Bergisons Making Of

Main Instrument Panel

Working time approx. 200 hrs. April - June 2015

Initially, I was planning to take the easy path and use one single monitor in F-35 style to show all the cockpit displays and instruments, in order to have the sim ready to fly sooner.
But I knew that this would make me regret it every time I looked at it, since a flat cockpit is a gross contradiction to the beautiful geometry of the real F/A-18E cockpit (which has 5 offset screens and a standby instrument panel, all at different angles).

So I decided to stick to the real thing and use separate monitors too. This made building the "MIP" more challenging than expected.

For the left and right DDIs I use 7" display-sets bought from pollin.de. For The MPCD and the standby instruments I found some used 10" VGA displays on ebay. The UFCD is a 7" touch monitor by faytech.

 

First testing of the cockpit monitors. They all connect to one HD7850 Eyefinity GPU. First testing of the cockpit monitors. They all connect to one HD7850 Eyefinity GPU.
First cuts... First cuts...
Frequent testing of size and angles in the pit. Frequent testing of size and angles in the pit.

Installed the screens into the MIP. First test run looks promising, but theres still a long way to go. Installed the screens into the MIP. First test run looks promising, but theres still a long way to go.
Continuing to build the structure. A lot of preplanning has to be considered as to where future panels are going to be placed and where to cut for their wiring. Continuing to build the structure. A lot of preplanning has to be considered as to where future panels are going to be placed and where to cut for their wiring.
I use two layers of 2 mm poplar plywood as glareshield. Once glued together, they perfectly maintain their shape. I use two layers of 2 mm poplar plywood as glareshield. Once glued together, they perfectly maintain their shape.

Installing the screens, panels and then wire everything together. What looks like a mess is actually... quite a mess. Installing the screens, panels and then wire everything together. What looks like a mess is actually... quite a mess.
But this does not show from the front, fortunately. But this does not show from the front, fortunately.
The finished MIP in action. Love it! The finished MIP in action. Love it!

 

Peter103 posted on 17.9.2021 at 16:39

Hello Bergison, I was wondering how you have been able to make the instuments (DDI, MPCD, UFC, IFEI, RWR, etc.) look each one on a screen as seen in the first photo, it's some special program? Please, if you could detail how you have done it, I would be enormously grateful. Greetings and great job!

Bergison

Hi Peter103, thanks for your question. In P3D (which I use to fly the F/A-18E) exporting sreens is very easy: They open as separate windows, which can be 'undocked' and moved to other monitors. This also works in VR. P3D even remembers those window positions accurately, which means you have to position them only once.
In DCS (which I use for the F/A-18C), unfortunately things are not so easy. Users of monitors/projectors can export screens by modifying some .lua files as described in this post: wiki.hoggitworld.com/view/Exporting_MFCD_Displays
That does not work in VR however. I am still searching for a solution (in case you stumble across something).
 

Shiner91 posted on 04.6.2021 at 3:25

You may want to click on your link to FSDisplays on your main instrument display page, it takes you to an adult dating site containing graphics I'm sure you're not interested in being linked to. I clicked it twice to make sure what I was seeing wasn't just a random occurrence, it was not. I'm not sure what happened to the original content, seeing as FSDisplays and FSX Spy are no longer available it appears that something nefarious is now directing the traffic. So, disabling the link might be a good idea. Regards, M. Smith

Bergison

Hi Shiner91, thank you for this information! I removed the link to FSDisplays, which is OK for me because I also don't use them anymore.

 

josue posted on 16.2.2021 at 0:32

Hi, I was just wondering where you put your PCs in the cockpit. 

Bergison

Hi josue, the PCs are to the left and right of the rudder pedals. You can see into the space for the left one in the 3rd picture (to the left of the center console and below the left vertical panel).

 

Linus posted on 08.10.2020 at 21:45

Do you recall or have a link to where you sourced the various LCDs?

Bergison

Hi Linus,
i give the sources and links in the text above: For the left and right DDIs I use 7" display-sets bought from pollin.de. For The MPCD and the standby instruments I found some used 10" VGA displays on ebay. The UFCD is a 7" touch monitor by faytech.
 

Alessandro posted on 19.9.2020 at 5:33

thanks for the reply, i am waiting to be admitted in the hornet forum. the bezel of the central screen with the map where you took it ... around I find only the ddi bezel

Bergison

Hi Alessandro,
I made the MPCD (the central display) bezel myself. Have a look here: https://bergisons.simpit.info/making-of_mpcd
 

Alessandro posted on 30.6.2020 at 11:29

congratulations for the wonderful work, it would be possible to have the detailed measures of the cockpit and the mip to try to build my home cockpit. Alexander

Bergison

Hi Alessandro,I don't have a decent plan or 3D file with measurements for my pit to share, sorry. I built it more or less according to some plans I've found on the internet and on hornetpits.org. You can find some beautiful plans over there.

 

alex h posted on 13.3.2020 at 19:53

do you have any instructions/dimensions of cuts for this if not do you know any good websites with them 

Bergison

Hi alex h,check out hornetpits.org for a lot of useful information on the Hornet cockpit. Some builders there also share really good 3D models and instructions.