# UK ROAD TRIP 19# >>> ATARI FIREFOX COCKPIT!!!

[Q*ris]

Cool roadtrip Nuno! Well, I mean cool to read, not really cool for you!
Sorry I couldn't join you :/
I clearly remember playing the upright at the Reflex Luna Park in Middelkerke in the 80's.
I had no clue what I was doing though 
Curious to play it again now.
Nice and rare catch anyway!

[ckong]

Congratulations Bruno.  You indeed told some of us during eurocade about your latest catch,  and boy,  you smiled from ear to ear.    I can now imagine that you were still very tired at the RGE,  so even more great that you were there.   

I never played the game,  but I watched the movie of course back then.  I can imagine that you are a proud man now,  this one must be very rare.

[Chuckie egg]

Great road trip again Bruno your 19th wow
I think a book is in order laser guy 
Shame you had to rush would have been great to go for a beer at four quarters barcade .
Next time buddy were coming to yours anyway
I am organising a Ukvac trip to the lair
I can't wait 

[strykr]

Epic stuff Bruno, love the road trip reports one word: Hardcore 

[DarthNuno]

I'm happy to see you all still appreciate such crazy/hardcore road trip, thanks for your nice comments 

As all ways, very nice pictures and cool roadtrip, you do indeed need a co-pilot next time!
Now, lets see that beauty in the flesh!

And like Andre said, nice with the little easteregs in the pictures!!!! I count 19 of them 

hehe, well spotted guys! 

my favorite pic is the one where the trunk of the car won't close - great acting skill by the two british dudes !!!
btw, never played the game: is / was it worth all those efforts?

THat's my favorite picture too! 
I've never played that game back in the 80s... for sure it doesn't look like the best game ever done, but it's a rail shooter somehow, so I'll like it! I'm a too big fan of that cockpit anyway.

Sneak preview from 5 years ago

Interesting picture, André. Where did you find? I think I can be a picture of my cockpit, before it has its original marquee back?!

Was great timing for us both, when I said I'd buy your STUN Runner I didn't expect to have it personally delivered only days later  and luckily Shaun lives only 30 minutes away from me.

Yeah, a perfect timing and coincidence... that makes the best stories! It was really nice to meet both of you! 

You indeed told some of us during eurocade about your latest catch,  and boy,  you smiled from ear to ear.    I can now imagine that you were still very tired at the RGE,  so even more great that you were there.

Yeah, that roadtrip was the reason I had to cancel my Sunday Eurocade day. I really had to have a day off before starting a new week @ work... yeah, I'm getting old 

Shame you had to rush would have been great to go for a beer at four quarters barcade .
Next time buddy were coming to yours anyway
I am organising a Ukvac trip to the lair

Hey Alex, you were somehow with me during a good part of this road trip... TEN PENCE Arcade playing all along 

[DarthNuno]

So yeah, the cockpit spent the night outside, but it's summer time and the nights are not too cold in September (although Belgium is not a 'very hot' country). So here's how a Firefox cockpit looks like in the fresh of the morning   



I've never seen this cockpit for real... only on Internet or magazines.... Even at Olly's place... that cockpit was already wrapped when I arrived!

So ... for the very first time... I'm in front of it!

This is not a dream anymore... it IS here... a real object that can be touched in the real world!  Can you believe it?   



 

[atarimania]

Nice catch 

Great roadtrip for a nice looking cab!!! It seems in very good condition    Is the game in working condition (= no wip) ?

[DarthNuno]

Yes, good condition.
But It currently run a dedicated mame setup, tuned exclusively for Firefox of course.
I'm fine with that solution, but as you will see, there will be a WIP (already started), so stay tuned 

[level42]

Haha, Bruno that IS your Firefox on that picture and I made it when I visited the arcade barn 5 years ago

Man....are you going to put it next to your SW cockpit ? IMHO that would look SICK !!!

[Chuckie egg]

That looks amazing mate
You know I did see it at Shaun's aracde once but it was never working at the time, so you have another game I look forward to playing next year.
I think it would look perfect next to your Star Wars cockpit too.

[synonym9]

For real, environmentals looks cool lined uped if you have 2 or more of them.

I unfortunately missed Monaco GP cockpit, if I had it I also would have to environmenals to line up....

[Nic-fryer]

Hey Bruno can we have a link to your work in progress?

[DarthNuno]

Hey Bruno can we have a link to your work in progress?

it will be on this one 

[old school]

I look forward to reading
 

[DarthNuno]

Ok, first problem to solve... the monitor is not working. 

Fortunately I've found in my area a good 25" TV monitor for sale! Before installing it, let's check if it can handle the RGB signal coming from the VGA -> CGA (over scart) converter.... yes!   



The geometry/size of the picture won't be a problem, because the CGA converter I'm using here includes potentiometers to set all that stuff 

Oh, and the monitor bezel did't fit the defect monitor. I suspect It was not the original firefox bezel and/or it has been rebuilt but not right... anyway 



Let's see that bezel adjustment later... and let's remove the defective monitor now :



Yeah... it's like disassembling a plane! 

Oh, the defective monitor isn't the original one I would say... that also may explain why the monitor bezel doesn't fit?!



Yeah, all that shit just to have access to the monitor! Now replaced by my TV monitor 



I'm very happy of this TV monitor... easy to disassemble, easy access to everything... great picture quality... here's the ref for archive purpose :



Let's plug the game. Nice picture, but have to fix the bezel in order to match the TV. There is a tube fluorescent to light the control panel. Once the bezel fixed, there won't be light seeing on the bottom of the screen...





Well, I'm already very happy! Because yeah, I can play the game... for the very first time... on this killing cockpit   



I really appreciate the game. It's a rail shooter like Starblade or Galaxian3... you don't control the moves of the plane, only the gun. For sure, it's not what we can name a 'classic', because I love the movie, I really love the ambiance, the sounds, the voices... and what's on screen of course! The 'sprites' are of course a 'little bit basics' comparing to the real movie running on the background, but who cares... so 80's! I love the trip, the 'experience'!  And this is  typically the kind of game that can be appreciated ONLY inside a cockpit, with the right controls, for a total immersion! 
 


And what about this marquee! Damn, it looks soooo cool!   



OK, calm down Nuno... even if it's playable, it's not done!

TO DO LIST :

- fix the monitor bezel, possibly use an other one!
- fix the X potentiometer on the yoke... there are some 'garbage moves' in the middle range of it (new 5K potentiometers ordered)
- fix one button from the yoke which is not working (new switch ordered)
- use buttons to credit the game, escape from the game (this will allow to save high score) but also adding one to power off/on the computer inside... all these buttons in an accessible area of coruse(behind coins door)
- adjust the monitor size (need someone else for this operation or ... a mirror  )
- possibly upgrade the computer for a faster loading of the game

...and find a right location inside the Nuno's Lair!