May 22nd, 2002
Here's the first scratch built panel for the F-15. The engine control lightplate came from Desktop Simulators. It was a surplus unit from a project they'd previously done with F-15E part/task trainers. The backplate was created from scratch. Rob did a most excellent job in drilling the new mounting plate based upon the holes in the lightplate. This is litterally our first effort on a production panel! It turned out so much better than I think either one of us expected. This of course bodes quite well for all other other panels in the aircraft. Here is a good comparison between the engine control panel in an active duty F-15C and the panel that we built. I don't know about you, but I think ours looks better! :) When they become available, I'll be adding the "correct" switches to the panel. The primary impetus at this point is the high cost of some of them. Then generator and DEEC switches can cost as much as $45 each.