Discord
Research
Read the release package, review drawings, and understand the assemblies before cutting material.
Open source home cockpit simulator
OpenHornet
A community-designed, home-built 1:1 F/A-18C Lot 20 simulator that joins physical structure, electronics, and software interfaces into a home cockpit for Digital Combat Simulator intended for personal non-commercial use only.
What it is
Fabricate the cockpit, wire the systems, fly the dream.
OpenHornet packages the mechanical, electrical, and integration work needed for you to build a full-scale F/A-18C simulator at home. Builders can manufacture parts themselves, buy from authorized vendors, and work with the community when the project gets delightfully technical.
- Mechanical fabrication
- Fusion 360
- KiCAD
- CNC routing
- Laser engraving
- 3D printing
- Soldering
- Wiring
Build paths
Choose the path that fits your shop.
The project supports full self-fabrication, partial quick-build kits from authorized vendors, and community contribution for builders who want to improve the design itself.
Fabricate
Build MDF, acrylic, FDM/SLA printed, and aluminum parts with the tooling assumptions documented in the project.
Integrate
Wire panels, displays, backlighting, solder PCBs, power, and buses using the release interconnect drawings.
Collaborate
Use Discord, GitHub issues, and contributor applications to ask, fix, document, and share.
Latest release
v0.3.0: Advancing the Airframe
The latest hardware build package continues the airframe work with standards updates, hardware fixes, UFC development, user mods, and important known-issue notices for builders.
Core systems
Designed as a whole cockpit, not a loose pile of parts.
OpenHornet is the most comprehensive home cockpit project available. Period. Releases include the mechanical, electrical, and software details needed to build a complete simulator.
Structure
MDF structure, 3D printed console surfaces, alignment brackets, and detailed manufacturing files.
Backlit panels
Acrylic, Rowmark, lighting, and faceplate work to make cockpit panels readable and believable.
ABSIS electronics
Arduino-based simulator interface boards using USB and master/slave RS-485 buses.
Community
Bring questions, build logs, fixes, and ambitious ideas.
The Discord community is the fastest path to builder help. GitHub is where release files, issues, software links, and development discussion stay traceable.
GitHubSupport the project
Donations keep OpenHornet running.
PayPal donations
OpenHornet uses PayPal donations to help cover infrastructure, development, and prototyping costs.