A real-time record of engineering milestones, from initial CAD to physical assembly.
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Hi Builders, I have designed an improved version of the AHCP, Armament, and HUD Control Panel housing. This new version is custom-made for the standard toggles. (BOM available for members.) It also includes a recess on the front face to allow the installation of the backlight LEDs. Next for the AHCP is the enhanced version of the faceplate with labels and backlighting. Stay tuned.
The official site has just launched We’re currently uploading cockpit designs, CAD files, and engineering logs. Some sections are still being stocked as we assemble the full library. Feel free to explore the system and follow the build. More resources are being added daily.
This content is exclusive to SIMSTRUCT members. Join the Builder Program to unlock full build logs, dimensions, and resources.
This content is exclusive to SIMSTRUCT members. Join the Builder Program to unlock full build logs, dimensions, and resources.
I paused development of the A-10C panels for a moment to focus more deeply on the electronics side of SIMSTRUCT. After all… what is a body without a soul? The front console is essentially complete — all panels are designed, printed, tested, and the fit is extremely accurate. I’m very happy with how the results are shaping up. However, with the arrival of a new batch of toggle switches, it became clear that I’ll need to revisit some parts of the design, especially the mounting geometry on the back panels. This raised an important question about the future direction of SIMSTRUCT: How can I make the A-10C cockpit files and electronics accessible to everyone, regardless of skill level or component availability? Different builders use different hardware, and even small variations in switch dimensions can become barriers to an otherwise simple build. That goes against my vision — which is to make cockpit construction achievable and enjoyable for all. Because of this, I’m now exploring a “one-size-fits-all” approach for panel design. The idea is to create mounting systems and tolerances flexible enough to support a wide range of switches and components without forcing anyone to hunt for specific hardware. And I would love to hear from the community: What challenges have you faced with panel compatibility? What ideas or suggestions do you have for universal mounting systems? Are there components you think should be prioritized for broad compatibility? Thank you all for following the project and supporting each step of this journey. Much more is coming soon — and your feedback will shape it. See you in the next update.
(A small pause… but for a very good reason!) Hey everyone! I took a short break from modeling the A-10C panels because I needed to lock down something even more important: the electronics heart that will power the entire front dashboard. Sometimes you have to pause the build to keep the ideas fresh — and trust me, this part was worth the pause. Today I’m sharing a sneak peek of the Front Console Input Board, the “brain” that will handle all the switches, toggles, encoders and sensors from the A-10C front panel. No more cable chaos. No more guessing pins. No more fragile protoboards. Just plug, fly, and smile. 😄 What’s working right now Fully integrated ATmega32U4 (native USB) High-density input matrix with 20 shift registers (160+ digital inputs!) Four 50-pin IDC ports for clean, organized panel wiring Built-in filtering, decoupling, and DCS-ready structure Designed from scratch specifically for the A-10C front console And best of all: It will ship with firmware pre-flashed, DCS-BIOS profiles, naming conventions, and calibration already aligned with the A-10C cockpit logic. You plug it in, connect your switches, and your sim suddenly feels alive. Next milestone I’m now beginning development of the output slave board — the board that will handle backlighting, annunciators, caution lights, and other outputs. Once both boards are complete, the entire front console becomes one clean, integrated ecosystem. What’s coming If all goes well, the full A-10C front console set (inputs + outputs + panel files + wiring guides) should be ready for testing in about one month. ✈️ And beyond… A-10C was my first love, so she had to come first But after she’s complete, I’ll be releasing plane-specific electronics for multiple aircraft. Why plane-specific? Because every aircraft deserves its own optimized, precise electronics. No improvisation. No wrestling cables. No guessing pins. Just: ✔️ Plug in your console ✔️ Load your profile ✔️ And fly. Community Support Coming Soon Over the next 2 weeks, I’ll be launching: A Patreon with supporter tiers (behind-the-scenes progress, early access files, exclusive perks) The official SIMSTRUCT website, where you can follow development and access resources, files, instructions, tutorials and more. And in about 3 weeks, I’ll open the Interest List + Pre-Order Pipeline for those who want to secure their spot for the first production run. Your feedback and support mean the world to me — and they help push this project forward faster. I will keep posting Hope you enjoy the preview! Let me know what you think!
The entire front console was designed as a modular system, guided by a calibrated cockpit canvas inside Fusion 360. To establish scale, I started with the real-world dimensions of one panel and applied that to the canvas as a reference. From there, all other panels were proportioned and aligned against it, which allowed the full console to be built at a very accurate scale relative to the real A-10 cockpit. One important design constraint was the LCD screen that will sit behind the panels and provide instrument data through Helios. Because of that, none of the panel structures could extend beyond that plane. This forced me to move slightly away from the exact real-world proportions and add a bit more depth to the console. In the end, I think this worked well, as it gave the assembly a bulkier and more convincing look. At the same time, I also want this cockpit to support future upgrades, including mechanical servo-driven gauges. So even at this stage, the design has to remain forward-compatible and allow those additions later with minimal refactoring. To make electronics assembly easier, I broke the design into four layers. The first layer is the structural frame. This is the foundation that attaches both to the main console structure and to the rear panel assemblies, where the controls and electronics are housed. The rear panels were designed to snugly fit the standard toggle switches selected for this build. After a fair amount of trial and error, I finally arrived at the tolerances that give a precise and reliable fit for the switches. The next layer is the faceplate, which will carry the panel labels and the backlighting system. This layered approach should make the console easier to assemble, easier to maintain, and much easier to upgrade as the project evolves.
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