Featured Addon History - 2005

The first prototype of the airplane flew on August 27 1976. In September 1978, the airplane was given certification to fly in Poland. Certifications from many countries around the world followed soon. Many airplanes of the M-18 type and its variations can still be seen around the world flying as cropdusters. They are a very common sight, for example, when driving by the Sonora Desert, as cropdusting and firefighting airplanes are necessary in middle and south Arizona as well as in northern Mexico.

Most Dromaders are easy to distinguish because of their yellow color. Over 700 had been built by 2002. Currently (2004) models M-18B and M-18BS are offered by PZL-Mielec.. (Source: airplanemart.com)

Filename: pzl18a.zip
Size: 13.0 MB

Author(s):  Jan Moravec

The T-45A aircraft, the Navy version of the British Aerospace Hawk aircraft, is used for intermediate and advanced portions of the Navy pilot training program for jet carrier aviation and tactical strike missions. The latest version of the aircraft, known as the T-45C, includes a digital cockpit. The T-45 replaces the T-2 Buckeye trainer and the TA-4 trainer with an integrated training system that includes the T-45 Goshawk aircraft, operations and instrument fighter simulators, academics, and training integration system. The T-45 Goshawk replaced the TA-4J Skyhawk in the Advanced Jet Training Program and replaces the T-2 Buckeye in the Intermediate Jet Pilot Training Program. The Goshawk Training System combines academic, simulation, and flight phases into an integrated computer-based training approach that greatly improves training efficiency and safety. (Source: XB-70 GlobalSecurity.org)

Filename: iris_gos.zip
Size: 17.0 MB

Author(s): DSB Design (David Brice, Han Tilroe, Rob Barendregt, Doug Dawson, David Friswell, Dyl Roberts, Peter Saveraux)

The North American XB-70 "Valkyrie" was conceived for the Strategic Air Command in the 1950s as a high-altitude bomber that could fly three times the speed of sound (Mach 3). The Valkyrie was configured as a canard delta wing, built largely of stainless steel honeycomb sandwich panels and titanium. It was designed to make use of a phenomenon called "compression lift," achieved when the shock wave generated by the airplane flying at supersonic speeds supports part of the airplane's weight. For improved stability at supersonic speeds, the Valkyrie could droop its wingtips as much as 65 degrees. (Source: XB-70 Valkyrie Wikipedia)

Filename: xb-70-05.zip
Size: 8.0 MB

Author(s): Massimo Altieri, Bob Chicilo

The Lockheed C-130 Hercules, a four-engine turboprop aircraft, is the main tactical air transport aircraft of the United States and United Kingdom military forces. Capable of landing and taking off from short, rough dirt runways, it is a personnel and cargo hauler and is used in a wide variety of other roles, such as gunships, weather watchers, tankers, firefighters and aerial ambulances. There are more than 40 versions of the Hercules, and it is widely used by more than 50 nations, establishing a long record of reliability and durability, participating in a variety of military, civilian and humanitarian operations and environments. (Source: C-130 Hercules Wikipedia)

Filename: c-130.zip
Size: 24.0 MB

Author(s): Brian Franklin, Clive Ryan, Mike Hambly

This is the FSACOF Gmax Eclipse 500 Version 3 by Fuel Labs 2004; Tim Stevens. The Eclipse 500 is a Commercial Twin Jet engine Aircraft and carries a Flight Crew of 2 with 4 to 6 passengers. Full Virtual Clickable Cockpit with working Passenger Exit. Custom Gauges and Reflective Specular Textures. Animated pilot, spoilers, gear and more.

The Eclipse 500 cruises at a brisk 375 kts and has a generous 1,280 nautical mile range with 4 occupants, NBAA IFR reserve (1,395 nm with 45-minute IFR reserve). A 41,000-foot ceiling avoids most severe weather and the 67-knot stall speed makes safe landings easier. Excellent performance at high altitudes and hot temperatures builds in an extra margin of safety. (Source: Eclipse Aviation)

Filename: e500v3.zip
Size: 21.0 MB

Author(s): Fuel Labs 2004; Tim Stevens

Brian Franklin's British Aerospace RAF Nimrod MR2 for Flight Simulator 2004 is our featured addon this month. This rendition is number XV248 from RAF Kinloss. The Nimrod is a maritime reconnaissance and strike aircraft of the Royal Air Force. Built with FSDS and includes Rolls Royce Spey Sounds and fuel status gauges.

The Nimrod MR Mk2 (MR2) is the Royal Air Force's maritime reconnaissance aircraft. Developed from the Comet aircraft and powered by four Rolls Royce Spey jet engines, the Nimrod is one of the most capable aircraft of its type in the World.

Nimrods operate all over the World, frequently training in the United States, Canada, France, Norway, Iceland, Cyprus, Gibraltar, Oman, Sicily, the Netherlands and the Falkland Islands. Occasional visits are also made to Malaysia, Australia and New Zealand. (Source: Salthill Air Show site)

Filename: nimrod4.zip
Size: 19.0 MB

Author(s): Brian Franklin, Benoit Plamondon, Brian Withers

Bowe Tyson's Sukhoi Su-34 Strike Flanker "Russian Fighting Bomber" for Flight Simulator 2004 is featured this month. This great package includes a model that features a full array of animated parts, a gorgeous virtual cockpit cabin, original sound package, custom panel, and N1 RPM afterburner effect. Includes Gmax model in two styles: Grey and Silver and Blue and Light Blue, available with weapon load outs and clean (see screenshots).

Further development of the Su-27. The first prototype built from an Su-30 tandem two-seat trainer reconfigured with a side-by-side seated cockpit made its maiden flight on April 13, 1990. The second prototype, completely built from the ground up, took to the air on December 18, 1993. The most obvious modification of the new strike "Flanker" is the widened, flatter forward fuselage. In the nose is a new multi-mode phased-array radar with terrain-following and terrain-avoidance for low-level attack. In the larger rear tail-boom is a defensive rearward radar that monitors enemy fighter activity behind the aircraft, and as needed, direct missiles at the targets. (Source: documentation)

Filename: su_34.zip
Size: 16.0 MB

Author(s): Bowe Tyson, Unkomura Humoto

Rick Piper's DeHavilland Chipmunk is featured this month. An abundance of models are included: Canadian Air Force Trainer, Danish Air Force, Private G-AORW, Private G-AORW, RAF Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, RAF Red/Grey & White, RAF Silver & Yellow, RAF Silver/Dayglo, RAF/UAS Silver & Yellow, Royal Canadian Airforce and Royal Navy. The detail is remarkable and even the pilots differ in some models, with variety in helmets and headphone styles. A Pilot's Manual and complete reference information rounds out this great package!

"Developed just after World War II, the DHC-1 Chipmunk was the first aircraft designed by deHavilland of Canada to replace the deHavilland Tiger Moth as a single-engine basic trainer. The Chipmunk first flew on 22 May 1946. Initially, 218 Chipmunks were built for the Royal Canadian Air Force, followed, after a change to the Gipsy Major 8 engine, by 735 planes for the RAF’s primary pilot training bases. These were designated as T 10s.

The British version also differed by being fully aerobatic and having a sliding, multi-paneled canopy rather than the ‘bubble’ typical in Canada. Another 217 of the versatile, easily-mastered Chipmunks were built for export sale, and 60 were built under license in Portugal. Not fully retired until 1996, many examples are still flying in private hands worldwide." (Source: Warbird Alley)

Note: it has come to our attention the build figures above are likely inaccurate and should be Canada 217, UK 1000 and Portugal 66 for a total of 1283 aircraft.

Filename: chpmnk.zip
Size: 17.0 MB

Author(s): Rick Piper, Mike Hambly, Dave Booker, Saverio Maurri, David Maltby

This month we feature USAF Beechcraft C-45G Expediter, a redesign by Cliff Presley of Flight Design's original Beech 18. Additional credits: Des Braban for the sound system, Fred Choate for the panel and John de Giorgio for the upgraded flight configuration.

The texture work on this Beech is quite remarkable. The effort of 500 combined man hours truly shows through, from crisp external detailing to believable interior views. The aircraft is fully animated including all control surfaces, gear and engine coverings. Both fixed and virtual instrumentation is standard along with custom sound effects.

"In total, Beech Aircraft produced more than 7,400 aircraft for Allied Air Forces during the war years. Its relationship with the Air Force continued right into the early 1950s when Beech was tasked to completely overhaul 900 of its war-era C-45 “Expeditors” for use as administrative and light cargo aircraft, redesignated as the C-45G and C-45H.

After the war, the Twin Beech returned to its peacetime mission. One of the first aircraft designed for the transportation of business executives, it quickly became a favorite with small airlines operating on a limited budget. The Twin Beech would be manufactured continuously for 32 years (until 1969), with more than 7,000 built, setting a longevity record that would be surpassed only by one other aircraft—another Beech, the Model 35 Bonanza." (Source: US Centennial Flight Commission)

Filename: cp-c45g.zip
Size: 19.4 MB

Author(s): Cliff Presley, Flight Design, Des Braban, Fred Choate, John de Giorgio

Adrian Esdaile's Scaled Composites Boomerang Rutan Model 202 is featured this month and it is a beautiful aircraft. The Boomerang, an experimental design, first appeared in the 1996 Oshkosh Airshow. This recreation was designed using GMAX and includes a normal variant as well as a custom interior model.

The real Boomerang (as of 1996) uses an experimental instrumentation system that consists of a Macintosh laptop and an on-board Macintosh Quadra flight data management computer. The Quadra controls almost all systems on the aircraft, with the laptop used as a display and interface. This results in a very spartan panel! (Source: included documentation)

Filename: rutan202.zip
Size: 7 MB

Author(s): Adrian Esdaile

Our featured addon this time around is Soko Galeb-2 by Luka Midic, Cpt. Goran Savic, Zoran Sivcev, and Milan Jeftic. This remarkable package features fully animated moving parts - all control surfaces, canopy doors, gears, ’live’ pilots, ejection seats, crash effects and high detail dynamic 3D virtual cockpit with working gauges. It also includes different visual models with photorealistic 2D panels. High quality flight dynamics created and tested by real Galeb pilots.

The SOKO G2-A Galeb (seagull) is two-seat advanced trainer where stability at low speeds and balanced control surfaces ensure comfortable handling and safe aerobatics training. Take off and landing from unprepared grass airfields are also possible. The first of two prototypes was flown during May 1961 and production was started in 1963. (Source: included documentation)

Filename: galeb.zip
Size: 12 MB

Author(s): Luka Midic, Cpt. Goran Savic, Zoran Sivcev, Milan Jeftic

To kick off the New Year to a great start, we feature Canadair CT-114 Tutor: Snowbirds by VCDG and Mapleleaf Imaging. The aircraft includes an animated canopy, gear, spoiler, flaps and control surfaces. The 2D instrumentation includes several views from flight to landing, a smoke switch with vocal feedback, formation sheets and both left and right side bitmaps. The virtual cockpit displays working gauges and includes rear-view mirrors. Excellent documentation rounds out this sweet package.

On 11 November 1942, 431 Bomber Squadron formed at Burn, England. They were in England for the duration of the war and moved to RCAF Station Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, after V-E Day, disbanding there on 5 September 1945. 431 Fighter Squadron formed at RCAF Station Bagotville on 18 January 1954 in order to display the Sabre to the public at airshows. They were disbanded on 1 October 1954. They were re-activated on 1 April 1978 as 431 Air Demonstration Squadron, more commonly known as the Snowbirds, flying the CT-114 Tutor. (Quick History, from the docs).

Filename: snwbrd04.zip
Size: 21.7 MB

Author(s): VCDG (Chris Baird, Donald Radke, Tony Goodale, Shane Strong), Mapleleaf Imaging