Introduction
This regular feature will try to emulate the great series of freeware reviews by Senior Staff Reviewer Steve (Bearracing) Cartwright known as the ‘Bears Cave’ by informing you of some of the very best (but some times overlooked) freeware releases from anywhere in the world of MSFS. One of the most endearing features of this hobby is the ability to enhance the basic simulator with a myriad of free add-on files, transforming the default scenery and replacing the default aircraft with just about any design you can think of, all for the price of an internet connection. Spring is traditionally a good time for new releases and plenty of fine new projects have made their way into the flight simulation world over the past month; many of which have been downloaded in record numbers from the Avsim File Library. As I said in the first edition of this feature, fine as these creations are, I prefer to rummage around a little and highlight some of the more obscure projects that can easily be missed by a great many users of MSFS. This months Treasure Chest sees a typical eclectic mix of subjects from the bizarre to the sublime, but all sharing a quality that deserves recognition for the months or years of dedication and work invested in them. To all the designers below, I would like to offer profound thanks and admiration for all your efforts. This Months Featured Items:
The Guy Williams Jupiter-2 by Ronnie Pendercraft This download (a rather large 60 Mb) includes the Jupiter 2 and its launch pad scenery; however you can get the space ship and scenery as separate downloads if you wish. The installation of this craft is fairly straightforward, if you are happy with a little file swapping. Before selecting the craft in FS2004, always load a default aircraft first and switch to the 2D panel. This will mean that when you are inside Jupiter, everything will work as the designer intended. What do I mean by everything? Well, I have spent a couple of hours exploring the craft, and new and wonderful effects and sounds are still being discovered!
Does she fly as well as she looks? In a word NO! That said, within the restrictions of ‘orthodox’ flight modeling, she is well capable (with practice) of vertical take-off and landing, as well as ‘conventional’ flight. The triumph of this package is the simple enjoyment factor; how can a re-creation of a cardboard and paint TV prop be turned into an aircraft? Not surprisingly, it can’t. What it does do, is offer a little escapism and add a certain light relief into a hobby that some people can take a little too seriously sometimes. I hope Ronnie can modify this model for FSX; in theory at least space flight is a possibility with the new simulator. Check out his site, where you will find several more fun creations for FS2004 and FS2002. The Hawker Siddeley HS 780 Andover C Mk 1 by Rick Piper for FS2004 Now I will let you in on a little secret! With nearly 30,000 downloads from AVSIM alone, I am sure most of you know the HS 748 by Rick Piper. This superb package, with one of the most realistic virtual cockpits ever seen and complemented by a 2D panel of outstanding quality, was one of the great freeware releases of 2006. At that time, I wondered if we were likely ever to see the up-rated military specification of this aircraft, the very attractive HS780 Andover. Well, Rick did indeed build this more elegant RR Dart powered transport, but how many of you turbo prop fans know about it? At the end of last year, Rick announced to CBFS forum members that he was going to release an HS780 Andover, albeit in a limited way. The aircraft (in this current form) was uploaded to one or two limited sites, as it was not really considered a totally completed project. This was done because Rick is now concentrating all his efforts on FSX developed projects and this FS2004 version of the aircraft will not be developed any further. But those of us who are still using FS2004 should not be too worried by the slightly ‘unfinished’ statement; this aircraft is a total delight. Utilizing the panel, virtual cockpit and superb sounds from the original release, we now have a fine new external model of the elegant STOL cargo hauler. As always, Rick has added his usual ‘magic’ touches; amongst these is a fantastic rendition of the aircraft’s ‘kneeling’ attitude required for vehicles to access the rear loading ramp. The basic download model includes 2 RAF paint scheme; however, some enterprising texture artists (who have actually managed to find this model) have already reproduced some stunning new paint schemes. Amongst these might be the first Christian Missionary scheme for MSFS, and the J.A.M Air repaint from Ben Hartmann of UKMIL. Have a hunt around on the internet and you will find several more. Rick Piper is one of the ‘greats’ amongst freeware designers and this project fills another of those gaps in aviation history within FS2004 and fills it in a very beautiful way! You can only download this aircraft (which at 21.5 Mb includes both panel and custom sound set) at http://classicbritishfiles.com/, a place where British aviation FS enthusiasts can find a whole host of odd and interesting goodies!
Gliding in FSX with Sailplanes by Wolfgang Piper With the release
of SP1 for FSX, I expect that many of you will be re-visiting the new simulator
platform to appreciate the significant improvements that
this patch has brought. With this in mind, I thought it was a good
time to highlight one of the very best advancements made in FSX,
the area of un-powered
flight. With the advent of aero-tows and realistic thermals, FSX has
really enhanced the eternal ‘poor relation’ of flight simulation
and (for me) has added a whole new realm of enjoyment to the simulator. Herr Piper’s site has over 30 beautifully crafted vintage and modern sailplanes, a great many with detailed virtual cockpits and all converted for use in FSX. The good news continues; not only are these cockpits very frame rate friendly, most of the downloads are between 2 and 4 Mb each, so even dial-up users can join in the fun. If you do not feel safe flying without an engine, have no fear, he even has a range of rather nice motor gliders too! These small download files just have to be unzipped and placed in the appropriate folder in FSX, not as simple as an auto exec file, but not rocket science. Wolfgang has a whole section on his site detailing how to install and modify these files. Learning the basics of glider flight with aero-tows and thermals is the perfect way to have fun with FSX, as you seldom travel above 60 knots, which means your hardware can (usually) keep up with your simulator. I installed the Horizon VFR Photographic Scenery (see screenshots below) and I was able to re-create cross country glider flights in excess of 60 miles simply with the aid of a road atlas and several default thermals. Even without scenery such as this, gliding in MSFS has entered a new dimension with the release of FSX; and with a hangar full of exotic sailplanes available free from Herr Piper, I for one will be using the new simulator an awful lot more in the future. When gliding in FSX, remember to keep an eye out for any eagles; they will happily fly alongside you in their thermals but please try to avoid a collision with them! Oh, if you have trouble with the noise your simulator makes whilst flying, after the tug has cast you adrift and you are gliding, everything is very, very quiet. Your nearest and dearest may not even realize you are using your simulator at all!
PELLSTON, (KPLN) MI, USA Scenery by Matthias Rauh for FS2004 Every now and again I find a scenery download that seems to be a little different; sometimes the location might appeal or at other times I am intrigued by the description given in the download. When I saw this file, the location was of little interest; a small mid-west town with few regular airline flights and no historical significance in the aviation world. However at 37 Mb, this file (kpln_fs2004.zip from the Avsim File Library) looked interesting because of what it offered; full seasonal textures, night lighting and moving vehicle traffic! That list is normally the realm of payware scenery, so I had to investigate further and I am very glad I did. This scenery represents a ‘small town USA’ airfield like nothing else I have seen from freeware. The buildings are brilliantly detailed works of art and so realistic you almost expect a door to open and see people emerge into the parking lot. That parking lot is full of activity too, as is the main road that runs past the field; this whole scenery seems to be alive. From the ‘We Support Our Troops’ sign at the gas station to the typical mid western houses and stores, the attention to detail is stunning. The designer spent 6 months in this little town as an exchange student and, frustrated by the lack of detailed version of the area in MSFS, decided to build one himself! With good runways and great detailing I think it would make an ideal home airfield; despite a rather severe looking winter season, which is captured beautifully in this scenery. As always with complex scenery, there is a small trade-off here in performance; however, if you are one of the many of people who have upgraded your system for FSX you will not have a problem here. My rather ordinary PC gave an average of 20 FPS whilst using this scenery at maximum slider settings in FS2004 and a reasonable amount of AI. Installation is a little tricky and the ‘read me’ supplied does require reading, but the results are worth it. This airfield and town will give you a glimpse of what all flight simulation scenery will probably look like in another 6 years or so, if we are very lucky.
The Potez-Fouga Magister by Restauravia Those of you who read last month’s Treasure Chest will know that I rather like French designed aircraft, so it will not come as much of a surprise when you discover that another ‘Gallic’ creation has appeared this month too! The Potez-Fouga Magister has always been a favorite of mine, that distinctive butterfly tail and graceful appearance was so different from other jet aircraft of the time. The fact that it was the mount of the French national display team ‘The Patrouille de France’ for many years was also evidence of the aircraft’s handling abilities too. The team at Restauravia has made a very fine model of this little jet featuring a delightful (very smooth) virtual cockpit and some superb detailing around the external model. The Magister is also an aircraft that can look good in a variety of colorful and exotic paint schemes, many of which are available at the French website where you can get the model or in the Avsim File Library. If you enjoy flying GA aircraft, give the Magister a try, you will find it hard to better the agile but forgiving qualities of the flight modeling combined with the added adrenaline of flying a military machine. The only minus points I found were the use of the default Lear sounds and the fact that the check lists provided are only in French. This aside, sitting yourself in a cockpit so realistic you can almost smell the Gauloise cigarette smoke more than makes up for any minor niggles.
Cessna C-150 by Francois-Denis Guidée and Yves Franckart STOP PRESS…………………………Could this Cessna 150 the best freeware aircraft of 2007?
One of the problems with a monthly column is trying to keep up with the frantic pace of freeware releases, even those tucked away on less known websites. The release of the much anticipated Cessna C-150 by Francois-Denis Guidée and Yves Franckart (yes, another French creation!) may well be old news by the time this article is published. Despite this, when a product of this groundbreaking nature is released as freeware, I feel it my duty to include the project anyway. At the time of writing, it is only available from a small site; this may well change in the coming days. So, what can I say about this little aircraft? Without a shadow of doubt, I believe that this project has taken freeware aircraft design to a level never seen before! I have many payware aircraft from the best development companies and they would really have had to stretch themselves to achieve such a stunning piece of design. The VC abounds with clickable ‘hot-spots’ and the whole airframe has a bizarre ‘vibration’ when in flight, really enhancing the sensation of flying. A pop-up checklist allows you to customize your aircraft or remove inspection panels from within the VC, which is itself customized for each of the two models and a host of paint schemes included in the download. I find myself loading the aircraft just to look at it! Even if you do not like GA aircraft, download this 45 Mb file from http://drk.free.fr/tutoriels/creation/c150_en.php (you have to use the passwords provided next to the link) immediately; and be prepared to have the biggest grin on your face you are ever likely to have using your simulator. This aircraft (for FS2004, but people have had it working well in FSX) is the shape of the future - enjoy!
Conclusions I hope this month’s collection has given you a few pointers to some projects that you may have missed or overlooked. From a glimpse of what our 1950’s TV producers thought would be available today to a FS aircraft project that shows us what freeware in MSFS will be like tomorrow. As always, I have tried to illustrate what amazing things are available to us all simply by having an internet connection. Don’t waste any more time, get downloading at once! |
