VKB Gunfighter Mk III Pro L Review

[dburne]

2 hours ago, 1Sascha said:

Hmm... hadn't really thought about that. Thanks for the heads-up...

 

Is the GF comparable in "feel" to the Virpil bases (WarBRD or Mongoose)? I did get to try the Mongoose base with the Alpha grip (on a Virpil mount... :D) and it felt pretty freakin' sweet. If the GF feels anything like that, I'd happily stick with VKB. Probably would need the KG-12 grip for my WW2-sims on top of one of their more modern grips, but hey ...

 

 

Yes both are very comparable. I have the original Virpil T-50 stick and grip, and now the Gunfighter Mk III with Ultimate all metal grip. I myself found the Gunfighter a little more user friendly when working within the gimbal making adjustments but I never tried the second version of the Virpil to compare either. You really will not go wrong with either one. Yes the Alpha Grip on the Virpil is very nice and well done ergonomically - really enjoying my new Alpha L grip on my new Virpil collective, but that is only a few days old so far. The VKB MCG and Ultimate Grips are nice also albeit their button arrangement can be a little awkward at times to work with. Spread out a bit more I guess I would say. But the Ultimate Grip I just love the all metal to it.

 

So basically - flip a coin... As far as overall feel, both are quite good.

I will add - I like the Virpil software a little better than the VKB. Both provide all the necessary things you will ever need though. Virpil is maybe a tad more user friendly in the software department.

I run the Gunfighter Mk III Pro L with Ultimate Grip, Virpil CM3 Throttle, and now Virpil Standard Collective with Alpha L Grip. Extremely pleased with all my choices.  Stick and throttle I use pretty much daily for a few hours each day. 

 

You would not go wrong with any of the above really.

 

 

 

Edited June 27, 2022 by dburne

[Dallas88B]

3 hours ago, dburne said:

I like the Virpil software a little better than the VKB

me too

[1Sascha]

7 hours ago, dburne said:

I like the Virpil software a little better than the VKB.

Not *that* hard to achieve, IMO... ?

 

Don't get me wrong: VKB's SW is pretty powerful and quite handy (I've only ever dove in far enough to turn a button into a toggle and turn the LED into an indicator for said toggle), but without help from the forums and at least two 10min tutorial videos, I don't think I would've figured out how to do even that on my own.

 

Also looking at the SCG from VKB for more suitable ergos for my hands, but I can't help but think that would be like "under-gripping" the GF-base ... ? Like mounting 16'' steel-rims on a 911 or a Vette.

 

 

Which leads me to another question: VKB only mention the MCG as rotatable ... not the KG12 nor the SCG. Since I really want that feature for my central mount, would I have to use an extension to be able to rotate the non-MCG grips or how does their system work?

 

 

 

S.

Edited June 27, 2022 by 1Sascha

[dburne]

3 hours ago, 1Sascha said:

 

Which leads me to another question: VKB only mention the MCG as rotatable ... not the KG12 nor the SCG. Since I really want that feature for my central mount, would I have to use an extension to be able to rotate the non-MCG grips or how does their system work?

.

 

Can't really say on that one, maybe someone who has those grips will chime in - or maybe ask over on the VKB Forum.

[1Sascha]

Damn! I think my decision has been made a lot easier just now. Virpil responded this morning and I've been in contact with them re mount compatibility Can't praise the guy's helpfulness enough. His last mail was something like "I'll be in our warehouse later today and I'll take measurements for you".

 

I'm a sucker for good customer service - and I'm not even yet a customer with them. Virpil's stock just shot way up for me...

 

10 hours ago, dburne said:

Can't really say on that one, maybe someone who has those grips will chime in - or maybe ask over on the VKB Forum.

 

Virpil's customer support guy also answered me this one... for their sticks, that is. If I understood him correctly, you can rotate all of their grips more or less freely with or without an extension. Already asked the question on the VKB forum, but it usually takes a bit longer to get an answer over there..

 

 

EDIT: If anyone's interested: According to Fallout, they revised the GF-versions of both the KG-12 and the SCG and they too can now be rotated without an extension. Not sure if that was done with or before the most recent update of the KG-12 (where they added the pinky lever for example), but that's the info I got from them over there.

 

 

 

S.

Edited June 27, 2022 by 1Sascha

[dburne]

12 hours ago, 1Sascha said:

Damn! I think my decision has been made a lot easier just now. Virpil responded this morning and I've been in contact with them re mount compatibility Can't praise the guy's helpfulness enough. His last mail was something like "I'll be in our warehouse later today and I'll take measurements for you".

 

I'm a sucker for good customer service - and I'm not even yet a customer with them. Virpil's stock just shot way up for me...

 

 

Virpil's customer support guy also answered me this one... for their sticks, that is. If I understood him correctly, you can rotate all of their grips more or less freely with or without an extension. Already asked the question on the VKB forum, but it usually takes a bit longer to get an answer over there..

 

 

EDIT: If anyone's interested: According to Fallout, they revised the GF-versions of both the KG-12 and the SCG and they too can now be rotated without an extension. Not sure if that was done with or before the most recent update of the KG-12 (where they added the pinky lever for example), but that's the info I got from them over there.

 

 

Fallout would certainly know. 

[Hoss]

On 6/25/2020 at 10:07 AM, Sokol1 said:

 

Bry traditional brands - including VKB, VirPil, no.

But GVL224 made by order throttles for right hand.

 

Sample:

 

 

BTW - You may find that they look a bit crude... like WWII throttles.  

 

Check their sales topic:

 

And their Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/GVL224/videos

 

GVL (Vitaly) does make some nice stuff, I got one of his R/P/Y trim boxes before the war started.  I just talked to him, he's in Germany, applied for temp residency, and work visa, kids in school learning German, he said so they can translate.  He did not say if he's going to restart his business building controllers or not.  Does not think the family will be able to return to Kiev or Poltava anytime soon. 

[1Sascha]

7 hours ago, Hoss said:

He did not say if he's going to restart his business building controllers or not.  Does not think the family will be able to return to Kiev or Poltava anytime soon. 

Well.. at least he and his family are safe. Good to hear.

 

 

S.

[BladeMeister]

3 hours ago, 1Sascha said:

Well.. at least he and his family are safe. Good to hear.

 

 

S.

Yes, that is good to know. I had not heard anything from him since just after the war started inspite of multiple emails to his GVL email address.

 

S!Blade<><

[Hoss]

5 hours ago, BladeMeister said:

Yes, that is good to know. I had not heard anything from him since just after the war started inspite of multiple emails to his GVL email address.

 

S!Blade<><

I talk to him thru discord HOTAS/HOSAS/SIMPIT channel where he sold his gear.

[kissTheSky]

On 6/27/2022 at 7:59 PM, Hoss said:

 

GVL (Vitaly) does make some nice stuff, I got one of his R/P/Y trim boxes before the war started.  I just talked to him, he's in Germany, applied for temp residency, and work visa, kids in school learning German, he said so they can translate.  He did not say if he's going to restart his business building controllers or not.  Does not think the family will be able to return to Kiev or Poltava anytime soon. 

Thanks for the update. Hope he and his family adjusts well.

[dburne]

Yeah glad to hear he is ok.