You got it. The zero is no way the MS answer to the community reaction after the initial release. They had planned for some time to release the mustang and zero with no cockpit as a pair that males some sense for pearl harbor.It will take more time for our feedback and the actual sales to influence the pipeline of project in development.I just pass on this one as this is not for me.

[Pedantic mode] Actually the P-51 doesn't make much sense for Pearl Harbour, they were first used operationally at the end of 1943 and only reached the Pacific theater in late 1944, or so wiki tells me. The P-40 would have made much more sense, though also have much less instant recognition. [/pedantic mode]

I agree! I am shocked and dissapointed in MS flight team. What's next? Manhatten Island with a re-creation of the Twin Towers; and an aerocache between them?Shame MS; SHAME!

[CENSORED]Warplane. Yikes. A Japanese warplane to fly over Pearl Harbor...??? Isn't that a bit sick? No VC. I couldn't care less because I already couldn't care less about this plane. Huge disappointment. Now I have to wait yet another freakin' month for a new plane... Yeah, Alaska will have a new plane but no one knows when Alaska will be released.Big bummer.

Well, I wasn't old enough to fight in any war, but I must say, I find this choice of aircraft rather offensive. Has the team at Microsoft just discarded the fact that on Dec. 7, 1941, the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor with swarms of that very aircraft? One of the Aerocaches is the USS Arizona memorial? So now you can fly around the islands and reminisce about the day the Japanese destroyed Hawaii. I don't find that appropriate and very dishonorable to the American miltary men and women who died there. That's just my opinion. I think the zero was a cool plane, but in this instance, I think its a little insensitive. FLIGHT team, you are really out of touch.

But in the same time you think its appropriate to fly over virtual Yugoslavia/Iraq/Afghanistan/Korea/Vietnam and throw your bomb where you like? Should I mention all those FPS games based in Yugoslavia/Iraq/Afghanistan/Korea/Vietnam? Hypocrisy in it finest incarnation...EDIT: added word "virtual" to be more clear.

But in the same time you think its appropriate to fly over Yugoslavia/Iraq/Afghanistan/Korea/Vietnam and throw your bomb where you like? Should I mention all those FPS games based in Yugoslavia/Iraq/Afghanistan/Korea/Vietnam? Hypocrisy in it finest incarnation...

Since you (also) quoted me: I don't play any games that involve shooting, bombing, killing, mollesting, violence and whatever else is popular in games that are played by way too many people nowadays... So watch who you call a hypocrite, please.Back OT: I haven't bought the Maule yet... Maybe I should make that plane my personal plane of the month now. Pity we don't know anything about Alaska (what plane is comes with and when it comes...).

But in the same time you think its appropriate to fly over Yugoslavia/Iraq/Afghanistan/Korea/Vietnam and throw your bomb where you like? Should I mention all those FPS games based in Yugoslavia/Iraq/Afghanistan/Korea/Vietnam? Hypocrisy in it finest incarnation...

Great response. It's amazing what a small world some people live in. Maybe Flight really is as big a world as some people need it to be. I think I'd be pretty scared if that mentality was to fly over me. So, it's OK to bomb and kill other people, but if it happens to us........Hmmm, out of touch? Maybe somebody needs to get in touch.War is war and is a terrible thing, no matter where the bombs fall.

Perhaps to have the basic there - the shell - for adding a working VC should they desire?

I hope that's the case and it seems logical. So, maybe the "hid" the static cockpit so that when they release the working cockpit people wouldn't skip the upgrade because they already have the non-working cockpit? Maybe they'd risk introducing bugs had they made it impossible to 'find' the static cockpit but it was a simple XML switch to make it a pain to find (lesser of two evils)? I dunno. You'd think if they plan on selling the deluxe version then there would be no cockpit of any type in the basic P51 rather than just trying to hide it. . .still strange to me :)

The Zero is a nice historical aircraft, very maneuvrable and grateful to fly. It would have been a nice addon imho, but the absence of a virtual cockpit is really disappointing ...The Zero in Combat Flight Simulator 2 (year 2000, that is 12 years ago ...) was nice and had got an excellent (for that time) virtual cockpit:

Yeah, they kinda blew a nice chance.I mean even pure games have rudimentary cockpits nowadays. Do they really want to come in under Ace Combat?

Anyone know where all these Flight fans who want leaderboards and cockpitless planes hang out?

Probably the majority of them hang out in elementary schools, I suppose.

It would be interesting to see the sorts of debates they are having over Flight.

According to a recent MS deep marketing survey, the debates over Fligth in that focus group are very hot, just a little behind those concerning the content of the sandwiches prepared by mom.A.

If Microsoft is keeping as close an eye on their stats as they claim to be, it is VERY important that we do not buy this aircraft. We have tried telling them what we wanted, and they do not seem to care. We have been heard loud and clear, and this was their response. So, hit them where it hurts. DO NOT BUY BASIC AIRCRAFT LIKE THIS! Instead, purchase the Maule if you havent or the Hawaiian Adventure Pack. Show them that we are willing to pay for proper, fully functional aeroplanes, like the Maule for example. But we cannot support products like this, it will only hurt US in the long run.

And the Flight / Systems / Engine models in CFS2 were soooooo damn better than they ended up being in fsx.... :-( Good Old Times.....

The Zero is a nice historical aircraft, very maneuvrable and grateful to fly. It would have been a nice addon imho, but the absence of a virtual cockpit is really disappointing ...The Zero in Combat Flight Simulator 2 (year 2000, that is 12 years ago ...) was nice and had got an excellent (for that time) virtual cockpit:

You realise there are a number of combat flight sims out there that allow you to actually bomb Pearl Harbour right?

So what??? How many games have I passed on because of a certain vulgarity to them? Many.

I'm pretty sure there's Zeros flying around the US in airshows at the moment

Probably one out there... the Zeke is a legitimate part of Aviation History. And I would be honored to own / maintain one and greatly honored to display / fly at an airshow. But I certainly would not fly it over the Hawaiian Islands.

Btw, the Zero does have a place in history with Alaska.....you folks remember that Japan attacked Alaska after Pearl Harbor, right?

Yes... and it did not have a cockpit either... (why the guy crashed inverted). :rofl:

Well, I wasn't old enough to fight in any war, but I must say, I find this choice of aircraft rather offensive. Has the team at Microsoft just discarded the fact that on Dec. 7, 1941, the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor with swarms of that very aircraft? One of the Aerocaches is the USS Arizona memorial? So now you can fly around the islands and reminisce about the day the Japanese destroyed Hawaii. I don't find that appropriate and very dishonorable to the American miltary men and women who died there. That's just my opinion. I think the zero was a cool plane, but in this instance, I think its a little insensitive. FLIGHT team, you are really out of touch.

Thank you for your comments concerning this release. Some people consider FLIGHT to be just a game for kids, I do not, it is more then that. This can have very serious repercussions, or am I being over dramatic, I don't think so. Most kids today have no concept of history. That is why history will always repeat. Never mind the fact that a Zero would never stand a chance with a D model Mustang, I don't believe they ever crossed paths in combat.

I gotta say, I think the " glass half full" part of me is starting to resurface again somewhat anyway.I made another thread regarding using the mixture manually, up until now I had it set to auto. It was pointed out , that I must not be using my checklists - correctly pointed out.So this AM I changed my mixture to manual , have it mapped to a rotary on my throttle like the prop rpm - did a job carrying passengers in the Maule around 56 nm. I made a point to use the checklist appropriate, for engine startup, takeoff, cruise, approach and landing. First time I have done this.I found that so rewarding for me - gave me a greater sense of accomplishment in doing this job. Granted no extra points, though my passengers were pretty happy .And while doing that flight, I kept thinking of my dissappointment of this new dlc plane being released not having a cockpit and folks wondering if that is now the direction of Flight. What I just experienced, was very much designed for the "simulator" aspect of Flight. And available with the released product. I have to believe that is there for a reason, and more will be to follow - so I am going to maintain the hope, and belief, that more will be coming that represents more for the actual simulator aspect of Flight.Who knows the thought process behind releasing this Zero as is? Certainly had to have been planned some time ago. They probably slapped it together at the same time as the P51, and decided to hold off on it for a month to have something to offer then.I think we simmers though, need not to worry ourselves too much regarding this - until we see as more time goes by , what more does get released... and in the meatime, I shall remain hopefull. All of course just my humble opinion, but that is going to be my perspective on it for now.

Great Airplane... MS Flight : UNINSTALLED. Roger.Bye Bye MS Flight...

... wouldn't it be so awesome to wait 6 months to release the SR-71 without a cockpit? lol (joke) I hope this is the last plane to be released without a cockpit. Please don't make that mistake again. If you are a user that doesnt use cockpits then good for you, either way you can use external view, what if they released a plane with no external view?