(Article went live – November 4th, 2019 // Last update – August 31st, 2020)

It is my pleasure to review the VKB Gunfighter MCG Pro Mark II (also called the Revision B) and hereafter referred to as simply “GF”. Until just a few years ago, if you wanted a high end joystick to use with computer flight simming, the choices were somewhat limited. The main competitors were the Logitech X-52, the Logitech X-56, the Thrustmaster Warthog and the CH Fighterstick. Each had its strengths and weaknesses and most serious simmers tended to go the Warthog route simply because it was for years the most high end feature wise, came with an accompanying throttle and faced no serious competition. There were other choices, like the badly outdated Thrustmaster Cougar or the vintage Microsoft Force Feedback 2 but they tended to suffer from their own set of issues when used with modern flight sims.

Enter VKB, a smaller firm made up of a multinational contingent of engineers and design personnel based in China and around the globe, with their manufacturing assets also located in China. VKB in English is just an acronym for their name in Russian, which translates as “Virtual Design Bureau”. VKB began around 2003 in the Belarus capital of Minsk. Since their inception they have been focused on the higher end flight sim market, as is apparent with the release of sticks like the Black Mamba around 2013 to the Russian/Eastern European market. They slowly gained traction and attention, and released their much praised lower end Gladiator model as one of their first major North American products around 2016. By designing and manufacturing increasingly high end gimbals, grips and pedals, they have worked to fill a vacuum left by those displeased with so many other brand’s higher end offerings, particularly the Warthog.

The Gunfighter lineage is apparent in the older Black Mamba

The excellent VKB Gladiator

Unlike the lower end Gladiator, the GF is a ‘pro’ level stick meant for the serious simmer who flies hundreds of hours per year or more. Over the years I have been fortunate to sample most of sticks on the market including the Saitek X-52, X-52 Pro, CH Fighterstick (hereafter referred to as “CHF”), the Logitech G940, the Thrustmaster Cougar, the Thrustmaster Warthog (hereafter referred to as “WS”), the Thrustmaster T16000m HOTAS, the Virpil T-50 grip and base, the WarBRD base and the latest Virpil T-50CM2 grip and base. My favorite stick since 2008 when I began flight simming has been the CH Fighterstick. In the dictionary beside the word “rugged” there should be a picture of the CHF. The CHF has a light throw, great potentiometers that never seem to degrade, industrial grade switches and buttons and a precision that higher priced sticks have a hard time matching. Because of those attributes, it has been my go to weapon when dueling high level fliers in IL2 1946, IL2 Great Battles, ROF and DCS.

Just a few of the joysticks tested against the VKB Gunfighter MCG Pro Mk. II (on the left)

Because the GF occupies the high end of the joystick market, I will primarily be pitting it against its major competitors, … the Virpil WarBRD and T-50CM2 products, the venerable CHF and the ubiquitous Warthog stick. Without further ado, let’s take a look at several of the major categories:

Packaging –

I hate, …. sorry, let me make it more clear, … I absolutely #$%#@#! detest click bait packaging vids on Youtube that folks use to boost their view numbers. Suffice to say, the GF came well packaged in both a nice foam lined box that was further enclosed in an outer box with padding. It could have easily taken a tumble down a flight of concrete stairs without any damage to the GF components inside. The packaging was excellent and it took me exactly 12 days to receive my order from Taiwan once I placed it at the VKB North American website. This was far better than the 93 days it took for Virpil to send me my T-50CM2 grip and base.

The VKB GF came well packaged.

Documentation –

To VKB’s credit, the GF did come with a quick install pamphlet that explains how to set up the base and attach the grip. It is not detailed but it is far better than nothing at all. The quick start guide does give the link for more in-depth setup instructions and firmware flashing at the VKB North American site.

Hardware –

The Gimbal, Cams and Springs –

The GF uses a well designed and strong gimbal and cam system that allows for a wide range of user customization. Specifically, the gimbal is made of steel and employs single cams and dual springs in opposition to Virpil and their dual cam single spring systems. There is a load distribution advantage to using two cams per axis but with the downside that there are more moving parts for possible failure. In practice, dual cam systems also tend to be slightly stiffer as well. It is also interesting to note that the Hamiltonian (denoting the total potential and kinetic energy of the system) will vary for each design depending upon the springs used.

The Gunfighter Mark II base uses a single cam, single or dual spring mechanism.

The Virpil WarBRD for example uses dual cams and a single spring mechanism.

The GF gimbal and cams run on sealed cartridge bearings which frankly are mediocre to decent, but not excellent.

Anyone who has ever serviced high end bike hubs, bottom brackets or headsets, knows the importance of the cartridge bearing. A properly serviced Chris King or DT Swiss rear hub can travel hundreds of thousands of rotations before showing wear or needing major service and the same is true of a properly maintained GF gimbal.

The precision Ring Drive internals of a Chris King rear hub.

Perhaps the only problem with the GF gimbal is the lack of easily purchasable bearings at the VKB website. They need to stock a bearing pulling tool and replaceable bearings for their gimbals along with entire servicing kits like you see for any high end bike hub manufacturer.

Example of a cheap bearing pulling tool.

No one wants to purchase a high end stick only to find a stuck bearing with no easy option for maintenance except to return it all the way back to China. (This issue has appeared in the forums.)

The included bearings on the GF gimbal were not that well lubed which is an oversite that VKB needs to address in the future. As a rough servicing guide, the bearings of the GF gimbal should be checked every 4 months or ~ 150 hours of use and regreased and relubed once a year. Many bike tool companies such as Shimano, Park Tools and Pedros manufacture high end lubricants to use with open ball bearing, cup and cone and/or cartridge bearing hubs. I decided to use Park Tool’s HPG – 1 (High Performance Grease) to very lightly lubricate the bearings and cam (race) surfaces. I used a bicycle oil called Tri-Flow to soak down into the bearings themselves. There are plenty of other high-end automobile grade products that are almost identical but I went with what I had on hand.

Proper lubrication is essential for the bearings of the gimbal and cams

I am very happy to see that none of the critical parts are plastic or aluminum. There is a time and a place for steel, and a high end joystick gimbal is such a place. A steel gimbal will allow the serious simmer to put years on the base without worry about failure. VKB allows the user to choose between two different cam options; one with a soft center (the #30) and the other without a center (#10). Both of the cams offered have rising rates (slightly exponential, first derivative dy/dx always increasing), which means more and more force is needed to push the stick all the way to the corners, and this is exactly as sticks perform in many real world aircraft. Despite this, I wish VKB would offer linear cams where the force is constant throughout the throw. That would induce less arm fatigue and is also better for space combat simming. Fortunately, there are now custom additional VKB cams appearing on the market that will allow the GF owner to change basic stick feel.

The Gunfighter #10 no center cam on the left with two VKB custom machined cams on the right.

(The #30 soft center cam is not shown)

VKB also allows the GF owner to choose between five different options for spring strength. VKB labels these springs as #10 (light), #20 (standard), #30 (medium), #40 (heavy) and #50 (heavy, … to be used with extensions). To give you an idea of how stiff these are when used without an extension, the #40 springs provide a firmer stick than the stock Warthog and the #10 springs are much less stiff than the WS and only slightly stiffer than the stock CHF. Officially, VKB will allow up to two (2) #40 springs on each cam. Trying this myself resulted in a very stiff stick, even with the official VKB extension. This is noteworthy because the gimbal can experience more than 90 Nm of torque. (Some fasteners used to attach engines to race cars and aircraft are sometimes torqued to less!) If you are wondering if the steel cams will support even more stiffness, the answer is yes. For 20 minutes, I used custom springs from McMaster-Carr that are roughly equivalent to what VKB would call a #100 spring and the gimbal was fine. Using that for days on end though would likely bend or break the cams and would not be covered by VKB. VKB and their representatives will immediately point out that anything more than two #40 springs per cam is not covered by warranty and is a no go. So yes, … you can try really stiff combinations but at the possible risk of much reduced gimbal or cam half life that is not going to be covered by warranty.

On the other side of the spectrum, you may wonder if the gimbal will respond fine with springs that are even weaker than the VKB #10s. The answer is yes, … you can use much weaker springs and still come away with a very light throw and feel. The lightest spring that can be used with the GF and still have the grip recenter after pulling it to a corner (as long as the dampers are not tightened at all) has a rate of about ~ 25 kg/m. I did this to emulate the CHF because it has a very light throw which makes it easier to achieve high precision in titles like IL2 1946 and Rise of Flight.

The GF MCG Pro (unmodded) with two very light custom spring examples laying on the base plate.

In real aircraft, pilots say that there is a ‘breakout force’ needed at the stick to begin moving the ailerons, rudders, etc… (The breakout force is often quoted in pounds or kilograms but force is measured in Newtons (kg*m/sec^2). What is actually meant, is breakout force (F) per G (one G is 9.806 m/sec^2) on the stick and hence is listed in kilograms or pounds) In many aircraft, that breakout force is progressive (slightly exponential), which means that more and more force is needed to push the stick (and control surface) all the way to its limit. This is the exact behavior of the GF cams, … the amount of force needed to push the stick to the corners grows throughout the throw. In older, non-fly-by-wire aircraft, the breakout force was often the force needed to move the flight surface against the wind. In today’s modern fly by wire aircraft (think F-18 Hornet), breakout forces are always simulated to give the pilot a heuristic and more accurate feel of what is happening at the flight surfaces. These simulated forces are also always used for large passenger and transport aircraft where no human has the strength to push/pull the flight surfaces against the wind.

Actual aircraft such as Cessnas have moderate breakout forces on their yokes (typically 0.95 to 1.8 kg), WW2 warbirds typically have higher (1.5 to 3.2 kg) and aerobatic aircraft often have much lighter levels (0.8 to 1.5 kg). The F-18 Hornet has adjustable breakout force but is typically set at ~ 1.65 kg. These moderate to higher levels (about 1.5 to 2.3kg) of breakout force are specifically set in real world fighter aircraft because the aerospace engineers who designed them did not want unintentional control input under rapidly changing G loads. Extreme Basic Fighter Maneuvers (BFM) and Air Combat Manoeuvring (ACM) in a virtual environment closely approximates the needs of aerobatic aircraft and for this reason, pilots wishing to be online killers will best be served by light breakout forces at the stick using the cams with no center. While I do not wish to go into the details in this review, less breakout force and a more nimble response also allows for faster OODA looping, increasing combat efficiency.

The stick in the Super Decathlon is set with fairly light breakout force.

In a virtual sim, setting up a joystick, say, with realistic WW2 or jet breakout forces often negatively impacts extremely precise BFM or formation flying inputs. It also induces unwanted arm fatigue.The high level of input needed in real life to slide the tail or pull a torque roll is needed to counteract aerodynamic forces but in a virtual settings at our desks, no more return spring force than is needed to center the stick will give you the most accurate combat results. If one uses realistic breakout forces and then attempts a direction reversal (say, … move along the X axis for some small distance and then suddenly reverse in the -X axis direction), this will negatively impact accuracy when putting shots on the enemy.

The GF can be set up anywhere from about ~ 0.16 kg of breakout force all the way up to about 1.48 kg if two #40 springs are used with the desktop version. In comparison, the WS with stock springs requires 1.12 kg of breakout force and the CHF requires 0.34 kg. The GF with the #10 springs comes in at 0.39 kg overall. Yes, the WS might seem more ‘realistic’ but you are not performing an actual rolling scissors at 3.5 G and continuing to push on a stiff stick will simply result in arm strain after a long flying session. It all comes down to user preference, … some guys like extreme realism with very stiff sticks and others prefer a very nimble response. With this in mind, I ordered some custom springs from McMaster-Carr here in the States and ended up finally selecting what I would call a VKB ” #5 ” spring (the 0.24 Outer Diameter spring in the pic below), which allowed me to achieve a feeling that is lighter than the CHF at the center and slightly more firm as I push the GF to the corners. This gave me a breakout force of about ~ 0.20 kg overall, … a very light throw.

An example of two types of custom lighter springs on the right.

You may be wondering if the GF can be used without any springs. The answer is yes, … the grip will not center obviously but yes, you can use the stick with no loss in precision. And there are actually some guys in the helo community who might like this option.

In addition to customizing springs, the GF also has two adjustable dampers for both the pitch and roll axes.

I did not pick out this horrible cheap carpet.

By tightening them down, you can adjust the coefficient of friction for each axis independently. If the friction is increased enough, the stick will hold still against its spring force and not return to center. You can move the stick to a certain position and then release it, and it will hold its position. The only downside to these dampers is that you must overcome that friction when you wish to begin moving the stick again. A fairly elegant and well thought out solution but once again, at the price of quick accuracy.

Overall, the gimbal is well designed, has a wide torque acceptance and is extremely precise. After considering closely the mechanical engineering of the gimbal and cams, I prefer the VKB solution to those offered by Thrustmaster and Virpil. There are no other gimbals on the market with the wide range and versatility of the GF that I am aware of.

Sensors, Precision and Electrical Engineering –

Unlike the majority of joysticks that came before the Warthog which used potentiometers (like the CHF), the VKB uses sensors that rely on moving magnets, and which ultimately rely on the Maxwell-Faraday Law (obviously, one of Maxwell’s Law). If you like line integrals or vector calculus, and I do, then the Law takes one of two equivalent forms :

Basically, this bit of world altering mathematics says that by changing (varying) a magnetic field (B) we can induce an electric field (E). That means that moving something with a magnet in it near something that can detect a voltage difference can be used as a measurement device. This basic principle of magnetic flux is how Hall sensors work, …. the resulting Lorentz force on the charge carriers gives a buildup of positive or negative charge with a accompanying voltage gradient. Hall sensors are usually 2 to 18 times more sensitive depending upon semiconductor material to movement than the typical potentiometers (3 terminal resistors) found in most mid-range and cheaper joysticks.

Hall sensors are excellent for measuring transmission speeds in a vehicle or piston cycling but not as accurate for measuring angular non-contact proximity and displacement (which is exactly what we want at the base of a joystick). For these applications, we need something that is more sensitive to angular displacement, and VKB decided to go with magnetoresistive sensors.

A magnetoresistive sensor works by detecting the varying current induced by an angularly displaced magnet.

Since it is up to 90 times easier to measure varying current through a permalloy film (with a voltage (V) clamp) than it is to measure varying voltage across a semiconductor with current (I) held constant, the magnetoresistive sensor turns out to be perfect for measuring the position displacement of a gimbal. VKB creatively calls their magnetoresistive sensors by the eponymous acronym MaRS (magnetoresistive sensor). Often by combining magnetoresistive sensors with a type of circuit known as a Wheatstone Bridge (along with amplification), extremely precise analog output can be sent to the analog to digital converters (ADCs).

A Wheatstone Bridge.

The GF black box (which is actually orange) processes the output from the magnetoresistive sensors and 32 bit ARM processor, and should theoretically allow for true 16 bit input. (More on this in a moment)

The GF Black Box (actually orange box) is where all processing and profile storage takes place. (Ernie is a badass at online combat)

When the GF is in stock condition, the sensitivity of the X and Y axes (pitch and roll) is set to 12 bits (4096 discrete steps). This is more than enough sensitivity for 99% of virtual pilots. However, by using the VKBDevCfg software, sensitivity can be set up to 15 bits maximum (but not 16 bit).

Axial precision of the stick can be set from inside the VKBDevCfg (NJoy32) software.

To get a sense of what this means and the actual precision of the GF, let’s start at one step lower than 15 bits, which is 14 bits (16384 discrete steps)(You will see why we do not start at 16 bit true in just a moment) and use the simple relation:

arc length (of the grip top) = resolution x Θ

(where theta (Θ) is angle of the stick as measured from center and is measured in radian units, Pi (3.14159….)/180 deg)

The GF gimbal can be moved +/- 25 degrees in the X or -X axes (roll) and +/- 22 degrees in the Y or -Y axes (pitch). For an arc length of +/- 22 degrees in the pitch axis (44 degrees total) for example, the result would be 44 / 16384 = 0.00269 degrees. If the distance from the center of the gimbal to the top of the grip is 24 cm, then that gives us 24 cm x (44 / 16384) x (Pi / 180 deg) = a sensitivity of 0.01124 mm. (That is, the electronics of the GF can detect a physical movement of 0.01124 mm or greater) That is 11.2 microns! Due to neural network synchronicity limitations in the somatosensory and parietal cortices, no human being alive can discern that level of sensitivity. If we used an extension so that the top of the grip was 24 inches or ~ 61 cm above the gimbal, we would get a result of 0.02859 mm. (Which is correct because you have to push the stick further with an extension to equal the same input range of a desktop stick) If we had true 16 bit inputs, the numbers for a desktop GF would be 0.002812 mm and with an extension it would be 0.007147 mm.

Theoretically we should have true 16 bit precision and that is certainly what the ADCs (Analog to digital converters) are receiving, but because the sampling rate of the ARM processor cannot keep up (an electrical engineering discussion that concerns sampling rate across several channels, and that would take too long for me to go into here), the actual precision is 15 bit. (In comparison, the WS stick uses the MLX90333 ic and can sample 15 bit at 1666 Hz while the Virpil stuff uses RISC processors at 500 Hz. The end result being that both those manufacturers are also tied to 15 bit true.) That means that the true precision of the desktop GF is ~ 0.007 mm or so and when used with an extension, the precision is about 0.01 mm roughly. This also means, for further electrical engineering reasons that would take too long to go into here, the actual precision of the GF is about 0.004 mm better than the WS and about 0.001 mm more precise than the Virpil sticks (on average). Not that a virtual flyer would ever notice this but still worthy of note. I also like the ARM architecture better for precise digital measurements than the RISC processors that Virpil uses.

Because the ARM processor cannot sample fast enough for true 16 bit input, we are left with the next lower set of discrete stepping, 15 bit, and this verifies what VKB markets but we must also remember that the gimbal is using smooth cartridge bearings. This means the breakout force is significantly less than in the poorly designed WS (the WS needs a higher breakout force because the cheap zamak metal grip weighs ~ 1000 grams (2.2 lbs) and must be kept centered and also because Thrustmaster wanted to imitate the actual breakout force used in the real A-10 Warthog).

The poorly designed plastic ball and socket gimbal of the Warthog stick

A heavy spring must be used to support the heavy zamak metal grip from flopping over.

Because of the machining of the gimbal axes and single cam, the GF gimbal is also slightly less resistive than the WarBRD gimbal and much less so than the T-50CM2. It also means that if I want to move the stick only 14.3 mm in the positive X axis direction and then jerk it 16.7 mm in negative X, it responds precisely and lightly. This is the exact reason why the GF is the most accurate stick on the market so far. It is the system integration of movement from the hand to the gimbal, reduction in the coefficient of friction offered by the cartridge bearings, precision of the MaRS sensors and ARM processing that allow the GF base be incredibly precise with very light breakout force.

Overall, the GF arguably has the best and most versatile range of any gimbal/cam system made for virtual pilots. I wish they had limited the throw to about +/- 18 degrees along both axes because this would have helped with arm fatigue when using an extension. (The reason why desktop angular throw needs to be the same or less than that with an extension is because the base is typically fixed with an extension. The larger the throw range, the more chance for tippage in the desktop version of any stick. A common problem in the 30 degree CHF.) It works excellently as a desktop stick (if mounted) and also works equally well with long extensions. This is comparison to the horrible ball and socket gimbal of the WS and stiffer gimbals of the Virpil WarBRD (not intended for extensions) and T-50CM2 (best with extensions) bases. Even for the same spring rate, the GF has less breakout force and is more precise, especially during quick adjustments. Hats off to VKB for the well engineered design.

Hat Switches, Buttons and Triggers –

The GF actually comes with three possible grip options, the MCG, the MCG Pro (which I am reviewing here) and the Thrustmaster Warthog compatible MCG TM grip. Why anyone would want to match the superior GF MCG Pro grip to the poorly designed Warthog stick base is beyond me. Last I heard, the MCG TM grip is not being released but that may change.

By reviewing the image below, you can get a good look at the button and switch layout of the MCG Pro.

VKB decided to copy the combat grips from the Flanker series of aircraft when they made the MCG Pro. The grip closely resembles those used in the Su-27SKM and Su-35S fighters. My question to them, or to any stick manufacturer really, …. is why do you feel a need to copy some real world piece of equipment? The demands of flying a real world fighter under a 7G load are very different from flying from your desktop computer in a seated position at 1 G. I understand the appeal of using a one to one molded grip based on the A-10, F-18 or BF-109 to fly that exact airframe in DCS, but I personally wish VKB, Virpil, Thrustmaster and all the others would focus more on making a universal high end grip that better appeals to what computer flight simmers actually need. That vast majority of simmers would probably prefer one do-it-all base mounted to one do-it-all grip that can be used for everything from Rise of Flight to Elite Dangerous. For example, with the GF, why not make the two upper right single push buttons into 4 way hats?

The head of the GF is, …. well, … bulbous and fugly. From what I have heard, VKB tried 13 grip molds but the GF grip head is still a bit too large and also placed a bit too high for the average hand.

The VKB Gunfighter MCG Pro grip head is rather large and the two

push buttons (on the right) should be turned into 4 way hats.

The typical male hand size in Europe and North America is ~ 19.3 cm (from end of the middle finger down to the first crease below the palm) (It is 17.3 for women). I am a bit taller than the typical guy and my hand size is 21.1 cm, and I still can’t reach the top mini-stick and buttons on the grip head without stretching up my right thumb. … Not good VKB.

In comparison, VKB did a far better job with their Kosmosima grip and the placement of the hats in the head.

The 22.4 cm height of the GF MCG Pro on the right is too tall

compared to the VKB Kosmosima grip on the left.

The ideal grip height considering the average male hand size of 19.3 cm

would be about 17.5 to 20.5 cm to easily reach all hats.

My right thumb easily reaches the hats on the

VKB Kosmosima grip compared to stretching

my thumb up to reach the GF MCG Pro master mode hat.

Like the Kosmosima grip, the WS grip is almost the same size and is much easier for the average size hand to reach all hats and buttons.

The Warthog grip and Kosmosima are

almost identical in height.

Having such a bulbous head (insert porn jokes here) also creates minor momentum issues and although they are not large enough to affect accuracy because of the lightweight ABS plastic, they could be improved upon. The grip head’s moment (of inertia) is also slightly affected by the bulbous Su-27 inspired head.

The wacky grip head aside, how do the buttons actually feel? They feel slightly mushy to be honest, partly because they were designed to also register a push from above. This means they are somewhat physically limited in the tightness of their response range. The hats in particular don’t feel as ‘tight’ as those on the CHF or WS. VKB has gone with industrial grade OMRON and ALPS switches in the GF but there is a fair amount of throw in each 4 way hat for example. By comparison, the CHF feels tight and accurate. The WS also feels fairly tight with buttons giving a nice tactile feedback.

There is feedback in the GF hats when they are pushed but you need to move that hat a bit further in the travel to achieve that activation. I would roughly put this extra delay at ~ 30 milliseconds over the activation time of the CHF. Not enough to ever really notice but worthy of mention when fighting a top level opponent in a duel over a 100 millisecond delay in multiplayer.

The CH Fighterstick hats have

small angular deflection and feel

tight when pushed fully forward.

Correspondingly, the GF MCG Pro hats

have large angular deflection and

feel mushy when pushed to their stops.

That extra throw also has me worried about failure rates. I have used my CHF for 12 years and not one switch, button or hat has failed yet. It is built to industrial spec (think of a joystick built to be used in a farm tractor, fork lift or backhoe). The OMRON switches in particular are industrial grade but with the throw involved, will they really last 10, 20, …. 50 million activations? I don’t like guessing but I would say I am slightly worried about activation 5, 7 and 10 years down the road. I really wish VKB (and Virpil) would take a long close look at how CH Products manufactures the switches used in their prosumer aviation products like the CHF.

The most important switch on a joystick is the one that lets me kill people. VKB did a great job with the two stage main trigger. It is equal with the main trigger of the WS and better than the main trigger on the CHF or Virpil T-50CM2. The first stage is light but not to the point of accidental activation and the second stage is nice and firm. VKB also has the best brake lever of any stick I have tried. Nice, long and made of aluminum (I think), … it’s a beauty in form, function and precision of activation. By using the VKBDevCfg (NJoy32) software, it can be turned into a regular switch as well. The GF also has a second folding metal trigger that can be pushed into the up position as a button held down, and then pulled into the down position and used as a regular trigger.

VKB Gunfighter MCG Pro levers are a thing of beauty and work superbly.

A very nice touch for space simmers (think Elite) and those who would like to double it as a master arm switch. By using the VKBDevCfg software, the user can set up the two metal folding triggers as logic gates for true/false conditions and create almost an infinite array of possible switch settings for combat.

The GF also has one true ministick (gate mode) and another axis ministick/8 way hat (master mode) that is either loved or hated by the flight sim community. I use the 2nd master mode ministick as a non-cheat cheat with the Hornet in DCS in long drawn out fights. It allows me in conjunction with my other controls, to do three normally cumbersome chores at the same time, which gives me a decisive advantage over the enemy. The main ministick (the gate hat, lower left) sadly has a small amount of stiction that needs to be removed. As already mentioned, the three 4 way hats in the head of the GF are all slightly mushy but work well. VKB interestingly made the far right hat (on the side of the grip) into a true 4 way while others like Virpil, have a two way hat or a button. One area that I do not care for as much is the ring finger button on the GF grip. In the WS, the pinky button is truly pinky activated and in the correct position. In the GF, the ring finger button is off to the side but is not as intuitive. If VKB releases a Version 2 of the GF in the near future, I would much prefer both pinky and ring buttons but just slightly offset, and in correct alignment with the fingers. (Some would argue that this would prevent the virtual pilot from firmly holding the stick but this is not true because of the friction imposed by the palm and middle finger.)

Overall, the buttons, hats and triggers are all top grade stuff but VKB would do well to look at the CHF and dial in the ‘snappiness’ of the hats in particular.

System Integration –

A joystick electrically is really just a series of sensors, ADCs, switches and accompanying logic. Without being disrespectful, the internals are far less complex than say, an AN/APG-81 AESA radar unit or the interferometers used by LIGO. That said, the VKB GF is precisely engineered. The GF features a set of custom designed PCBs to carry out the input signals of the grip and this is fed into the black box.

This is a VKB promotional pic but the internals really are this clean.

From the placement of the ICs on the boards to the logic of the circuits, the grip and black box reek forethought. Particularly, the PCBs are custom designed and contain only the ICs and logic needed. The overall design is very clean with little wasted space and no globs of hot glue (there is nothing wrong with hot glue per say, but it should never be used in place of precision alignment). In comparison, anyone who knows something about system integration will be slightly let down after taking apart a Warthog stick.

Thrustmaster Warthog Grip Internals – Big globs of hot glue and extremely cheap

zamak metal, … actually a highlight after

viewing the plastic ball and socket gimbal. This design and

layout have not really change since the Warthog release in 2010.

Fast forward to 2019 and things have not improved

significantly for the Thrustmaster F-18 Hornet grip.

Virpil T-50 internals with hot glue and mediocre switch engineering apparent.

Slightly better than Thrustmaster but still not excellent. The newer T-50CM2

grip improves on this by a small amount.

GF Internals – No hot glue and excellent board layout. The switches are tight and precision placed.

Overall, I am fairly impressed with the GF internals. Perhaps not quite up to the level of Seiko’s Springdrive but elegant. I would also note that the electrical engineering of the GF is better than Virpil’s T-50CM, T-50CM2 or the Thrustmaster WS. The GF is a precision product, … as it should be for more than $400.

Software –

And now we come to the part of any flight sim review that I dread. The software that accompanies the hardware. Everyone I know has such fond memories of Thrustmaster’s TARGET software and CH’s Control Manager. Who wouldn’t want to spend 27 hours over one month delving into the arcane world of logic switches and pulse generators?

The main configuration utility for the GF is the VKB Device Configuration tool (VKBDevCfg), also called NJoy32. This is tool allows the GF owner to tinker and customize to their heart’s content. Typically, I set up my controls within the sim itself and do not usually use the manufacturer’s utilities unless there is something odd that I want to attempt. I have used TARGET and Control Manager software before with decent results. VKBDevCfg seems to allow as many options as both of those but is perhaps a bit less user friendly on the surface. VKBDevCfg is very deep and you can attempt to make several unusual modifications to the GF, …. if only you can figure the software out.

After unboxing and initial hardware setup, I downloaded the VKBDevCfg utility along with the bootloader utility (ZBootloader) from the VKB website and updated the firmware (which is stored in the black box, which is actually the orange box). The process requires that both be in the same folder and is pretty smooth. That said, I can easily see a newbie trying to update stuff quickly without reading all of the instructions and running into errors. Once the firmware was updated I then began a new calibration which is required to get full use of the base and grip before virtual flying.

VKB stores all the hardware settings in the black box which should actually be called the orange box. This is because in real life the actual recording black boxes used on flights are often orange, but even though that is true, it is silly. Just call it the orange box and all new owners will know immediately what you are talking about. Fortunately, VKB has now decided to make the housing of the box in black plastic, so the black box really will be black.

As of ~ October, 2019, the black box will actually be black.

Up until Firmware 1.97.7, the LEDs on the black box would blink red or orange even when everything was set up properly and running smoothly. This was a source of frustration for me and the VKB forums are filled with users complaining about the lights on the orange boxes. Fortunately VKB fixed this and now my LEDs glow a soothing blue and green to let me know everything is okie dokie. We could delve into the arcane logic behind VKB’s red and orange lights on their black boxes or I could make a stab at solving the Riemann Hypothesis, … tough call.

If you happen to own the VKB T-Rudder Mark III or IV pedals (which come with their own black box), you can plug them into the black box of the GF to cut down on excess cables. That said, VKB does not make it easy to have them instantly recognized. You have to go into VKBDevCfg and calibrate the extra axis and then load (or make) a custom profile to enable the virtual toe brakes. One step forward, …. two steps back. The entire process for adding in VKB’s own brakes should be simplified.

There are fairly detailed instructions written by VictorUS on how to setup VKBDevCfg here:

https://vkbcontrollers.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/controller_2_11_En.pdf

This document, while well meaning and with no disrespect intended, is not that clear for new guys. What I would like to see from VKB is a simple VKBDevCfg / NJoy32 guide which puts out 50 basic examples with step by step instructions of common tasks that the GF owner might want, such as button mapping, setting up a pulse generator or an analog trimmer. As things stand right now, it is pretty rough and you basically have to play around for hours trying to figure things out when it should be much more simply laid out. This is perhaps the worst aspect about the entire GF experience.

VKB also has several different programs dedicated to different tasks, such NJoy32, Wizzo,T-Link, ZBootloader, Joy Tester, Button Tester, etc…. A much better approach is to roll all of these into one piece of code that is much more user friendly and with various helpful pop-up tips to help the total new guy out. As things stand now, VKB is putting in a noble effort on the software front (at least from the guy they hired to write NJoy) but it needs a great deal more polishing.

Sinusoidal test response in one of VKB’s software utilities, JoyTester.

Improving the VKB Gunfighter MCG Pro –

The first thing I did after unboxing was to lube the gimbal and bearings correctly. I then set up the cams with no center and installed my custom springs. I then loaded up the latest firmware and tested the stick out in an offline P-51 dogfight in DCS World. The P-51 is a lumbering bitch at low altitude or low speed and dogfighting with it is a chore. The DCS implementation also suffers from a poor damage model and 50 cal guns that used to be close to worthless (they were later fixed in the 2nd 2.5.6 patch). Immediately, I noticed that the GF base was moving around on me and would actually skip a tiny bit on my desk if I pulled a hard reversal. Seriously VKB? No one tested the final prototypes before heading to production? A desktop stick whose base moves around during hard ACM, … is not ready for production. And the base is made of aluminum instead of the heavy steel it needs to have, and has too small a footprint.

To rectify the situation, I drilled four holes in the base plate and attached it to my home desk with Allen bolts. Next, I noticed that the main ministick was experiencing light stiction, so I disassembled the stick and sanded it lightly and lubed it with one drop of silicon gel. No way I should need to do this on a $400 plus stick VKB. I then drilled out the creaking palm rest and set in a stronger steel rod and then glued it in place with a 2 stage epoxy. The creak is now gone!

Creaking hand rest meet my little friend, … Mr DeWalt.

Things were good for awhile but after roughly 20 hours of offline flying, I found that I increasingly missed the trim dials that my CHF has in its base (which weight the potentiometers).

These trim dials allow the CHF to trim any aircraft in a sim, even when the plane has no trim adjustment in the sim! (Think most WW1 aircraft and WW2 Russian fighters) Without these dials, if I am flying a Russian WW2 fighter, I continually have to apply force to the stick to keep it trimmed which induces arm fatigue. And obviously, being properly trimmed is critical for doing well in a tight dogfight.

I experimented with the main VKBDevCfg software and the various axial weighting options. I was eventually able to turn the master mode mini-stick into an analog trimmer similar to the dials on the base of the CHF but after experimenting over several weeks, I eventually decided I wanted a separate hat switch dedicated to this purpose.

Oscilloscope, … time to do my bidding.

I will likely detail all the electrical engineering specifics in another separate article but the end result is this:

What’s a great joystick without a little violin added in during flying breaks?

My GF now has a built in trim hat under the right ring finger which works exactly the manual trim dials on the CHF base. It can weight an entire axis for pitch or roll. It took about eight hours of fooling with getting the 4 way hat correctly wired, about three hours to mod the GF MCG Pro grip (and PCB) to accept the hat switch (which rests right in line with the right ring finger) and about 4 more hours to rewrite the VKB Dev Config interface. Long story short, … it took about one hour a night for two weeks.

End result? … the VKB GF MCG Pro FS (what a mouth full, … the FS stands for Fighterstick obviously) has been born and it works beautifully. I now have a trim hat that truly trims no matter what the plane in the sim can do. With the modifications mostly completed, I was now in possession of a tool for dueling the best master level flyers I could find online.

Combat Operations –

The real test of any joystick, at least for me, is how does it actually work in online combat. I am a duel specialist (when I can be) and prefer to engage the very best master pilots I can find online in one versus one duels. I very, very rarely drop bombs or do ground pounding, and I never fly bombers. In the air to air arena, not only do I need an excellent internet connection with low ping but I also need a stick that can perform under extreme stress, including sudden deflection, reversals and full cornering. The breakout force needs to be very light and precision around the center must be extreme.

The ultimate question behind any virtual combat oriented joystick, ….

How well can I kill people with it?

(This is not me, … my flight suit and helmet are Ferrari red 🙂 )

When I first purchased the Warthog HOTAS back in 2015 and tested the stick out, I was completely dumbfounded to find that the stick could not reach the corners of an X-Y plot because of the roundish gimbal opening.

The red circle is not meant to indicate the silver metal ring on top.

It is meant to indicate the black gimbal opening beneath the silver ring, which

is a square but with rounded corners. Face palm ….

(Several more recent Warthog users indicate that their sticks can reach

the corners, so perhaps Thrustmaster updated the gimbal.)

That means the Warthog stick cannot apply full right aileron and forward pitch at the same time to luff a FW-190 A9 as an La-7 descends on you in IL2 1946 to make him overshoot. I couldn’t believe that a $450 HOTAS would be that deficient.

I am happy to report that the GF is a #$%$#@! badass when it comes to the arena of online combat. Not only will the stick fully reach the corners but the smooth gimbal action along with the precise 15 bit MaRs sensors allows for extremely fine control. The smoothness of the gimbal and the cartridge bearings means that the breakout force is lighter than the WS or the Virpil WarBRD/T-50 CM2 bases even when the same spring rate is used. If I am flying the P-51 against a Dora on Burning Skies, I can execute tight BFM more easily than with the WS or Virpil sticks.

Testing a stick properly requires a hairy situation, …like ROF online dogfighting!

Perhaps the most demanding online arenas are the extreme BFM operations of Rise of Flight and IL2 1946. In these two sims, the online pilot is faced with very rapid BFM executions and needs to have a stick that can perform. The same is mostly true of the more accurate IL2 BOS as well. Until the GF, the most accurate and durable stick I owned for online combat was the CHF. The GF has now surpassed that stick in the critical areas of smoothness of throw, base stability (once screwed down) and preciseness of fire.

The GF is also the best performing stick I have tried when it comes to other critical areas, like landing a Hornet or Tomcat on a carrier in DCS or in-flight refueling. When flying online with others in formation, the GF precision is slightly noticeable over the already good CHF and Virpil WarBRD. I do not usually use extensions, but after about 4 hours of testing in formation flying, I found the GF to be slightly better than the WarBRD and T-50CM2 bases from Virpil, when all were used with extensions.

Overall, if you enjoy online combat with good long duels against top competition, the GF, when set up correctly, is the best weapon you can currently purchase.

Durability –

My minimum standard for writing a review is 100 hours with a product. I now have about ~ 330 hours on my first GF MCG Pro. In all that time, … not one single problem. I am worried about the mushy hats down the road but so far, the GF is holding up superbly. For comparison sake, my first WS needed gimbal regreasing around the ~ 180 hour mark and a button failed about 3 months after that (which was easy to fix). My second WS broke in half at the grip’s metal base connector at the 7 month mark (see photo further down)! To quote Ron White, …. It broke the $#@! in half! The T-50CM2 has had no problems but I only have about ~ 70 hours on it. My CHF has gone 12 years without a single problem. Whether the GF will measure up to that awesome industrial reputation, remains to be seen.

The VKB Gunfighter MCG Pro versus Its Competition:

vs the Thrustmaster Warthog Stick (typically $230 to $250) – The GF has by far the better gimbal with much more user customization. The WS is very firm (The plastic gimbal and strong spring must support the metal grip and keep it upright. If you use a lighter custom spring then the grip does not recenter well.) with much more of a ‘jet’ feel to it and most users at some point need to relube their spring and ball joint. The WS also incorporates some type of cheap zamak die cast metal at the base of its grip which I discovered to my horror when my 2nd WS broke in half at the 7th month mark. Warthog users often find this out prematurely if they try a stiffer custom spring to give realistic breakout forces above ~ 1.5 kg.

My 2nd Warthog Stick broke in half exactly like this after about ~ 75 hours of use.

The feel of the hats is tighter on the WS and the other buttons are the same. I actually do not prefer the all metal grip of the WS and think that part of its problem is that it is weighted incorrectly with a heavy metal grip and a plastic ball joint gimbal. The WS grip does line up better for American jets better than the GF but this is not really a big deal for me. The WS grip is also easier from those with medium or small sized hands to reach all the hats quickly, … the GF requires just a bit more reaching. For folks who prefer American jets, VKB makes the space sim oriented Kosmosima grip that matches right to the Gunfighter MK II base and even includes twist abilities (yaw axis for the rudder). Overall, the GF gimbal is much better and the GF grip trades off in various features with the WS grip.

vs the Virpil Mongoos T-50CM2 with T-50CM2 Base (typically $480 to $500) – The GF has the smoother overall gimbal and can be made to have a far lighter throw. The T-50CM2 base does not do as well with very light springs and is best used as a ‘jet’ base with a long extension if you want a lightening of force. Even with a long extension or low desk mount, the T-50CM2 Base, while heavy duty and sturdy, does not have the precise feel of the GF gimbal overall. This is due to the breakout force needed to initiate stick movement. On the other hand, if super realism is important to you and you want a breakout force of ~ 2.1 kg or more, the T-50CM2 is probably a good fit.

The Virpil T-50CM2 base and grip.

The T-50CM2 Base also needs to be center mounted between the legs or used with a mount, many of which are expensive (Are you machining yours from pure vibranium Monster?). The GF can be used on top of a desk just fine. As to the grips, this is a closer competition. The T-50CM2 grip is even longer than the GF and will not be comfortable for most guys with average sized hands (insert Trump joke here). The feel of the buttons and the hats is just about dead even as both grips use ALPs switches and so they should feel the same. The GF does also incorporate the slightly higher end OMRON switches which the T-50CM2 does not. The other activation forces are perhaps just a little bit lighter on the GF than the T-50CM2 grip but both feel like quality products. I like the dual trigger of the GF better than the internal trigger design of the T-50CM2 and the GF brake lever is nicer and just works better. I do like the hand rest design of the T-50CM2 better. Once the grips are opened up, the GF is a neater and more precisely set up inside. The T-50CM2 grip internally looks closer to the Warthog stick which is not a high mark. Overall, unless you really want a stiff jet stick, the GF is the more versatile and precise piece of equipment.

vs the Thrustmaster Warthog Grip on a Virpil WarBRD Base ($438) – The competition grows tighter with this matchup. The GF gimbal is smoother and more precise than the WarBRD base, and can be made to have a lighter throw but the differences are fairly small. The WarBRD base is also intended for desktop use while the GF gimbal can be used for both desktop or with an extension. Both bases use quality gimbals, cartridge bearings and electronics. I liked the fact that the WarBRD base was more stable without mounting bolts but the GF had the more precise throw. The GF grip also offers more options and is lighter than the WS grip. I do like that the WS grip is smaller and fits better for average sized hands than the GF. If I flew mainly American jets and had to have metal in my hands, I feel that the WarBRD base with the Warthog grip on it would probably be the best match up to get close to GF levels of performance. The cheap die cast metal at the bottom of the WS grip is still a concern though. If you decide on stiff springs for the WarBRD base (above a breakout force of say, … ~ 1.3 kg), there is a very real chance down the road that the metal connector tube at the base of the WS grip will break. I highly recommend purchasing a custom metal insert for the bottom of the WS (…. google it) if you plan on using high breakout force. Those guys out there that like all metal and want a meaty ‘jet’ feel would find the combo enticing. Very close to the GF for such a heavy combo.

Warthog Grip on the Virpil WarBRD base, … a very nice all metal combo as long as the bottom of the grip does not break.

vs the CH Fighterstick (typically $120) – This is a much closer competition as the GF has the better gimbal but the CHF has the better hat switches and buttons. It also has the built in trim dials in its base. The CHF has a fairly light throw and the GF can be made to be just as soft if the flyer wants that. Some flyers do not like the axis crossing design of the CHF stick base but it never bothered me. The CHF is also difficult to mount to a desk or base, while the GF base can easily be drilled for holes. The CHF hand rest on the right side also bites into my hand after long sessions. For these reasons, the GF, once I modded it to include a hardware trim hat, is the first stick that I have owned that can beat the CHF overall. With the smooth gimbal, the inclusion of the ministicks, the brake lever, 2nd metal trigger and dual stage trigger, the GF is a better stick that is slightly more accurate in online combat. Of course you have to remember that the GF in desktop form costs $430 while the CHF is only $120, which by far represents the best value for a high end joystick.

Things VKB got right with the stick:

1 – For the most part, the stick is weighted correctly. (It has a metal base plate, steel gimbal and cams and a lighter ABS grip riding on top)

2 – ABS plastic grip is awesome. Several real fighter aircraft use ABS or resin grips, so anyone who claims that a top end stick must be made of metal might reconsider. No creaking or groaning of the grip when used with an extension and 2 # 40 springs. (or even one # 100 spring for that matter)

3 – Precise and elegant electrical engineering of the internals and black box. 32 bit ARM processor and custom PCBs.

4 – Excellent feel of the main trigger and metal brake lever. Longer levers incur more torque on them and need to be made from metal. The secondary flip trigger is also excellent.

5 – Steel gimbal and cams. These are the core of any top notch stick and should not be made from aluminum.

6 – Magnetoresistive sensors are a step up from the regular Hall sensors seen in so many competing products.

7 – The internals are clean and neat. Everything is precisely laid out with no hot glue.

8 – Excellent dampener system that holds the stick still even when used with strong springs.

9 – Can be used equally as a desktop or center mounted stick with extensions.

10 – Very wide range of tension available and works excellently even with springs lighter than the #10 that come with the stick. Also works officially with up to 2 # 40 springs on each cam.

11 – The lights on the Orange boxes finally react correctly with Firmware 1.97.7

12 – The VKBDevCfg (NJoy32) software has very powerful capabilities if you want to earn a master’s degree in researching them.

Aspects That VKB Needs To Improve:

1 – Absolutely needs the ability to manually adjust/weight the input axes like the CHF trim dials do. And the adjustment hat should not be on the base where it is hard to reach in combat. It should be on the stick.

2 – Base plate needs to be made of steel. The bottom of a stick should always be weighted the heaviest.

3 – Base plate needs to have a wider footprint.

4 – Base plate needs to be pre-drilled for desktop attachment.

5 – The main mini-stick has slight stiction. That needs to be removed.

6 – The mini-sticks are great but the hats have too much throw. I worry about their durability. VKB needs to have a long hard look at the switches on the CH Fighterstick.

7 – The hand rest is … meh. It works but it also creaks slightly. I would prefer something higher end, slightly wider and more stout. This is one of the few areas of the Virpil sticks that I like better than the GF. There is play in the hand rest that should not be present on a $400 stick. Look at what Virpil T-50 grip has done and then do the same thing but make the tolerances tighter.

8 – Include #5, #3 and #2 springs in the box for guys who want to use the GF on their desktop with a light throw. (These lighter springs would also be useful with the shorter effective lever of the Kosmosima grip.)

9 – Need a set or two of linear cams. (no rising rate as you approach the edges) Not realistic I know, but great for virtual flying.

10 – Ring finger button is awkward. Just put proper pinky and ring finger buttons on the front of the grip in the correct location.

11 – VKB, you do not need to exactly copy Flanker style sticks. Make the two right buttons on the head of the stick into 4 way hats for more options please.

12 – Needs positive 15 degrees of adjustment to the right as well (Z axis with the bolt and two V pieces), before initialing tightening the stick down.

13 – Assortment of software needed to update firmware and calibrate the stick is slightly confusing and needs to be simplified. ZBootloader, TLInk, Wizzo, Joy Tester, etc …. all need to be wrapped into one powerful and much simpler application. NJoy32 is powerful but the user needs three or four utilities to get everything updated and then perform checks.

14 – I am very happy that VictorUS wrote the NJoy32 2.11 guide but with no offense meant, it is not a very clear document. Many more examples need to be given and the several sections need to be clarified.

15 – The ideal range for a desktop stick is about +/- 18 degrees along both X and Y (roll and pitch) axes and about +/- 18 degrees for a gimbal made for extensions. VKB might consider this when revamping the GF gimbal.

16 – VKB should consider selling replacement bearings, a bearing pulling tool and entire servicing kits on their website. Including a few extra replacement bearings with each purchase would also be a great idea for DIYs.

17 – The grip attachment bolt system (notched “V”) needs reworking. It holds the stick fine but there are far better options available. I both like it more than the Thrustmaster screw on standard and much less.

18 – Attaching VKB’s own T-Rudder Mark III or IV pedals and setting up virtual toe brakes is a pain in the ass. The whole process needs to be streamlined to simple plug and play.

(If you think I am nitpicky VKB, with no disrespect meant, you are selling a $400 plus joystick, so yeah, … it needs to be damn near perfect.)

Final Verdict –

Is the VKB GF MCG Pro Mk.II the finest over all joystick on the market as of Fall, 2019?

In my opinion, …. it is, with a few caveats. I give the VKB Gunfighter MCG Pro Mark II unmodded version a 9.1 out of 10 and the modded version I use, a 9.4 out of 10. The Gunfighter Mark II base by itself would rate about 9.4 out of 10 and the grip alone (without the base) would rate about 8.6.

It’s gimbal beats out the Warthog stick’s gimbal, the Virpil WarBRD, the Virpil T-50CM2 and the CH Fighterstick. The GF MCG Pro grip beats out the Virpil T-50 and T-50CM2. It does not beat out the CHF or WS grips for most American jets. The GF’s most direct high end competition is Virpil’s Mongoos T-50CM2 base with the T-50CM2 grip. Simply put the T-50CM2 is just not as smooth as the MCG Pro. The T-50CM2 is a stiffer experience and it can’t be made as soft as the MCG Pro. If you like a really heavy jet style stick then the T-50CM2 begins to shine and I do prefer Virpil’s adjusting hand rest. If you prefer American jets and must have a metal stick, then the WS grip with the Virpil WarBRD base are very worthy competitors and approach the GF in overall ability. They do not exceed it but they do come very close in some areas. The CHF exceeds the GF in button and hat feel along with its analog potentiometer dials but is beat by it in all other categories. Overall, the GF is, by a small margin, the best joystick currently made in my humble opinion and that is saying something because I am one picky SOB. I think VKB is on a winning path with the GF MCG Pro Mk. II and I hope they consider some small adjustments in the future that would make the stick even better. VKB has not officially commented on the review but their representative, AeroGator, has helped to correct a few minor inaccuracies in earlier revisions of this review. Hope you enjoyed the review and best of luck in the virtual skies!

Jay (flying online as Aurelius)

One of the best ways to appreciate the beauty of the Multiverse is to learn the language in which it was written, … mathematics.

(I am not in any way affiliated with VKB nor do I have any special contracts, marketing deals or connections with them. This review is my own opinion based upon a retail sample I purchased through the regular North American VKB website at MSRP pricing. This review has been updated five times to correct some minor inaccuracies and for clarity. All pics used in the review are either my own, public domain (to the best of my knowledge) or I have acquired prior permission to use. )

One badass stick with some minor weaknesses.

Overall Score – 9.1 out of 10

(In comparison to other sticks I have experience with: CH Fighterstick – 9.0, Unmodded Warthog stick – 7.1, Warthog Grip on Virpil WarBRD base – 8.7, Original Virpil T-50 Grip and Base – 8.0, Virpil T-50CM2 Grip and Base – 8.3, T-16000M Stick – 7.5, VKB Gladiator – 8.6)