Tricky decision, the MAAM one is very authentic, since they based it on their very own aircraft, and it does work in FSX (slight pain in the &@($* to install), but in FSX form it is from one that was originally an FS9 development, so there are things that could be improved (they are apparently working on that with a new FSX one, but that is a complete rebuild and not a tart up of the original, so is taking a long time). Nevertheless, it is a comprehensive package with stacks of variants and one that any self-respecting DC-3 fan should have and would not disappoint in spite of its age, although be aware you need patches for the FSX-ported version to work right.The Just Flight DC-3 is comprehensive too, having a base package as well as some expansions, which include a nice flyable Waco Glider too. There is a demo of it available here, scroll right down the page to download that:http://www.justflight.com/product.asp?pid=532Being a more modern treatment, the JF one is a genuine FSX model, and that means it takes advantage of what can be done in FSX. It's the most accurate model of a DC-3 you can get externally, being closer to the actual dimensions of a DC-3 than either the MAAM one or the default FSX one. As far as systems go, I'd recommend trying the demo and see for yourself, it's pretty much on the money, but see for yourself. There is a built-in sound set for it that was payware too, so it sounds pretty good although I don't know if that bit is in the demo version.You can also go the inexpensive route and tart up the default FSX DC-3, which is not a bad stab at the real aeroplane. Take a trip over to Trev Morson's DC-3 site for lots of tweaks to the default DC-3 to make it much more realistic, again scroll down the page, and be prepared to cry at the pictures of the damaged DC-3 on there too: http://www.douglasdc3.com/The UIVER DC-2 is of course not a DC-3, but it is the aircraft the DC-3 was developed from. Having said that, a DC-2 flies very differently to a DC-3 and is operated very differently too, since it is much easier to overheat the engines on a DC-2, making it a lot tougher to fly well. The UIVER version is a cut above any of the DC-3s you can get for FS, and if it came down to only having one, I'd pick the UIVER one for sure, it's a beauty, a real labour of love and like the MAAM one, is made by the people who look after the real aeroplane it was based on.There are some other also-rans out there, including versions of the Basler BT-67 and the Lisunov Li-2, some free and some payware, and of varying quality, but none are on par with the above unless you tweak them.If you like old bangers such as the DC-3 and DC-2, some other vaguely similar aircraft worth considering are the Aerosft Consolidated PBY Catalina and the A2A Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress, both of which are really stunning and well worth having if you like old props, being very realistic and well modeled in terms of engine management and systems.Al

Thought I would add the A2A B377 to the list of old props.Bryan.

Thought I would add the A2A B377 to the list of old props.Bryan.

Absolutely. Haven't got that one myself, but I have a friend who has (in fact he's an A2A beta-tester of it) and he speaks highly of it. Trivia fact: it was him who took that photo of me in my forum avatar, where I was getting ready to take off.Al

Tricky decision, the MAAM one is very authentic, since they based it on their very own aircraft, and it does work in FSX (slight pain in the &@($* to install), but in FSX form it is from one that was originally an FS9 development, so there are things that could be improved (they are apparently working on that with a new FSX one, but that is a complete rebuild and not a tart up of the original, so is taking a long time). Nevertheless, it is a comprehensive package with stacks of variants and one that any self-respecting DC-3 fan should have and would not disappoint in spite of its age, although be aware you need patches for the FSX-ported version to work right.The Just Flight DC-3 is comprehensive too, having a base package as well as some expansions, which include a nice flyable Waco Glider too. There is a demo of it available here, scroll right down the page to download that:http://www.justfligh...uct.asp?pid=532Being a more modern treatment, the JF one is a genuine FSX model, and that means it takes advantage of what can be done in FSX. It's the most accurate model of a DC-3 you can get externally, being closer to the actual dimensions of a DC-3 than either the MAAM one or the default FSX one. As far as systems go, I'd recommend trying the demo and see for yourself, it's pretty much on the money, but see for yourself. There is a built-in sound set for it that was payware too, so it sounds pretty good although I don't know if that bit is in the demo version.You can also go the inexpensive route and tart up the default FSX DC-3, which is not a bad stab at the real aeroplane. Take a trip over to Trev Morson's DC-3 site for lots of tweaks to the default DC-3 to make it much more realistic, again scroll down the page, and be prepared to cry at the pictures of the damaged DC-3 on there too: http://www.douglasdc3.com/The UIVER DC-2 is of course not a DC-3, but it is the aircraft the DC-3 was developed from. Having said that, a DC-2 flies very differently to a DC-3 and is operated very differently too, since it is much easier to overheat the engines on a DC-2, making it a lot tougher to fly well. The UIVER version is a cut above any of the DC-3s you can get for FS, and if it came down to only having one, I'd pick the UIVER one for sure, it's a beauty, a real labour of love and like the MAAM one, is made by the people who look after the real aeroplane it was based on.There are some other also-rans out there, including versions of the Basler BT-67 and the Lisunov Li-2, some free and some payware, and of varying quality, but none are on par with the above unless you tweak them.If you like old bangers such as the DC-3 and DC-2, some other vaguely similar aircraft worth considering are the Aerosft Consolidated PBY Catalina and the A2A Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress, both of which are really stunning and well worth having if you like old props, being very realistic and well modeled in terms of engine management and systems.Al

Thank you! I found your comments very useful.At the end I went with JF DC-3 (I even threw in the expansion pack). The fact that it's native FSX model was what sold it, for me. I didn't fly it yet - bought it yesterday evening, I'll try it today after work. All I've done is set up EZCA. Can A2A Shockwave lights be used with this aircraft? On their forums I can't find any configs for this one.

Yeah, you can put Shockwave's lights on anything you like, and it is easy to do it yourself. All you do is change the config manually.If you look at the config file section below (this being the JF DC-3 as it is by default), I've highlighted the names of the lights it uses in bold, so whichever one of those you wanted to be a different light, you'd simply change the bold name of that light to the name of the Shockwave light instead.All you are basically doing is telling FSX to play an effect at a certain coordinate on the model, and changing the name of the light changes which effect is played at that location.[LIGHTS]//Types: 1=beacon, 2=strobe, 3=navigation, 4=cockpit, 5=landinglight.0 = 3, -26.18, -45.80, 1.35, fx_navredm ,light.1 = 3, -26.18, 45.80, 1.35, fx_navgrem ,light.2 = 3, -61.50, 0.0, 2.6, fx_navwhi ,light.3 = 1, -56.59, 0.00, 13.55, fx_beaconh ,light.4 = 4, -6.50, 0.00, 4.80, fx_vclighth,light.5 = 4, -27.0l0, 0.00, 4.20, fx_vclighth,light.6 = 4, -21.0l0, 0.00, 4.20, fx_vclighth,light.7 = 3, -22.00, 0.0, 5.85, fx_navwhi ,light.8 = 3, -17.70, 0.0, -3.650, fx_navwhi,Al

Thanks for posting the news about this DC3 but I too must also say that the VC does not look good. Ive seen better freeware VCs TBH. However the external model looks great and judging from what others have said about how it flies - more fun to fly than the FSX DC3.As an aside we must remember that the FSX defaults cater to non-geeks. MS knows well enough that us sim-nerds will put aside the defaults and replace them with better models. Having said that I feel the default FSX DC3 visuals are well done!

Thanks for posting the news about this DC3 but I too must also say that the VC does not look good. Ive seen better freeware VCs TBH.

If there is a better freeware DC-3 VC out there, I'd be surprised, and I'd love to have it if there was. You really think there is a better freebie DC-3 virtual cockpit than this?Al

I'd like to know that too, which freeware has better VC? I did 2 flights so far with JF DC-3 and I like it. The VC is ok for the price.Most of the time I spend in PMDG MD11 or J41 or 747 but from time to time I like to fly the airplane and not the computer and I don't mind if it's not the most complex a/c on the block. I like GA also (mainly because of Orbx).Chock, I didn't know it's that simple.. just change "fx_beaconh" to "fx_shockwave_beaconh"and that's it? I always thought you have to position the lights and what not that's why I always found config on the internet and c/p it into aircraft.cfg.

You may have to shift the effect position slightly on occasion, but that is simply a case of increasing or decreasing the coordinate position values ever so slightly. A lot depends on the model (thickness of the wings, curves etc).Al

I should have clarified - I did not mean freeware *DC3* VC I meant freeware VC in general. Thanks for taking the trouble to post but those pics dont sell it for me lol. I dunno it just does not look good to me. But then FSX and its addons are a very subjective thing - like music. One loves it the other hates it. But there is no loser. If you like it...well thats all that matters :) Who cares what others think!As for my comment about freeware VC quality (Im only talking about *graphics* here not flight-system functionality) I would point to Rick Pipers HS748, Posky ERJ & 777, AN32 (forgot publisher) among others.When it comes to payware VCs (again I talk about graphics only) I would point to Aerosofts Catalina...now THAT to me is a nicely done VC. A very real look (worn look) with a more 3D feel than this JF DC3. Maybe the JF DC3 pit is too clean? But you can pretend its a rebuild or factory-fresh model lol.However theres one thing I cant argue against and thats the flight-model quality. I have not flown it myself but friends who have it say its much more "real" than the default. It is not forgiving from what I gather. And when it comes down to the wire its how the model "flies" in FSX that matters...and if its great then VC graphics quality is secondary. I have to say though - its neat that its got a fully modelled interior..cabin and all!-Nev

Yup, it does look clean, but that just makes it look new, not necessarily badly textured, and in the context of wartime aircraft, that kind of works, since they were often not around long enough to get battered. I agree, the Aerosoft Catalina is a really good VC, bit tough on frames, but it's nice.Al

I managed to set Shockwave lights, now it looks better at night.I have one silly question....Does DC-3 have transponder (obviously I can't find it and I'm pretty sure it doesn't)? I'm using Radar Contact 4 and ATC demands from me that I set the squawk code.. how do I do that?

Easiest way to do that is to add a radio in the config file that has a transponderAl

Yeah, I thought so. Thanks.Too all interested, here's my Shockwave lights config:[LIGHTS]//Types: 1=beacon, 2=strobe, 3=navigation, 4=cockpit, 5=landinglight.0 = 3, -26.18, -45.80, 1.35, fx_shockwave_navred ,light.1 = 3, -26.18, 45.80, 1.35, fx_shockwave_navgre ,light.2 = 3, -61.30, 0.30, 2.5, fx_shockwave_navyellow ,light.3 = 1, -56.59, 0.00, 13.55, fx_shockwave_beaconh ,light.4 = 4, -6.50, 0.00, 4.80, fx_shockwave_vclight , light.5 = 4, -29.00, 0.00, 4.20, fx_shockwave_vclight , light.6 = 3, -22.00, 0.0, 5.85, fx_shockwave_navwhi ,light.7 = 3, -17.70, 0.0, -3.650, fx_shockwave_navwhi ,light.8 = 5, -16.00, -19.05, -1.80, fx_shockwave_landing_light_low_old , // Shockwave light, port landing lightlight.9 = 5, -16.00, 19.05, -1.80, fx_shockwave_landing_light_low_old , // Shockwave light, stbd landing light

You can also go the inexpensive route and tart up the default FSX DC-3, which is not a bad stab at the real aeroplane. Take a trip over to Trev Morson's DC-3 site for lots of tweaks to the default DC-3 to make it much more realistic, again scroll down the page, and be prepared to cry at the pictures of the damaged DC-3 on there too: http://www.douglasdc3.com/ Chock S! I've looked at the above link ( which I take it is the Trev Morson website you refer to ) and I cannot find any reference to the FSX DC3 . I was looking for it to find out how to tart up the default FSX DC3. Can you assist me wher I should look on this website please? cheers

There were some links on that site, however the website has changed since I posted that link, since it was posted almost half a year ago LOL. I guess that you'd have to do a search on Google, or the Avsim library. Alternatively uyou could just get either the MAAM or JF DC-3s Al