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[1lokos]

Introducing the VKB-Sim Gunfighter Series of Flight-Control Sticks

(Shenzhen, China / Norman, OK USA) - December 29, 2016 – VKB Industries and VKB-Sim North America are proud to announce the new and innovative Gunfighter series of flight-control sticks.



The Gunfighter series continues VKB-Sim’s commitment to creating a  highly modular control device; here are a few highlights:

A new quick release locking mechanism with improved electric contacts allows the user to quickly customize and configure the Gunfighter’s grip configuration; this includes the possibility to swap out adapted grips, or install the grip at an ergonomic angle based on the placement of the stick (e.g., a zero angle grip rotation might be a good choice for a side stick, while a fifteen degree twist to the left might be best for a center-mounted stick, while putting less strain on the wrist).




Newly developed adapters allow the Gunfighter to work with non-VKB grips, such as those of the ‘Thrustmaster ® Warthog ™’, or the ‘Defender Cobra M5’ sticks.


In addition to the already familiar high-quality components of the all-metal gimbal of the ‘Mamba MkIII’ or ‘Gladiator Pro,’ VKB engineers are proud to announce a new, innovative feature of the Gunfighter’s gimbal: force-adjustable dry clutches.



These ‘clutches’ allow the user to change the friction of the stick’s movement along its way of travel. This lets the user overcome a spring-loaded stick’s tendency to return back to center - which might be especially useful during helicopter flight (or wherever else desired). With the right amount of friction configured, the stick will stay put where the user wants it to stay – even off-center!
With this innovative new feature, the Gunfighter series of controllers will enhance the realistic overall feeling of VKB sticks even further – the Gunfighter’s stick movement feels “heavier”, and the added friction prevents oscillations when letting go of the stick.

VKB engineers managed to keep these dry clutches small without the need to enlarge the base of the stick, so the new Gunfighter remains a compact controller for desktop usage.



During the design phase of these stick, the VKB-Sim engineers implemented user feedback and drew from their vast experience to create a most reliable, professional controller with excellent performance and customization options at a reasonable price – the all-new Gunfighter series.



The base and the centering mechanism of the stick are made entirely of metal. The use of high-quality and high-performance metals results in an accurate and robust construction with a minimum number of components;  this will have a positive effect on the reliability and longevity of the product.

Update on the production status of the VKB-Sim Gunfighter series:

VKB-Sim is currently underway to start the production of the Gunfighter series of flight simulation controllers. Pre-ordering for all Gunfighter variants will commence at the final stage of the initial production run. 
Stay tuned for further VKB-Sim announcements as the Gunfighter release gets closer!

Standard Gunfighter equipment:

- Gunfighter base, including VKB-Sim’s next-gen, all metal gimbal with ‘dry clutches’
- Gimbal supports up to two springs per axis
- Swappable KG-12 grip (plastic)
- USB-Controller ‘BlackBox’
- Set of exchangeable cams and springs
- Set of cables
- Protective “Remove before flight” Dust Cover



PRICE: MSRP $299 USD (plus shipping)


Gunfighter Pro
In addition to the Gunfighter’s equipment, the Gunfighter Pro includes:

- A stick extension (20cm / 8”)
- A smaller base-plate with pre-drilled holes (useful for center-mounting inside a simulation cockpit)



PRICE: MSRP $359 USD (plus shipping)



Gunfighter ECP (Enhanced Control Panel)
To expand the development of the Gunfighter lineup, the Gunfighter ECP is also underway.



The ‘ECP’ version is designed for virtual pilots who need a large enough set of controls in the form of buttons, toggle switches, and encoders in addition to what the standard grip offers.
In essence,  the Gunfighter ECP offers an enhanced control panel that an be attached to the Gunfighter’s base, with many additional ways to interact with the simulation of choice. This removable panel adds a lot of versatility to the standard Gunfighter, while still remaining compact enough for desktop use. Stay tuned for more details on the Gunfighter ECP coming up soon.

For more information, please contact:  rrohde in vkb-sim forum

[max_thehitman]

WOW!  So very nice!
Very stylish
Thanks for the news

[trent]

Nice stick! It looks like it has some very useful features. I especially like the thought given to customization. 

[SAS~GJE52]

Nice .... but for serious jet aircraft sim pilots the Warthog HOTAS stick and throttle set up, with its various functional inputs and reasonable price, trumps it every time.... IMHO

G;