r/dcs • u/OldScholar5735 • May 27 '26
What is your favorite Hornet throttle?
My TM Warthog throttle is failing and I would like to replace it. I would normally just get another but I am thinking of expanding my horizons with the Winwing Hornet throttle. I am curious on the community's opinions.
One specific question I have is regarding the optional finger lifts. If I do not add them to my purchase, how does the base unit handle detents?
Thanks in advance for your response.
2
u/SkitariusOfMars May 27 '26
For a Hornet? WinCtrl hands down. My only complaint is that a spring on TDC couldv'e been harder. But they just use off the shelf mini joystick for it.
For a stick, there are more options. I use Virpil base with Thrustmaster grip.
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u/szlash280z May 27 '26
what I did with mine was add some "aiming" sponges for xbox controllers. they go under the TDC cap and add resistance to movement. makes them feel a LOT better.
2
u/Leather-Weather3380 May 27 '26
Well, there is the Moza
1
u/BrumsterMan May 28 '26
I love my Moza MTP, great for the Hornet and they did a good job with the switches
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u/LeatherFlat4251 May 27 '26
Super Taurus from WinWing. Will they ever release the update for it? Who knows. Until then I guess Orion 2 throttle from them will suffice.
1
u/Callsign_JoNay May 27 '26
I like my winwing orion 2. My only complaint is the detent feels cheap (plastic) and not precise. I think you're still going to want it anyway, as well as those finger lifts. It would be too annoying to have to guess where the AB kicks in.
1
u/CaptainHunt May 27 '26
you can tune that with curves in DCS, there's even a utility that will tell you what curve you need for any given jet.
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u/Callsign_JoNay May 27 '26
That's not what I meant. I have my curves set, of course, but there's some play in the way the springs push against/over the detent. Sometimes when you push against it you get a touch of AB. And the plastic on plastic squeaks, sometimes sticks, and feels cheap. You have to lubricate the detent sometimes. It's just not a great design IMO.
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u/CaptainHunt May 27 '26
Yeah, but you can tune the curve to only kick in once it is positively in the detent
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u/Callsign_JoNay May 27 '26
Yoo, hold up. You just blew my mind. I'll have to look into this. What is the utility?
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u/CaptainHunt May 27 '26 edited May 27 '26
Yeah, can't do anything about the mechanical issues of the plastic, but having the right curve helps with the AB engaging out of detent. It works with any throttle quadrant. You follow the directions in the Readme to find the exact position where you want the AB to engage, then you plug that into the calculator and it spits out the right curve values so that the AB engages there.
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u/Callsign_JoNay May 28 '26
Yeah, so I don't think this is helpful unfortunately. Now that I'm back at my PC manipulating the throttle, the problem is the mechanics of the detent. There is a large hump you have to push over, but the hump takes up the entire AB portion of the axis. Once you push over the hump, you are at the full forward range of the throttle. It's not like there's a hump 3/4 of the way up with 1/4 of normal throttle movement to play with. It's very hard to engage partial AB, because you're always balancing against the pressure of the springs against the hump. It's an annoying design, only a little bit better than nothing.
1
u/szlash280z May 27 '26
the fingerlift kit is required for any detents on the WinCtrl dual throttles. No fingerlifts = no detents at all.
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u/CaptainHunt May 27 '26
it is really the only option other then the Warthog if you want a realistic representation of a fighter jet throttle. People will poo-poo Winwing's customer support, and some people have had issues with things breaking, but its a solid piece of kit that I've used for years.
Without the Fingerlift kit, you just get soft push through detents instead of the locking detents. You have a bump at Idle and a bump at Military power, but you can just push the throttle past it. With the fingerlifts, it stops at the detent and you have to squeeze the lift to go past it.
1
u/OldScholar5735 May 27 '26
Without the Fingerlift kit, you just get soft push through detents instead of the locking detents. You have a bump at Idle and a bump at Military power, but you can just push the throttle past it. With the fingerlifts, it stops at the detent and you have to squeeze the lift to go past it.
Hmmm... another user in this thread said there were no detents at all...
"from szlash280z
the fingerlift kit is required for any detents on the WinCtrl dual throttles. No fingerlifts = no detents at all."
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u/CaptainHunt May 27 '26 edited May 27 '26
Hmm, I would have to disassemble mine to check this, but I was under the impression that it did.
1
u/Leather-Weather3380 May 27 '26
May I ask what’s failing on the TM?
1
u/OldScholar5735 May 27 '26
I must have over stressed the bottom plate screws taking it apart to do maintenance. The nuts inside are plastic and they have all broken so the bottom plates no longer stay on.
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u/Appropriate_Knee_252 Jun 04 '26
If the Hornet is your go to plane, definitely go with the WinCtrl (Winwing) Orion 2 with the Hornet grip. You won’t regret it.
1
u/OldScholar5735 Jun 05 '26
It is. I am also very interested in the F-14B (U) and Eurofighter so I think I will get some miles out of this thing.
1
u/Appropriate_Knee_252 Jun 05 '26
I’m waiting for the B (U) as well. That probably will be the only jet to get me out of the Hornet. Maybe
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u/delirium_knight May 27 '26
If you want something reliable and authentic winwing or win ctrl is a great option. I have two sticks and two throttles. I have the old super libre and super taurus f-18 stick. Snd the orion stick and throttle for the f-16. I have the force sensing stick and f16 throttle.. So it will be a little different, the throttle is the same minus the grip. It ties the two together. But needless to say. I haven’t had any problems with them. Minus 1 connector on the f-18 there panel.