Working Reflector Gun Sight for FPV Dogfight

[Turbinefancy]

The glaring missing gizmo in any credible FPV Air Combat/ Dogfight experience is a crystal clear cross hair on the target.

Behold - a real scaled down 1:7.5 fully functional reflector gun sight! Perfectly sized for Warbirds between 1400 - 1700 mm wingspan. Hand made in Germany by master scale builder Tim Noack. Guinness World record for the smallest functional reflector sight perhaps - measuring 14mm wide.

[Turbinefancy]

Features:

1. Infinity focus - crystal clear reticle no matter where you place FPV camera. Ideally between 50 ~ 100mm behind the sight.

2. Parallax free - no matter where your camera is pointing, reticle stays aligned with nose of your plane. Especially cool with head tracking camera.

3. Scale outline and texture - a true scaled down replica of WWII US Navy Mark 8 fixed gun sight (no gyro). Sight body bottom lengthened to get correct lens focus. Other retical patterns available on request.

4. Clear, distortion free glass optics including anti-reflective coated 80/20 splitter glass and aspheric collimating lens for clear reticle image even at edge.

5. Adjustable dimmer - adjust reticle brightness for different ambient light conditions.

[Turbinefancy]

Additional details (dimensions, use cases, components, etc.):

[Turbinefancy]

Compare with a hand draw reticle on transparency paper - which appears blurry (out of focus) at a short distance in front of FPV camera and cannot aim properly if camera is not directly centered.

[quitcherbitchen]

That is pretty cool.

[Aros]

Wow, that is just too cool!

[Turbinefancy]

Right? All we need now is for Motion RC to carry an affordable, easy to install, plug and play, HD FPV head-tracking system to take full advantage of the view behind the reflector gun sight. Then everyone can enjoy FPV dog fighting fun! Dog fighting in the cockpit of warbirds is a fantasy shared by many, especially in RC community. Now we are very close to making it a reality. Just need a good laser tag system with smoke and the dog fighting experience would be complete. Better than Air Combat USA, since I am flying a Spitfire... haha.

[Aros]

I am all for it. This tech takes the fun of the hobby to the next level. I would love, love, love FPV head tracking goodness on my sorties/videos, especially if I get to chase someone.

[Elbee]

Features:

1. Infinity focus - crystal clear reticle no matter where you place FPV camera. Ideally between 50 ~ 100mm behind the sight.

2. Parallax free - no matter where your camera is pointing, reticle stays aligned with nose of your plane. Especially cool with head tracking camera.

3. Scale outline and texture - a true scaled down replica of WWII US Navy Mark 8 fixed gun sight (no gyro). Sight body bottom lengthened to get correct lens focus. Other retical patterns available on request.

4. Clear, distortion free glass optics including anti-reflective coated 80/20 splitter glass and aspheric collimating lens for clear reticle image even at edge.

5. Adjustable dimmer - adjust reticle brightness for different ambient light conditions.

TF, That is the damnedest thing I've ever seen. remarkable. Outstanding. You're changing the way I think about R/C flying. Best, LB

[Turbinefancy]

Aros, Elbee,

Thanks for the kind words. I hope more vendors and fellow RC flyers see the fun in flying formation, mock dog fights, racing, etc. that head-tracking FPV would enable. And to do it in a scale cockpit that 3D print affords would be just too cool! It's lonely just wondering around in FPV. We need more people to join in the fun!

[Aros]

Agreed!! :Cool:

[quitcherbitchen]

So Turbine, how much for one of those? Almost afraid to ask. I was thinking of putting in on my AA gun on my Minekaze Destroyer. The AA gun is FPV and I let spectators take simulated battle station against my UMX planes. The crosshairs would certainly add to the realism.

[Turbinefancy]

Qb,

The battle station turret has pan and tilt action?! Nice! Since you have less weight concerns maybe fitting an airsoft gun might be doable. Looks fun.

For pricing and order inquiry, please contact the builder Tim Noack directly at his email: tim79de@yahoo.de
You may find it surprisingly affordable since we shouldered the development cost.

[quitcherbitchen]

Well I bought one. It was $87 shipped. I have spent more for stuff that wasn't even that usable like 3D pilot bust. If it makes the warship and my other FPV plane more life like I will be happy

[Turbinefancy]

$87 shipped from Germany - that is a heck of a deal! Tim is also making different reticle patterns available. Mine is the US Navy version. He will have MK II, which is the genuine pattern for Spitfire, diamond for P-51, etc.

[Turbinefancy]

Putting the gun sight to good use! Does anyone know of a laser tag and smoke system that I can buy to complete the ultimate dogfighting package?

[Alpha]

Very inspiring, Turbinefancy! Very, very inspiring.

[quitcherbitchen]

Putting the gun sight to good use! Does anyone know of a laser tag and smoke system that I can buy to complete the ultimate dogfighting package?

Though not a laser system I use the old horizon Sonic Combat Modules. I bought 4 of them and mounted them on matching Super Cubs. They work OK. They are certainly fun, but the machine gun is a Beep Noise and it doesn't go off exactly when you hit the button. Sometimes it is delayed. It cuts the power to the hit plane and lets out a squeal. It works good on slow airplanes. Your Avios Plane is way too good for dog fighting with Sonic Modules. I might put my gun sight on one of my Cubs and give the FPV combat a whirl. I have midaired and destroyed two Cubs with the modules so I may not want to risk my new gunsight, but it would certainly add more realism then flying around like a swarm of bees which is how the combat looks from the ground now.

[Turbinefancy]

I think a visual feedback system to indicate hit is a critical part to the success of any air combat system. Smoke or bright flashing LED would let the attacker know he is scoring hits and that would get him hooked. Audible noise for the defender is sufficient for him to know he is receiving damage.

Like QB said, I would not want my flight controls hampered. Too much invested in a warbird to chance a crash. Also to avoid the fur ball or swarm of bees type of fight and to achieve a more realistic looking fight; pitch/roll/yaw rate should be limited, or sanctioned in a contest event, for fairness.

With some experimentation, this has the potential to develop into a very worthwhile spectator sport. It certainly is way more entertaining watching Warbirds dog fight than watching quads buzzing thru gates (usually too fast and too small to see).

Motion RC is in prime position to develop this sport being the top RC warbird distributor. I foresee a lot of FUN, epic tales (can you picture people hand gesturing air combat maneuvers in the peanut gallery) and attrition/sales with development of this sport.:)

[quitcherbitchen]

The Sonic units just cut the power to the motor. 5 seconds which seems like an eternity when flying. Their is audible hit sounds. A big sqreach noise from the plane that as hit and a beep noise is the gun from the shooter. The main issue in the dogfights is one plane seems to have better range for some reason and a little advantage. Not sure why this happens, but the units are Sonic after all and the units themselves aren't too tuned. Midairs are the main damage. Getting shot down is just a forced landing.