I got myself a new stick top, this one is from a GR4 ZA449. I've done a bit or research into this aircraft and found out it carried the name Strathisla during operation Telic and I think it has seen action in Operation Herrick, Ellamy, and is still in service now on Operation Herrick. I wonder if it also was involved in the gulf wars as a GR1 I cant seem to find much info about it when it was a GR1 but as my stick is a GR4 I am more interested in the aircraft history as that.
There are a few more controls on this stick compared to the GR1, i think i know what some of them are, the big red trigger at the back is obviously for firing guns and missiles, there is a smaller round red button on the front I assume that is for bombs, however, unlike the GR1 stick it has no guard and the trigger is also unguarded, so perhaps the round red button is the arming button and has to be pressed in conjuction with the trigger so maybe the trigger is for guns bombs and missiles? to the right of the round red button is a round "switch" which moves up and down and left and right, i think this is the trim controls to the right of that is another switch thing which moves up and down left and right and can be pushed down as well perhaps this was used to select different targets or items from a menu on a computer, perhaps it took over from the hand controller on the left console,there are 3 other buttons which i dont know what they did, one was probably a transmit button. another selector is on the left side of the stick it moves up and down and can be pressed, i read on the F3 version this selected missiles, long range and short range and guns, I presume on the GR4 it was still used for weapons selecting but between bombs and missiles and guns and there is the paddle switch at the bottom which is similar to the one on my GR1 stick so i think its failry safe to say it performs the same function, autopilot disconnect.
If anyone can enlighten me to what those other 3 buttons did i would be most grateful, and also if my guesses are correct about the otjher controls. And of anyone has more info on ZA449 I would also love to hear that.
Cheers.
