more rapidly. After getting all the contols and switches connected to the computer through the magic BU0836 interface, it was time to start on the graphics. First stage was to install the screen.
Then, I made a custom panel with the basic Lightning intsruments to go on it. Shortly after theis photo was taken, I added flap, gear, engine and trim position gauges to be used until we get the real ones installed and working.
Meanwhile, the canopy - you wouldn't beleive how much it weighs! - and front cockpit glazing was added.
Then a metal mask was added to hide the monitor.
Some decoration around the instruments and it's already beginning to look a bit more realistic. Incidentally, those blank panels either side of the computer generated ones will be filled with the real thing as and when they're acquired.
The outside view is projected - in this phase onto a wall in front of the sim - from a projector we usually use for presentations in a temporary mounting you can see below. This will soon be replaced by a projector with a wide angle lens to give a bigger picture in a more permanent mount. Oh, and note the safety locking sleeve on the canopy strut - if that came down on anyone, I doubt they'd survive it's so heavy!
Here's the view from the cockpit. As you can see, I still have a little work to do in the panel.cfg to get the gauges in the correct positions.
And here's the beast itself - looking rather better than it did in the first photo. A decision was made early on to dump the wooden side pods which had been painted in grey/green camouflage - there was no way we could get the natural metal finish on wood that we needed for the 29 Squadron markings the simulator will wear so it's beeing clad with aluminium sheeting.
The base software is MS FS2004 running Alphasim's Lightning F3. At the moment, both panel and outside views are generated from a single computer but this Monday I'll be networking it to a second machine with Wideview. We're using Ultimate Terrain with lots off freeware scenery add-ons make the local flying area a little more interesting. With luck we'll have phase one up and running ready for the Easter holiday rush. We'll keep it in this configuration for a month or so to get some experience of running it before moving on to the next phases which include multiple projectors, wrap around screens and so on.
I hope some of you who live within reach of Tangmere will come and fly it - it really is very immersive and great fun, too.
Best
Pete
Because it was unexpected, it hadn't been budgeted for and the team were all involved with other projects so progress at first was very slow. It did look better after a clean and reassembly, though.
Fortunately, most of the original control rods were still useable and we were able to add potentiometers to them to be conected to the computer interface.
Some of the old springs (there to give the "feel" to the controls) had to be replaced with bungee cord though.
That was about all we managed last year but now, in our new budget year and with the team finishing work on their other projects, things began to move rather more rapidly. After getting all the contols and switches connected to the computer through the magic BU0836 interface, it was time to start on the graphics. First stage was to install the screen.
Then, I made a custom panel with the basic Lightning intsruments to go on it. Shortly after theis photo was taken, I added flap, gear, engine and trim position gauges to be used until we get the real ones installed and working.
Meanwhile, the canopy - you wouldn't beleive how much it weighs! - and front cockpit glazing was added.
Then a metal mask was added to hide the monitor.
Some decoration around the instruments and it's already beginning to look a bit more realistic. Incidentally, those blank panels either side of the computer generated ones will be filled with the real thing as and when they're acquired.
The outside view is projected - in this phase onto a wall in front of the sim - from a projector we usually use for presentations in a temporary mounting you can see below. This will soon be replaced by a projector with a wide angle lens to give a bigger picture in a more permanent mount. Oh, and note the safety locking sleeve on the canopy strut - if that came down on anyone, I doubt they'd survive it's so heavy!
Here's the view from the cockpit. As you can see, I still have a little work to do in the panel.cfg to get the gauges in the correct positions.
And here's the beast itself - looking rather better than it did in the first photo. A decision was made early on to dump the wooden side pods which had been painted in grey/green camouflage - there was no way we could get the natural metal finish on wood that we needed for the 29 Squadron markings the simulator will wear so it's beeing clad with aluminium sheeting.
The base software is MS FS2004 running Alphasim's Lightning F3. At the moment, both panel and outside views are generated from a single computer but this Monday I'll be networking it to a second machine with Wideview. We're using Ultimate Terrain with lots off freeware scenery add-ons make the local flying area a little more interesting. With luck we'll have phase one up and running ready for the Easter holiday rush. We'll keep it in this configuration for a month or so to get some experience of running it before moving on to the next phases which include multiple projectors, wrap around screens and so on.
I hope some of you who live within reach of Tangmere will come and fly it - it really is very immersive and great fun, too.
Best
Pete
I'm just going to have to get down there sometime this year and book the thing for a whole day!! 
Well, maybe an hour or so.... 
