Freeware planes that rock! -1 of 2-

[PhantomTweak]

Having been a radar tech, I can say they were putting radar systems into aircraft by the end of WWII. Consider the P-61 Black Widow, a Radar equipped nightfighter that was the bane of Japanese aircraft and shipping near the end of the War. I see no reason they wouldn't have equipped a blimp with Radar to search for subs, whether on the surface, or even just the periscope, if they had a good operator. Snorkel too. Be a great escort for Atlantic convoys.

Airships, rigids, dirigibles and blimps have always been a source of fascination to me.

I worked on the TCOM Aerostat system for 15 years. Any questions, feel free to ask :D

Just my thoughts...

Pat☺

[jankees]

Wow Jan Kees this link is a gold mine, 41 pages! Thank you. I have so many of the payware models you repaint, will be very busy registering and downloading.

Please can I ask where you get the Grumman J2F Duck base model? I couldn't find it on here. Found many on the internet -one from Rikooo, just don't know which one to install, has to be the one you repainted so many times?

 

This is it, the one by Paul Domingue, found on sim-outhouse: http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforums/local_links.php?action=jump&catid=37&id=16369

 

and here is the version of Murphy's war: http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforums/local_links.php?action=jump&catid=37&id=19519

[zswobbie1]

Thanks for the amazing screen shots.

 

Can you also give us the file names of these wonderful craft & where to find them please?

Also if they are for FSX or FS9.

[KCD]

A few years ago, while surfing the TV, I found “Those Magnificent Men In Their Flying Machines”. Naturally, I had to watch it, even though I’d seen it several times since its original debut. The movie is well done and an absolute HOOT!!! After it was over, I came to the search engine here at Flight Sim and searched for the Curtis Racer, an early aircraft featured in the film. Wouldn’t you know I found it. Here it is, landing on target at Brooklands, the Airdrome where the Great Race started…

 

 

The Curtis Racer was a wonderful airplane, and this model is not only fun, but provides a glimpse of what it was like flying these fragile wire, wood, and linen contraptions. Here’s another shot as she taxies to the hangars at Brooklands.

 

 

I had so much dun with the Curtis that I did a comprehensive search of the internet for antique flying machines that were made fro FS9. I found several. All were beautifully modeled and all were exceptional flyers, once you got the hang of how they flew. Here is an early 1900’s Dunne over Brooklands…

 

 

Then I found the Ellehammer, on final at Brooklands…

 

 

The Voisin (features with the Curtis in the film)…

 

 

And, one of the prettiest (and most enjoyable to fly), the Santos Dumont…

 

 

I became so enchanted with these wonderful freeware models that I promoted a simulated recreation of the Daily Mail’s “Circuit of Britain” Air Race. The first installment of this race took place in 1911, and was a 1,010 miles (1,630 km) event with 11 compulsory stops and a circular route starting and finishing at Brooklands in Surrey. The winner was Jean Conneau in a Blériot XI who took 22 hours, 28 minutes to complete the course, an average speed of 45 mph (72 km/h) and received the first prize of £10,000. The runner up was Jules Védrines in a Morane-Borel monoplane with James Valentine, in a Deperdussin, third. Here is an illustration of the competitors machines. The reinactment was to follow the route of the 1911 race around Great Britain. The recreation concept generated plenty of interest, but the committment in time was simply too much for the simming public, and the concept died as an idea. Too bad. There are freeware models for almost 100% of these in both FS9 and FSX,

 

 

When you look closely at each of these wonderful old airplanes, products of their creators imagination that were until the power was applied, totally untested and unproven, think of this early stage of aviation just 110 short years ago, and then look at us now. Wow! How far we’ve come. In my lifetime, we’ve progressed from wood, wire, canvas duck, and dope, to carbon fiber; from wooden propellers to rocket assist… Who would have thought. I have each of these antiques in my reserve hangar, and I occasionally fly them. I even flew the cross channel route of those Magnificent Men in one of the planes they featured. The people who modeled these wonderful relics are to be congratulated. Each is a wonderful experience to fly, and in flying them you quickly learn to appreciate the talent and dedication of the freeware builder. Thank you to all of you for all you have give us!

[PhantomTweak]

Fantastic movie! I loved it every time I saw it. Hilarious, no question. Those are some great shots of the machines, and incredibly brave men who went in them, up or not :) And not all went up, or at least not far or high :pilot:

 

think of this early stage of aviation just 110 short years ago, and then look at us now. Wow! How far we’ve come.

And yet, look at how little progress has been made in the automotive field. Yes, the outsides have gotten fancier, and all sorts of knick-knacks added, but the basic car is the same as it was in the '20's.

Compare the progress of the automobile to the aircraft, and talk about no comparison. But hey, they still get lousy mileage, which keeps the Oil Companies happy. More money in their pockets. Smells like artificial retardation of progress to me...

 

Ok, /ranting off. Sorry all.

 

Still a great post, Mr. KCD, sir. Thanks for the enjoyment it provided me, at least :D

Pat☺

[kalizzi]

Having been a radar tech, I can say they were putting radar systems into aircraft by the end of WWII. Consider the P-61 Black Widow, a Radar equipped nightfighter that was the bane of Japanese aircraft and shipping near the end of the War. I see no reason they wouldn't have equipped a blimp with Radar to search for subs, whether on the surface, or even just the periscope, if they had a good operator. Snorkel too. Be a great escort for Atlantic convoys.

 

I worked on the TCOM Aerostat system for 15 years. Any questions, feel free to ask :D

Just my thoughts...

Pat☺

Hello Pat and thank you for the info. I know about the radar technology of the allies during WWII and how ahead of its time it was, and how vital this advantage was in securing victory on the battle of the Atlantic and other fronts of the war. However, it is just funny how the ventral radome looks so futuristic on that blimp. Must be fascinating to have your experience with TCOM, with the buoyancy offered by lighter than air craft and no need for generation of lift mechanically, this offers a steady and smooth platform with unlimited endurance for any application, almost like when the TV and mobile companies use the highest hilltops to install their antennas. The technological potential is great. Having said that, I may wish to add that my interest lies more with the older airships and their sagas exploits. The L59 abortive attempt to reach Khartoum in 1917, airships Norge and Italia, and aircraft carrying US Akron and Macon trials in the 30s are some examples.

[kalizzi]

Klee: awesome shots and awesome topic. I really do not know why but the mention of “Those Magnificent Men In Their Flying Machines” always brings about the other movie, with more zany machines and inventions: The great race, with Jack Lemmon, Tony Curtis and (sighs) Natalie Wood. I could never tire of watching these movies, whenever I browse and find them on TCM I watch... I am reading a very interesting book written by a design giant and great author and deals with these machines, The World's Most Significant and Magnificent Aircraft - Evolution of the Modern Airplane, by David B. Thurston, who wrote the milestone book that explained aerodynamics to me: (Design for flying). The guy, bless his soul, was a genius.

 

http://www.seabee.info/teal/thurston.htm

 

I also bought from eBay, for a bargain price, a collection called "the early years of flight" by first class simulations, with the Wright Flyer B, Bleriot XI, Santos Dumont 15-bis and the Handley Page 5, and the Goliescu Avioplan.

 

Avioplan

 

Bleriot XI

 

HP 5

 

Santos Dumont 15-bis

 

Wright Flyer B

 

Just for the benefit of the casual reader, the five pictures above are not of freeware models, but a payware package by FCS.

[kalizzi]

Thanks for the amazing screen shots.

 

Can you also give us the file names of these wonderful craft & where to find them please?

Also if they are for FSX or FS9.

 

Thank you for your kind words Robin, my submissions all have names assigned to the pictures, and you can search the libraries of this site using that name, that's where I downloaded them from. My sim is FSX so I assume they are either native FSX or port-overs.

 

Best wishes.

[kalizzi]

This is it, the one by Paul Domingue, found on sim-outhouse: http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforums/local_links.php?action=jump&catid=37&id=16369

 

and here is the version of Murphy's war: http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforums/local_links.php?action=jump&catid=37&id=19519

 

Many thanks, wonderful.

[kalizzi]

found some old ones and made some new ones, hope you guys like......

 

Avia 156

 

Beagle Basset

 

Bf110 Night

 

UN Buffalo

 

Cutlass

 

Fox Moth

 

Do28 Land

 

F1C Maroc

 

F-86D Sabre Dog

 

Goose

 

Texan

 

Hudson with repaint by Jan Kees

[kalizzi]

... cont'd

 

Hunter

 

Ventura

 

Mi-6 Hook

 

MiG-21

 

MiG-23

 

Mirage 5 Swiss

 

F1EQ

 

MitchellWing

 

Saab 105

 

Shark

 

Tu-22 Blinder

 

Tu-95 Bear

[kalizzi]

I was shocked when I first installed FSX to see these beauties -amongst others- missing. Stock FS9 models ported over by a very skilful David Grindele. Very nice and great to fly, and very light on the hardware resources. This is freeware you can't go wrong with, and I posted the download links too.

 

 

 

Ford Trimotor stock FS9 ported over by David Grindele with a reworked VC

 

https://www.flightsim.com/vbfs/fslib.php?do=copyright&fid=184901

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lockheed Vega 5 from FS2004 ported over by David Grindele with 8 repaints:

 

https://www.flightsim.com/vbfs/fslib.php?do=copyright&fid=117312

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ryan NYP stock FS9 ported over, also by David Grindele

 

https://www.flightsim.com/vbfs/fslib.php?do=copyright&fid=117475

 

David Grindele has ported over many other models from stock FS9 and other sources, just run a search with his name and delve into his creative work. I am grateful!

[peer01]

And the DC-4 ofcourse! :D

 

[peer01]

I mean......

 

[peer01]

So...

 

[tr45]

Wow! Haven't seen some these birds in awhile! Awesome post!!

 

Few I have in my hangar...

 

http://www.fsfiles.org/flightsimshotsv2/images/2016/03/14/Cool1.jpg

 

http://www.fsfiles.org/flightsimshotsv2/images/2016/03/14/Cool2.jpg

 

http://www.fsfiles.org/flightsimshotsv2/images/2016/03/14/Cool3.jpg

[kalizzi]

Jan, wonderful DC-4s as usual, the first two are Danish, love the rain effect on the airforce bird... what's the third one?

 

Tr45: Lovely lineup -including the Boeing-Stearman. One question please, to you and anyone out there who knows the answer as well, how do you make this scene? I remember making it once, years back, using the freeware airport design editor and adding the planes as stationary objects to the bgl file. Is there a simpler, faster and less effort way?

 

Thank you both guys for sharing these beautiful screen shots.

[peer01]

Fantastic Ted! :cool::cool::cool:

 

Khalid, Canadian based "Air North":

 

And here's a Santa-Fe freighter:

[KCD]

Every few days I stop back at this thread and something recently posted triggers a thought. Since my last visit, some war birds have shown up, and there are several very nice examples of war birds for both FS9 and FSX in the freeware category. However, I notice a discrepancy in these posts. War bird, or civilian, nothing beats the low and slow flyer. So here is a sampling of low and slow flyers in their war paint. None of these aircraft protected pilot or crew with any sort of armor, none were ever officially armed in a way that they could either inflict damage, or mount a defense if needed. Yet, these airplanes flew in every theater of WW II, and did it with great honor, never shirking from their duty.

 

First is the Aeronca L-3 (“L” for Liaison, as these planes were categorized). The little L-3 was primarily used by US forces as an initial training machine. Interestingly, that had been her main use in civilian life prior to the commencement of hostilities and it would be again, once the war was over. But, for the duration, the Champ became a member of the military service and many US pilots got their first taste of the air in the L-3. The L-3 was flown by many foreign military as well, and here is one in her Free French livery as she would have appeared in the African Campaigns, where she served with distinction.

 

 

 

Another American aircraft manufacturer went to war even before the Aeronca Champ. That would have been Taylorcraft. Taylorcraft designs were licensed to Auster in the UK and they supplied a variety of models, here is the model “C”, military:

 

 

Perhaps the most widely used light plane throughout WW II was the venerable J-3 Piper Cub, known as the L-4. Initially, the L-4 was a J-3, painted olive drab, but later the exterior view was improved dramatically by enlarging the isinglass in the cockpit to include the area over the wing, behind the pilot , and along the sides. There is no freeware version available, so the early WW II L-4 is shown here…

 

 

And, last, but not least, is the only purpose built Liaison plane of the war, the Stinson L-5. This was no converted civilian aircraft; the Stinson Company took their orders to heart and created the L-5 for specific use in and out of rough air strips cut out of the jungles of the Pacific Theater. It was a rugged aircraft that could take more punishment than you might expect. Interestingly, the resourceful US Marine Aviators who flew these planes often strapped rocket tubes to the wing struts so they could inflict some damage to the enemy on their return trip to base…

 

 

Finally, in an obvious attempt to patronize HRM von Peerhoven, there is the…

 

Douglas DC-Four !!!

 

 

All of the aircraft presented here are freeware for FS9 and can be found in the FS9 download section of this web site. In some cases, the paint they wear was applied by me and is, therefore, not available, but if I can do it, anybody can. These aircraft, and those of their type, as well as the hardy and brave pilots and observers who flew them in harms way, played a vital role in every theater of WW II, and in every conflict that followed. We are all very well aware of the beauty of the P-47s, P-38s, and P51s; we all have fantasized about flying one or more, but these fragile, little low and slow machines were responsible for the accuracy of artillerary, plotting enemy lines. Infiltration and exfiltration, and so much more. No fighter jocks could count for a successful ground assault without the coordination efforts of the L-4s and their like. Not enough has ever been said, nor can enough ever be said about the planes and the men who flew in them. There, that’s my rant for the day, I hope you enjoyed it.

[tr45]

Tr45: Lovely lineup -including the Boeing-Stearman. One question please, to you and anyone out there who knows the answer as well, how do you make this scene? I remember making it once, years back, using the freeware airport design editor and adding the planes as stationary objects to the bgl file. Is there a simpler, faster and less effort way?

 

 

 

 

I use FSRecorder to create the parked aircraft. You would record each aircraft one at a time, then play recordings.

 

If you have the patience, you can record a fleet of aircraft. Since the aircraft are not AI, FPS will suffer. Great for screenshots!

 

http://www.fsfiles.org/flightsimshotsv2/images/2016/03/15/TTT.jpg

[peer01]

I like what I see Ted! :cool::cool::cool:

 

And about the DC-4:

[peer01]

Not a plane, but also freeware:

(please click on the pics to enlarge)

 

 

[kalizzi]

Ted: Many thanks for the tip. I will definitely find, download and experiment with FSRecorder. Impressive lineup. Love it. Thanks for sharing pictures and tips.

 

Jan (DC-4 Jan :pilot:) absolutely love your adoringly captured images of the DC-4. The NY Ferry is awesome too. At a first glance thought it was the QE2.

 

Klee: not only adorable models but the insight you provide alongside makes the post -and in consequence the thread- highly informative. Thank you ever so much for such valuable -and most interesting- inputs. When you talk about these little liaison babies with such passion, I cannot but draw parallels with their heavier and more powerful British sibling, the Westland Lysander. Weighing almost two tons empty and powered by a huge 850HP radial, and with exceptional short field (STOL) characteristics, it played an important role in special ops behind enemy lines and in supplying the French resistance. I include three shots of the FS9 model by Alphasim that can be downloaded from here:

http://www.virtavia.com/Freeware/ALPHA_Westland_Lysander_FS9.zip

and if you wish to port that over to FSX, Nick Cooper provides this FSX SP2 Fix for the above model, easily applied and works fine even with Acceleration / Gold / SE https://www.flightsim.com/vbfs/fslib.php?do=copyright&fid=171478

 

 

 

[kalizzi]

I like what I see Ted! :cool::cool::cool:

 

And about the DC-4:

[ATTACH=CONFIG]188038[/ATTACH]

 

The composition of that Swissair DC-4 screenshot, Jan, is breathtaking! love the position in relation to the snow clad hillock with trees..... and with that sky background! Now if that isn't artistry, then what is?

[peer01]