It's been a while since my last freeware article (studies getting in the way), and so I thought it was high time I sat down and wrote another! This time around I will be looking at a magnificent ship modelled by Erwin Welker, an international airport by Johan Peeters, and finally, a rather small flyer by the talented A.F. Scrub. All of the models can be used with FSX and P3D, with the added bonus that Erwin's model can also be used with FS2004!

So, without further ado, let's begin...

FS2004/FSX/P3D v3 German Polar Research And Science Vessel

Polarstern (meaning pole star) is a German research icebreaker of the Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research (AWI) in Bremerhaven. Polarstern was commissioned in 1982 and is mainly used for research in the Arctic and Antarctica.

The ship has a length of 118 metres (387 feet) and is a double-hulled icebreaker. She is operational at temperatures as low as -50°C (-58°F). Polarstern can break through ice 1.5 m (4 ft 11 in) thick at a speed of 5 knots. Thicker ice up to 3 m (9.8 ft) thick can be broken by ramming.

This replica created by Erwin Welker is a wonderful recreation of the Polarstern. Not only does it incorporate an easy to use 2D panel, but it also includes a complete virtual navigation bridge! The model also includes a host of animations and sounds, and these can be viewed from the 25 cameras situated around the model. Animations include the bow breaking the ice (complete with broken ice at the stern), a Bell Jetranger helicopter, that can be pushed out of the hangar, animated cranes lifting objects, plus, if that wasn't enough, you even get a polar bear and its cub for company!

You can find this model in the file library:

ICEBREAKER-POLARSTERN.ZIP

FSX/P3D Scenery--Antwerp International Airport

Antwerp International Airport is a small international airport serving Antwerp, Belgium. Located 2.9 nautical miles south of the city, it is used for some scheduled and charter flights as well as business and general aviation.

During World War II the airport was used by the Luftwaffe, and also served the nearby Erla aircraft factory. After the German retreat in 1944, it saw brief use by Allied air forces, who called it Advanced Landing Ground B-70.

Today the airport consists of one small passenger terminal with basic facilities including service desks and a restaurant.

There is one runway, with a length of just over 1,500 m (4,900 ft). Due to this, it is not possible to operate aircraft larger than the Boeing 737 at the airport.

This model of Antwerp International Airport by Johan Peeters, is the result of two years work, and over 2000 photographs! The realism

Johan has managed to achieve, is quite remarkable, as both the textures of the buildings, and the scenery they are positioned on, look absolutely fantastic! So good are they, you'd be forgiven in thinking that it was a payware product. A couple of the buildings also have accurately modelled interiors, which is just simply superb! As well as the above, there is also custom AI traffic (Fokker 50), static SV-4Bs, and animated windsocks. Johan has mentioned that this is 'Phase 1' of the project, so expect to see more additions in the future.

You can find this model in the file library:

EBAW_JP2019.ZIP

FSX/P3D Stits SA-2A Sky Baby

The Stits SA-2A Sky Baby was a homebuilt aircraft designed for the challenge of claiming the title of "The World's Smallest".

The Sky Baby was designed by Ray Stits and built with Bob Starr as a follow-on to the Stits Junior midget racer. The aircraft is an enclosed single engine negative staggered cantilevered biplane with conventional landing gear. The fuselage is constructed of welded steel tubing with aircraft fabric covering. The upper wings have flaps, the lower wings have ailerons. The powerplant was a sourced from an ERCO Ercoupe, modified with water injection to produce 112 hp (84 kW).

The aircraft was test flown by Bob Starr on 26 May 1952 at Palm Springs, California. The aircraft required a 170 lb (77 kg) pilot to remain within the center of gravity and was only flown by pilots Starr and Lester Cole that met the criteria. The aircraft was eventually donated to the National Air and Space Museum for display.

The model presented here has been created by A.F. Scrub, one of my favorite freeware aircraft designers. The Stits SA-2A Sky Baby is compatible with FSX and P4D v4, except in the latter you have to modify a few files (it is not compatible with FS2004).

It's fair to say that the Stits SA-2A Sky Baby isn't going to win any beauty awards, as it really is quite a stubby and unattractive aircraft, but...this is where looks can be deceiving, because once in the air this little aircraft comes into its own. It's light and nimble, and there is enough power to have quite a bit of fun. Visibility is also good, as is the panel. Sounds are from the default Cessna 172, but work well. On startup there is engine smoke and exhaust flames, and go fast enough and you'll get vortex effects!

All in all...one of the most enjoyable aircraft I have flown for quite some time!

You can find this model in the file library:

STITS_SKYBABY.ZIP

I hope you enjoyed reading through what I consider to be three exceptionally enjoyable add-ons. I had a great deal of fun using them (continue to do so), and I think you will too.

Nirosan Pragash