(Shenzhen, China / Norman, Oklahoma USA / Utrecht, The Netherlands) - January 20, 2017
VKB-Sim and VKB-Sim North America are proud to announce the second iteration of the Gladiator and Gladiator Pro series of flight control sticks – the Mk.II.
Gladiator Mk.II
Based on feedback from simulation pilots, significant changes in the trigger and centering designs of the Gladiator Mk.II have been made.
Since the Gladiator’s grip is a replica of the KG12 flight-control grip found in various WWII-era aircraft, the grip’s design has not changed; however VKB-Sim engineers improved the durability of the Mk.II’s trigger. It is now made from Polycarbonate (PC), which is more flexible and less brittle than that of the previous Gladiator generation. In the heat of the battle, it flexes, rather than breaks!
![Image](http://i.imgur.com/s038no7.jpg)
In addition to the trigger, the Gladiator Mk.II’s centering mechanism was redesigned as well. The molding technology of plastic generally does not lend itself to high levels of accuracy; however, a small high-precision metal axle was added to the centering mechanism of the Mk.II, which acts on the pitch axis for less slack and more accuracy around the center of the stick. This should alleviate issues of a lax center encountered in the previous version of the Gladiator.
![Image](http://i.imgur.com/e2ZGQ0w.jpg)
Gladiator Mk.II new box design
![Image](http://i.imgur.com/y7UjRJR.jpg)
DCS WORLD
We are pleased to announce that an agreement between Eagle Dynamics (makers of DCS World), and VKB-Sim has been made for the Gladiator Mk.II to become the official flight controller for “DCS: WWII”.
This agreement includes the integration of VKB-Sim profile management into select DCS modules.
![Image](http://i.imgur.com/tOrEJ88.jpg)
Gladiator Pro Mk.II
The Gladiator Pro was also improved, and comes with the same grip release and 3-pin connector as the new VKB-Sim Gunfighter series.
- The Gladiator Pro Mk.II comes with a spring loaded 3-pin connection with gold contacts
- Thanks to its quick release, the switching between different grips is easier and more convenient than before
- The updated connection mechanism also allows the rotation of any supported grip from 0-15 degrees counterclockwise for a more ergonomic grip position
![Image](http://i.imgur.com/MfS7acv.jpg)
![Image](http://i.imgur.com/VuGDFyX.jpg)
A note to first-generation Gladiator Pro owners:
All future VKB-Sim grips will be designed to fit both the first-gen Gladiator Pro and the new Mk.II alike!
Gladiator Pro Mk.II new box design:
![Image](http://i.imgur.com/cULMhXT.jpg)
Production status update for the Gladiator and Gladiator Pro Mk.II:
Ordering for both the Mk.II Gladiator and Gladiator Pro starts now!
- For North America, please visit http://www.VKBcontrollers.com to place your order.
- For the EU, please visit https://flightsimcontrols.com to place your order.
NOTE: Shipping will commence after the Chinese New Year (CNY) in the first half of February 2017.
VKB-Sim North America:
For more information, please contact:
NorthAmerica@VKB-Sim.pro
http://www.VKBcontrollers.com
VKB FSC Europe:
https://flightsimcontrols.com/