It's called the HOTAS WARTHOG and Thrustmaster really has gone the whole hog with it new flagship flight simulation gaming peripheral. A full replica of the controls from a U.S. Air Force A-10C attack aircraft, the WARTHOG dual throttle system features a total of 55 programmable action buttons and 2 four-direction hat switches designed to perfectly mimic the resistance required in a real airplane.
The HOTAS WARTHOG is made up of three components. The joystick itself has 19 action buttons and is detachable so that it can be used on the base of other joysticks on the HOTAS range.
The second element is the precision dual throttle system which has 17 action buttons and can be locked together or used separately. It also enables functions like "Afterburner" to be switched off depending on the type of aircraft being simulated.
The final piece of the puzzle is the 15-button control panel which lets users manually adjust throttle resistance to their own taste and uses LEDs and backlighting for night flight simulation. The control panel also uses industrial metal switches which, along with the use of metal throughout, is designed to add to the realism of the experience.
The system is governed by the company's T.A.R.G.E.T (Thrustmaster Advanced pRogramming Graphical EdiTor) software which enables extensive and complex configuration to suit the situation along with built-in presets for well-known games.
One for true flight sim afficianados!
The HOTAS WARTHOG will be available at the end of the month for US$500.
See Thrustmaster for more details.
