New yoke mod

[Delirium]

(I posted this in the SAPP forum, but maybe I'll get some info here as well)

I've decided to start looking at building a new yoke but I can't find anything even closely resembling a P38 yoke. The problems I see are;

1. The CH yoke looks too different than a real 38 yoke and it doesn't have triggers.

2. Any real yoke I can find on e-bay looks too small and doesn't resemble a P38 yoke.

I really want to build a P38 yoke to look as accurate as I can make it, does anyone have any ideas? Corky/Guppy had mentioned finding a recreation of a P38 yoke that was being sold on the http://p38assn.org but alas they aren't selling it anymore.

Thanks in advance...

[SD67]

Hmmm I'll have a look at the steering wheel for your bombers and see if I can come up with a suitable solution.
With any luck I'll be able to point you to a specific type of yoke and what you will need to do to it.

[SD67]

Ok I thought I'd make a new post rather than edit.

The sheer size of the P38 yoke makes it an awkward choice for conversion. from what I can see from the pics I've seen already there was not much on it apart from the trigger at the right thumb. I'm still looking for more info, if anyone can provide some more insight it would be welcome.
It is worth noting that the examples of CH yokes I've seen have had 2 triggers at the index finger position of each handle.

[Delirium]

The above pic is from a P38G... a modified steering wheel.

What I'm looking for is a yoke to resemble a P38J, like the one below. I don't want to go with a CH yoke if it all possible, I want this mod to be as accurate looking as I can possibly make it. Although, I may end up gutting a cheap USB CH Yoke if I find one cheap enough to get me started on this project, but I don't want the finished project to look anything like a CH Yoke.

If anyone has seen a yoke similar in their travels (even if they were on real birds like a Cessna) let me know.

[633DH98]

Have you searched for "Butterfly Steering Wheels" ?

[StarOfAfrica2]

There's a yoke from a C-141 Starlifter on Ebay.



300 bucks.  Doesnt look like a P-38 yoke in the least.  Cool conversation piece tho.

[StarOfAfrica2]

Or there's this one.  Little bit closer in appearance, but its a gameport hookup instead of USB.



http://cgi.ebay.com/flight-controller-yoke-with-real-push-pull-action_W0QQitemZ270252363353QQihZ017QQcategoryZ130738QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem#ebayphotohosting

[Reschke]

There's a yoke from a C-141 Starlifter on Ebay.

(Image removed from quote.)

300 bucks.  Doesnt look like a P-38 yoke in the least.  Cool conversation piece tho.

that one looks like it would be pretty cool to convert over for a bomber driver. You could possibly map out the commands that would be needed to the basic buttons and flip switches on the stick.

[moot]

Buy a good harware piece, gut the functional bits, and build the proper ergonomics out of wood to insert the wiring and buttons into.  Then just install the original OEM drivers.

[mechanic]

only two ways you are going to be happy here Del, i rekon..

1)find an authentic 38j yoke and get smart with electrics

2)build your own replica 38j yoke out of copper pipes, balsa wood and bicycle handle grips.. and get smart with electrics.

[Fulmar]

start getting smart

[mechanic]

"I want to be a part of it...New Yoke..New Yoke"  *humming*

[Delirium]

Thanks for the ideas gents, the Butterfly steering wheel is the closest thing so far...

Anyone else have any ideas?

[The Fugitive]

There are some HERE, and some handles HERE, Saitek has these, You can try Here. They are a community base message board set up to find hard to find parts for aircraft. You might get lucky and find a P38 yoke.

Personally, I'd look into having someone cut it out of aluminum with a water jet. make it two pieces, 1/2 inch thick (a front and a back) and use a dremel to clean out the insides for wires.

Good luck !

[Ack-Ack]

Not a real big fan of Saitek crap but that yoke and throttle do look nice.  Too bad CH decided to cancel their dual throttle.


ack-ack