Upcoming Videos
The recent Hellcat video is doing pretty well. Thank you everyone for that. By the numbers I need it to reach 120,000 views in the first 30 days for the max sponsorship payout (the payout caps at 120k views). It looks like it will be close but just might get there.
The next video I put up will be a stand alone video on the Eric Brown claims surrounding General Doolittle and U.S. aircraft dive performance. I did talk about this before, but I"m making it a stand alone video so I can put evidence up on screen. This will upset some people, but facts are facts.
I'll also be making a video about Old Rhinebeck and another about the RV rental experience as well as the non aviation spots we visited.
On the Simulator front. My X-56 HOTAS throttle control broke right when I got home, which has prevented me from putting up a DCS Corsair video. That was just bad luck on my part. The Corsair, which many of us have spent years waiting for, came out right when I left on a two week trip. Then when I get back, I barely got to fly it before X-56 failed.
I then accelerated my search for a good joystick which came down to Virpil or VKB. Most of the others were ruled out for one reason or another. Then it came down to VKB largely because Virpil will be out of stock of everything In need until about August. I can't wait that long. The DCS Corsair is already becoming old new in sim work, although I have some new things to say about it, stuff I think everyone else has missed.
Then I caught a good break. VKB has the stuff in stock and agreed to send it to me in exchange for a review. I accepted that offer.
Greg
Comments (12)
I have a vkb hotas and rudder pedals. Its good stuff. I got a good deal on mfg rudder pedals and they are good also.
Hmm, the DCS Corsair. Got it as soon as it was released, and while it looks nice, it's a bit underwhelming. Still has some serious FM issues - I'll be curious to hear and see your opinion. It is fun starting up, unfolding the wings, and doing a running takeoff on the Essex carrier; landing, OTOH, while doable, is less fun, and not in the ways the Corsair was known for... Cheers from a Pawnee pilot.
Have you considered a FFB stick? Like you I'm more into warbirds and older jets, as well as helos, and a good FFB stick makes a huge difference, in my opinion. I use a VPForce Rhino with a short extension, and it does a remarkable job of simulating variable stick forces, stick movement with trim, vibration, etc. Expensive, but worth it - especially combined with VR.
The F6F video was great, thank you for it. I’m in no way an expert or historian, just a very low-level WW2 US Navy warbird enthusiast. That said, I have some thoughts on the F6F that you may be able to dispel or confirm. The reading I have done leads me to think by 1945 the Hellcat was on its way out, having reached its max potential. Was it going to be replaced by the F8F Bearcat as the fleet defense interceptor while the F4U Corsair continued as the main escort/strike fighter?
I have used my Thrust Master Warthog dual HOTAS for many years now. Very happy with it. Did you check out any TM products Greg? Looking forward to Corsair DCS, my fav WW2 plane, but im hesitiant on this model in the DCS universe...
Greg, thank you for the Hellcat video. Loved it. Just the type of quality content and format that is so unique to you. Loved the explanations of the rationale behind the design.
They say timing is everything, both good and bad. We won’t mention things happen in threes! I’m still using my old CH equipment.
I still have an old CH HOTAS throttle but was never satisfied with the analog sensitivity on any of the axis (but especially the little thumb stick). I believe it was because they were still using 8-bit controllers. A couple years ago I stumbled across someone selling remade modern internals with for it and bit the bullet. It was easy enough to install (no soldering required) and made a world of difference. As long as it holds up I don't ever see myself replacing it.
Looking forward to your take on the F4U in DCS. Years ago, I resigned myself to the fact that I would have to watch YT video of other people flying warbirds in DCS (I’m very left-handed and am paralyzed from the knees down, no toe brakes for me), then the Corsair was added and I HAD to give it a try, LOVE that bird. Long ago I had many hours in the Microsoft flight sims, but DCS is massively a whole ‘nother critter entirely. In DCS I am finally able to get the plane started (Thank you, Auto-start option!), taxi to the end of the runway, manage the take-off roll and get in the air. Once in the air is where everything almost immediately goes awry and I end up as flaming wreckage in a South Pacific island jungle. “Ensign Eliminator”, indeed… I probably need a better HOTAS and rudder pedals than the entry-level Thrustmaster devices I had already on-hand but I’m determined to figure this out.
I had to figure out how to use Patreon and download it just to subscribe to your channel, I only have subscriptions to your channel but you do excellent work and I love your video content, I know you touched on it to an extent when you did the video on cockpit ergonomics and British tech but maybe in the future if you have time and inclination a video about the culture differences and training styles and tactics of the different air forces and maybe a look at difference between navy pilots versus Air Force pilots? I know you probably get way too many requests as it is but I thought I would throw my hat in the ring, I love your work and will continue to be a loyal fan, my grandpa helped raise me and was a pilot back in the fifties and a Korean War vet, he got kicked out of Boise state university for buzzing the campus when he was a student and he would’ve loved your videos and definitely would’ve bought you a drink or two at the VFW or bar if y’all ever crossed paths
Thanks for the update. Can confirm: Hellcat video was great! All the best.
Looking forward to that VKB review, I’m also looking into getting some of their equipment right now. My X-52 HOTAS broke after 2 years of use recently. Thankfully I was able to fix it by resoldering one connection (a thin wire inside was not secured with any glue like the rest and had snapped loose from repeated movement.) But it made me want something a bit higher quality.