To insure the accuracy and fidelity of the simulation, A2A developers have been privileged to take flights in carefully and lovingly maintained B-17’s today with eyes and ears wide open. With multiple cameras rolling and microphones in hand, A2A developers crawled within every nook and cranny of the cockpit so that every sound and sight that a B-17 Pilot would experience is there for you, right down to the wind rushing over the airframe and the characteristic vibrations and tremors of the real aircraft.

As you have come to expect from A2A Accu-Sim aircraft, nothing has been left out that operates in the real aircraft. In fact, there are many features that are included in this simulation that have never before been modelled or included in any other aircraft simulation.

What this means is that when you are flying and operating the A2A Accu-Sim B-17G you will have the uncanny feeling that you are actually in command of a real world B-17. If the engines and the various systems of the simulated B-17 are not operated correctly and as the aircraft manual provides, the airplane will perform less than optimally, and if taken to the extreme, damage and failures will occur just as they would under similar circumstances in the real world.

Occasionally, parts of the airplane will become worn or fail from ordinary use, just as occurs in a real airplane. There is a complete and comprehensive maintenance hanger that you can take your airplane to when on the ground with engines shut down. There you will get a fully detailed, written and illustrated report about the condition of the airplane, and can then authorize recommended repairs. When in the maintenance hanger you will hear typical noises of a repair facility echoing around the vast space such as machinery running, parts and tools falling and clanging to the floor, etc. This kind of intense, authentic pilot experience helps to gives you a sense of total immersion and involvement in day to day life with such a magnificent airplane.

The electrical system seems as if it has actually been wired and hooked up and consists of the lights, landing gear retraction system, flaps, turbochargers, fuel pumps, bomb bay doors, radios and more. They are all electrically powered by the batteries, generators and even an Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) which you can order one of your waist gunners to turn on and off. The voltmeters’ readings vary authentically as each item is brought on or taken off line, and as each of the three independent batteries are selected to be read. Electric motors whine with their own unique, authentic sound. You can even hear the sounds of the hydraulic pumps and fluid rushing through the pipes. Vital batteries, motors, and pumps can unexpectedly fail which will test your metal as pilot in command. As a result of this realism, you will get used to going to the maintenance hanger before each flight the see what needs to be done to keep your B-17 in safe and reliable flying condition.

Your crew is interactive and various crewmen will speak to you from time to time to remind you to do various things that you may have forgotten to so (see “THE CREW” below). The Flight Engineer watches the engines and may remind you to give the guys in the back a little heat and your Co-Pilot can even manage the engines for you. If you fly the airplane too roughly, you may get complaints from the crew. Your landings may get compliments if they are good and the reverse if they are not. Various crewmen will report to you as to the position of the landing gear and flaps when you raise or lower them. You are definitely not alone when you are the pilot in command of a capable crew.

Every aspect of the engines and the fuel system has been faithfully modelled as well. Fuel is supplied through gravity-fed tanks, through electrical booster pumps, mechanical fuel pumps, transfer pumps, to large, thirsty rumbling radial engines.

You can select the grades of the fuel and oil to be used on each flight, which will appropriately change how the engines perform. Loading the bird with fuel and feeding one tank with fuel from another in flight is fully functional and accurate in operation to the actual aircraft. You can also cross feed fuel from tanks in one wing to tanks in the other wing. You can opt to carry a centre fuselage bomb bay fuel tank for extra range, or bombs, as you choose.

The cowl flaps and inter-cooler doors are fully adjustable; and just as with the propellers, you can set them yourself, or command the Co-Pilot to do it. When you command him to monitor these functions, he will continually set them to keep the engines running cool and at their peak.

The B-17G has a unique turbocharger control — a numbered wheel for pre-setting the maximum amount of manifold pressure desired when the throttles are fully opened. In the A2A Accu-Sim B-17G you will find this turbocharger control fully and authentically modelled in every detail exactly as in the real world B-17G. You can even calibrate individual turbochargers, just like the real pilots and crew-chiefs do, so that each engine will almost purr in harmony with another.

The Pilot’s and Co-Pilot’s left and right side windows can be opened to any amount desired. They will fog up if not vented properly, or if the cabin heater is incorrectly set for the outside air temperature.

From time to time, your radioman will contact you on the intercom to well you that he has picked up something that you might like to hear and that you should switch to the “liaison” channel of your com radio. When you do this, you might hear a song, a news program with a speech by Winston Churchill, a sports report, or some other radio program that would have been broadcast over the radio in Europe during WWII. These recordings are all taken from authentic 1940’s broadcasts. At first you will hear static as you approach the station, then the program will get clearer; and, as you fly away from the station, you will hear static again until the program cannot be heard anymore, as if it was really coming in on a low frequency radio band typical of those days. As you go out of range of the broadcast, the radioman will comment on that. This is a real first in flight simulation, and it adds an uncanny sense of realism, depth, time and place to your sim experience. It’s one of my favourite parts of this incredible simulation, and it is a remarkable A2A flight simulation first.

Another nice touch is the feature which allows you to open the bomb bay doors or command the bombardier to do so, and drop the bombs. From the outside, you can watch them fall away, or from inside, you can hear the latches release as your aircraft instantly becomes 6,000 pounds lighter. You can also jettison your internal bomb bay tanks if you wish, which make a characteristic ‘whoosh’ as those enormous, tall tanks fall into the airstream below.

Here’s a real treat for aviation historians and everyone who loves the B-17: A2A has modelled a fully functional, completely accurate and authentic Honeywell 1-C automatic pilot in this simulation. When you access it through 2D pop-up, you will find an exact replica of the C-1 control panel upon which every knob and switch operates and functions exactly as did the real one. Also, you can communicate through the 2D panel with your bombardier, who was a necessary team-mate when operating of this piece of equipment. While this very early auto-pilot was finicky and did not have the simplicity of operation or many of the features of the more modern auto-pilots that we have become accustomed to using, operating this C-1 simulation will let you share the experience which Pilots of the B-17 (as well Pilots of the B-24 and B-29) had when they used this historical piece of aviation equipment. A2A’s fully functioning model of the C-1 is but another of the many ground-breaking flight simulation firsts contained in A2A’s Accu-Sim B-17G simulation.

The flight model of the A2A Accu-Sim B-17G has been meticulously created to give you the true feeling of flying this heavy, four-engine bomber. Close reference to B-17 Pilot’s reports and A2A staff flights in a real B-17 have informed us to the greatest extent possible what flying this airplane feels like. That enormous fin and rudder made turns very smooth and easy. The elevators were sensitive and never lost their effect, even at slow speeds. There was power to spare in those four Wright R-1820-97, 1,200 horsepower engines. Accordingly, the “Fortress” carried herself with grace and ease at all times. Altogether, she was a majestic and gentle airplane and every B-17 pilot we have spoken to and every pilot’s report we have come across has said without reservation that she was a joy to fly.

The A2A staff has meticulously and professionally recorded every sound that is heard when operating and flying a B-17G, from the powerful engines to the smallest switch in the cockpit. The airframe groans if you strain it too hard, the wind whistles outside according to the airspeed and, if you open either or both of the cockpit windows you will hear the engines louder outside the window and hear the wind whip into the cockpit, just as with the real airplane. The brakes and tires squeal appropriately when they are pushed hard. Every control, switch, knob and device that makes a sound in the real-world B-17G has been recorded and included in this simulation in order to immerse and involve you as completely as possible. Switches and knobs click from position to position with a visceral feel that is uncanny. Everything in the cockpit moves and operates exactly as it does in the real B-17G.

All of these features and much more await you in the A2A Accu-Sim B-17. This is not a generic “B-17”, and this simulation is not like any other you have ever experienced before. Great care has been taken by A2A to replicate the actual “G” model of this airplane. It is historically accurate down to the rivets, instruments, handles, controls, cables, wires and tubes of the B-17G. Nothing has been left out and everything moves and operates authentically. A2A’s exclusive and proprietary Accu-Sim matrix provides features and controls far beyond that which the host platform normally allows. That is why A2A has been able to create the most accurate, historically correct and complete simulation of the B-17G ever offered.

Part of the secret of the P-40 was in it’s rugged Allison engine and its high dive speeds. Some squadrons pushed it’s capabilities well beyond its official limits in combat. This high power matched with an air frame that held onto energy better than the Japanese counterparts, meant an experienced pilot could command the fight. He could decide when to engage and when to escape. When we read about Middle East and Australian squadrons over-boosting their Allison engines, we couldn’t wait to Accu-Sim this bird and experience it ourselves. This resulted in us digging even deeper into not just the function of this engine at such high power levels, but the sound.Additionally, other systems like the P-40’s unique hydraulics required us to take our Accu-Sim to yet another level of detail. You may notice when a fighter raises it’s gear, the gear sometimes comes up at different times. Instead of us simply and without condition, telling the aircraft to raise the gear one leg at a time, we decided to dig deeper and create the entire underlying system, allowing whatever behaviours be the result of actual systems at work. In fact, this is the philosophy behind Accu-Sim from the start. Build it right, and enjoy the experience. When looking to the construction, the newest modelling and advanced material-making techniques results in an aircraft that you can just spend not just minutes but hours admiring the beauty of the shape and look of the aircraft. Together, with professionally recorded sounds and physics, the end result is the sense of having a complete, real, majestic, raw, flying machine stuffed inside your computer. We hope you enjoy your new beautiful bird, and hope you learn to fly and treat her well.

LICENSE OPTIONS:
Academic;
This version is for academic users in Prepar3D, in accordance to the Lockheed Martin Prepar3d academic license. This software is to be used for flight simulation only, and not to be used for real world flight training. For real world flight training, use our commercial license which is intended to be used with flight simulators authorized by the FAA while using our software.
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Professional;
This version is for professional users in Prepar3D, in accordance to the Lockheed Martin Prepar3d professional license. This software is to be used for flight simulation only, and not to be used for real world flight training. For real world flight training, use our commercial license which is intended to be used with flight simulators authorized by the FAA while using our software.
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Commercial;
This software is licensed for commercial use for one year with the option to extend annually for $299.
Click to View

New licensing terms and tailor made solutions are available for Commercial customers please contact us for details.

LICENSE OPTIONS:
Academic;
This version is for academic users in Prepar3D, in accordance to the Lockheed Martin Prepar3d academic license. This software is to be used for flight simulation only, and not to be used for real world flight training. For real world flight training, use our commercial license which is intended to be used with flight simulators authorized by the FAA while using our software.
Click to View

Professional;
This version is for professional users in Prepar3D, in accordance to the Lockheed Martin Prepar3d professional license. This software is to be used for flight simulation only, and not to be used for real world flight training. For real world flight training, use our commercial license which is intended to be used with flight simulators authorized by the FAA while using our software.
Click to View

Commercial;
This software is licensed for commercial use for one year with the option to extend annually for $299.
Click to View

New licensing terms and tailor made solutions are available for Commercial customers please contact us for details.

LICENSE OPTIONS:
Academic;
This version is for academic users in Prepar3D, in accordance to the Lockheed Martin Prepar3d academic license. This software is to be used for flight simulation only, and not to be used for real world flight training. For real world flight training, use our commercial license which is intended to be used with flight simulators authorized by the FAA while using our software.
Click to View

Professional;
This version is for professional users in Prepar3D, in accordance to the Lockheed Martin Prepar3d professional license. This software is to be used for flight simulation only, and not to be used for real world flight training. For real world flight training, use our commercial license which is intended to be used with flight simulators authorized by the FAA while using our software.
Click to View

Commercial;
This software is licensed for commercial use for one year with the option to extend annually for $299.
Click to View

New licensing terms and tailor made solutions are available for Commercial customers please contact us for details.

The Spitfire was designed by R. J. Mitchell, an aeronautical engineer of stellar talent who had previously designed such aircraft as the Supermarine S6B, which won the Schneider Trophy in 1931. Borrowing from the developments of others, including the low-wing, monocoque design which came from the United States, Mitchell crafted a superb basic design which stands to this day as one of the greatest piston fighters in aviation history. Mitchell envisioned a light, maneuverable craft with low drag, elliptical wings, and a broad performance envelope. The result was the Spitfire, a capable, lethal, yet forgiving aircraft that ultimately proved more than equal to anything the Germans could throw at it, including the vaunted Focke-Wulf 190.
The Spitfire had a number of design characteristics which set it apart from other contemporary fighter aircraft. The Merlin engine, the elliptical wing, the well-harmonized controls, and the versatile wing platform all worked together to create a package that was perhaps unmatched in terms of its immediate effectiveness and its potential to be developed further. Unlike the Japanese Zero, which was obsolete by 1943, the Spitfire was just coming to its prime. Chief among the features that set the Spit apart from other aircraft was its wing, which served multiple purposes. The elliptical planform and relatively broad root chord allowed a thinner airfoil section, reducing drag while preserving lift, which led to a very low wing loading. This increased top speed, preserved a low stalling speed, increased the service ceiling, and provided excellent low-speed agility. But the broad wing chord also allowed the convenient fitting of formidable armament such as multiple 20mm cannon and heavy machine guns.

The Spitfire last saw combat in 1948 during the Arab-Israeli war, where Spitfires from both sides were pitted against one another. But the honor which will always distinguish this singular aircraft is its superb service during the Battle of Britain, where it — along with the Hawker Hurricane — helped to fend off German designs for invasion of Great Britain. For that, it will always be remembered.

What is the philosophy behind Accu-Sim?
Pilots will tell you that no two aircraft are the same. Even taking the same aircraft up from the same airport to the same location will result in a different experience. For example, you may notice one day your engine is running a bit hotter than usual and you might just open your cowl flaps a bit more and be on your way, or maybe this is a sign of something more serious developing under the hood. Regardless, you expect these things to occur in a simulation just as they do in life. This is Accu-Sim, where no two flights are ever the same.

Realism does not mean having a difficult time with your flying. While Accu-Sim is created by pilots, it is built for everyone. This means everything from having a professional crew there to help you manage the systems, to an intuitive layout, or just the ability to turn the system on or off with a single switch. However, if Accu-Sim is enabled and the needles are in the red, there will be consequences. It is no longer just an aircraft, it’s a simulation.

Actions Lead to Consequences
Your A2A Simulations Spitfire is a complete aircraft with full system modeling. However, flying an aircraft as large and complex as the A2A Spitfire requires constant attention to the systems. The infinite changing conditions around you and your aircraft have impact on these systems. As systems operate both inside and outside their limitations, they behave differently. For example, the temperature of the air that enters your carburetor has a direct impact on the power your engine can produce. Pushing an engine too hard may produce just slight damage that you, as a pilot, may see as it just not running quite as good as it was on a previous flight. You may run an engine so hot, that it catches fire. However, it may not catch fire; it may just quit, or may not run smoothly. This is Accu-Sim – it’s both the realism of all of these systems working in harmony, and all the subtle, and sometimes not so subtle, unpredictability of it all. The end result is when flying in an Accu-Sim powered aircraft, it just feels real enough that you can almost smell the avgas.

Your Aircraft Talks
We have gone to great lengths to bring the internal physics of the airframe, engine, and systems to life. Now, when the engine coughs, you can hear it and see a puff of smoke. If you push the engine too hard, you can also hear signs that this is happening. Just like an actual pilot, you will get to know the sounds of your aircraft, from the tires scrubbing on landing to the stresses of the airframe to the canopy that is cracked opened.

Be Prepared – Stay Out of Trouble
The key to successfully operating your Spitfire, or any high performance aircraft for that matter, is to stay ahead of the curve and on top of things. Aircraft are not like automobiles, in the sense that weight plays a key role in the creation of every component. So, almost every system on your aircraft is created to be just strong enough to give you, the pilot, enough margin of error to operate safely, but these margins are smaller than those you find in an automobile. So, piloting an aircraft requires both precision and respect of the machine you are managing.

It is important that you always keep an eye on your oil pressure and engine temperature gauges. On cold engine starts, the oil is thick and until it reaches a proper operating temperature, this thick oil results in much higher than normal oil temperatures. In extreme cold, once the engine is started, watch that oil pressure gauge and idle the engine as low as possible, keeping the oil pressure under 120psi.

The oil and coolant temperature gauges are critical throughout your flight. Idling too long on the pavement will overheat this Spitfire because it’s cooling radiator is inadequate. Plan to be off the ground in under ten minutes. Don’t let your engine exceed 100 degrees Celsius before your takeoff roll.

Once airborne, you will want to avoid steep climbs, especially in hot weather, to keep good airflow to your radiator. You will also want to keep your radiator opened at all times during flight, adjusting it to maintain temperatures around 100 degrees if possible, never more than 120 degrees. High engine power increases both water and oil temperatures, but oil is also heated up quite a bit by engine friction (RPM). So if you are running hot oil temperatures, you may wish to also decrease your engine RPM.

LICENSE OPTIONS:
Academic;
This version is for academic users in Prepar3D, in accordance to the Lockheed Martin Prepar3d academic license. This software is to be used for flight simulation only, and not to be used for real world flight training. For real world flight training, use our commercial license which is intended to be used with flight simulators authorized by the FAA while using our software.
Click to View

Professional;
This version is for professional users in Prepar3D, in accordance to the Lockheed Martin Prepar3d professional license. This software is to be used for flight simulation only, and not to be used for real world flight training. For real world flight training, use our commercial license which is intended to be used with flight simulators authorized by the FAA while using our software.
Click to View

Commercial;
This software is licensed for commercial use for one year with the option to extend annually for $299.
Click to View

New licensing terms and tailor made solutions are available for Commercial customers please contact us for details.

However, what all of these pilots who flew these aeroplanes, all of the celebrated aces and all of those who flew with them have in common is one aeroplane, one which is not nearly as well-known or popularly celebrated — the North American (NAA) T-6, or AT-6 as it was called in the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF), SNJ in the U.S. Navy (USN) and U.S. Marine Corps (USMC), and “Harvard” in the Royal Air Force (RAF) and Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF). Virtually every one of the pilots who flew against the Nazi and Imperial Japanese air forces, learned the art and craft of combat flying and honed their aeronautic skills to a diamond- sharp tip in the AT-6 before they were given leave to go into harm’s way in Mustangs, Hellcats and Spitfires.

Compared to those mighty and oft-heralded fighter aircraft, the relatively obscure AT-6/SNJ is the common bond that ties all of these pilots together and which enabled them to “go forth and vanquish the foe” so successfully. Many thousands of young, eager pilots owe their very survival in the mad swirl of aerial combat and the rest of their lives thereafter to the lessons they learned whilst in the cockpit of an AT-6, so successfully and profoundly did this humble aeroplane perform its role and do its duty.

However, what all of these pilots who flew these aeroplanes, all of the celebrated aces and all of those who flew with them have in common is one aeroplane, one which is not nearly as well-known or popularly celebrated — the North American (NAA) T-6, or AT-6 as it was called in the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF), SNJ in the U.S. Navy (USN) and U.S. Marine Corps (USMC), and “Harvard” in the Royal Air Force (RAF) and Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF). Virtually every one of the pilots who flew against the Nazi and Imperial Japanese air forces, learned the art and craft of combat flying and honed their aeronautic skills to a diamond- sharp tip in the AT-6 before they were given leave to go into harm’s way in Mustangs, Hellcats and Spitfires.

Compared to those mighty and oft-heralded fighter aircraft, the relatively obscure AT-6/SNJ is the common bond that ties all of these pilots together and which enabled them to “go forth and vanquish the foe” so successfully. Many thousands of young, eager pilots owe their very survival in the mad swirl of aerial combat and the rest of their lives thereafter to the lessons they learned whilst in the cockpit of an AT-6, so successfully and profoundly did this humble aeroplane perform its role and do its duty.

LICENSE OPTIONS:
Academic;
This version is for academic users in Prepar3D, in accordance to the Lockheed Martin Prepar3d academic license. This software is to be used for flight simulation only, and not to be used for real world flight training. For real world flight training, use our commercial license which is intended to be used with flight simulators authorized by the FAA while using our software.
Click to View

Professional;
This version is for professional users in Prepar3D, in accordance to the Lockheed Martin Prepar3d professional license. This software is to be used for flight simulation only, and not to be used for real world flight training. For real world flight training, use our commercial license which is intended to be used with flight simulators authorized by the FAA while using our software.
Click to View

Commercial;
This software is licensed for commercial use for one year with the option to extend annually for $299.
Click to View

New licensing terms and tailor made solutions are available for Commercial customers please contact us for details.

We also Offer Bundle deals for FSX and P3D Academic and Professional users for those that run both simulator platforms.

When British pilots first saw the P47, it was often mocked due to its size.  The light, maneuverable Spitfire’s could get on a P47’s tail with ease in test trials.  What they didn’t know at that time was the P47 was different type of fighter, and the battles were to be fought at higher altitude where the air is thin, using high-energy tactics.  Both the British and the Germans soon found out, in the right hands, the P47 was lethal.

Down low the P47 lumbers along but up high is where it lives and breathes with its high speed and terrific zoom climbs.  A quick burst of the eight browning .50 caliber machine guns is powerful enough to shred a fighter, which was essential for a properly executed “boom and zoom” attack.  .  Being tasked to protect the B17 and B24 heavy bombers up high, and with their ruggedness and power, the P47 performed it’s job with great capability.

Built around a massive Pratt & Whitney R-2800 radial engine, The “Jug” was tough, powerful, and fast.  The Wings of Power P47 captures this beauty of the sound, function, and feel of the real P47 like no other.  Like the aircraft, the entire Wings of Power P47 Thunderbolt series is enormous and includes many variants from the Razorback’s to the experimental XP72 prototype.

The Republic P-47 Thunderbolt holds a unique honor in the ranks of World War II fighters.  This plane was much heavier and bulkier than other fighter planes of its day, outweighing aircraft like the Fw 190 by several thousand pounds.  Equipped with a large, powerful radial engine, it looked as tough as it was.  Known as the “Jug”, this aircraft was a mainstay of the Allied fighter fleet and, with its eight .50 caliber guns, was capable of shredding ground targets and airborne opponents alike.  While it could not turn with Axis fighters such as the Fw 190 and Me 109, it could outdive both of these and had a zoom-climb capability that was amazing.  This zoom-climb was used to good advantage; it was said that if a P-47 pilot met an enemy Focke-Wulf at 25,000 feet and wanted to out-climb him to 30,000 feet, the P-47 could dive to 20,000, zoom 30,000, and be waiting for the enemy.

The first “Jugs” were fitted with 2,000 HP engines and framed canopies.  Later models such as the D-25 were fitted with bubble canopies and engines of increasing horsepower.  The final production version, the P-47N, had an engine which would produce 2,800 HP with water injection.  The plane’s increased weight offset the power to some degree, but the plane was still very fast, with a top speed of nearly 470 mph.  The additional power and strong airframe allowed a lot of ordnance and fuel to be carried, making the P-47N a very long-range fighter that could carry a lot of damage to the enemy.

In all, 15,683 Thunderbolts were manufactured, more than any fighter produced during war.

The He 219 was a superb and lethal gun platform and the later versions packed as many as eight cannon, including the potent 30mm “Schrage Musik” which fired upward into a bomber’s belly at an oblique angle.  These accompanied as many as six forward-firing cannon.  The “Uhu” was absolutely devastating to any aircraft that came into range of its guns.  This was accomplished through the use of radar, a new technology.  Ground-based stations would direct the night fighter to the bomber stream, and when in range, the Uhu’s radar operator would then take over and guide the pilot to within 100 meters of the target.  The bristling antennae were ugly and added a lot of drag, reducing the aircraft’s ultimate top speed substantially.  But without the radar the plane would have been useless at night, and since the Uhu was still about 150 mph faster than the Allied four-engine bombers, this was really not a handicap.  Some of the latest versions were used to track, hunt down, and kill the Mosquito bombers, which were a much more challenging quarry than the lumbering four-engine craft comprising most of the night fighter’s prey.

In the end, the He 219 fell victim to bad decision-making and was too little, too late.  But it was the most advanced aircraft for its time, signaling the shape of things to come.

The Spitfire was designed by R. J. Mitchell, an aeronautical engineer of stellar talent who had previously designed such aircraft as the Supermarine S6B, which won the Schneider Trophy in 1931. Borrowing from the developments of others, including the low-wing, monocoque design which came from the United States, Mitchell crafted a superb basic design which stands to this day as one of the greatest piston fighters in aviation history. Mitchell envisioned a light, maneuverable craft with low drag, elliptical wings, and a broad performance envelope. The result was the Spitfire, a capable, lethal, yet forgiving aircraft that ultimately proved more than equal to anything the Germans could throw at it, including the vaunted Focke-Wulf 190.

The Spitfire had a number of design characteristics which set it apart from other contemporary fighter aircraft. The Merlin engine, the elliptical wing, the well-harmonized controls, and the versatile wing platform all worked together to create a package that was perhaps unmatched in terms of its immediate effectiveness and its potential to be developed further. Unlike the Japanese Zero, which was obsolete by 1943, the Spitfire was just coming to its prime. Chief among the features that set the Spit apart from other aircraft was its wing, which served multiple purposes. The elliptical planform and relatively broad root chord allowed a thinner airfoil section, reducing drag while preserving lift, which led to a very low wing loading. This increased top speed, preserved a low stalling speed, increased the service ceiling, and provided excellent low-speed agility. But the broad wing chord also allowed the convenient fitting of formidable armament such as multiple 20mm cannon and heavy machine guns.

The Spitfire last saw combat in 1948 during the Arab-Israeli war, where Spitfires from both sides were pitted against one another. But the honor which will always distinguish this singular aircraft is its superb service during the Battle of Britain, where it — along with the Hawker Hurricane — helped to fend off German designs for invasion of Great Britain. For that, it will always be remembered.

What is the philosophy behind Accu-Sim?
Pilots will tell you that no two aircraft are the same. Even taking the same aircraft up from the same airport to the same location will result in a different experience. For example, you may notice one day your engine is running a bit hotter than usual and you might just open your cowl flaps a bit more and be on your way, or maybe this is a sign of something more serious developing under the hood. Regardless, you expect these things to occur in a simulation just as they do in life. This is Accu-Sim, where no two flights are ever the same.

Realism does not mean having a difficult time with your flying. While Accu-Sim is created by pilots, it is built for everyone. This means everything from having a professional crew there to help you manage the systems, to an intuitive layout, or just the ability to turn the system on or off with a single switch. However, if Accu-Sim is enabled and the needles are in the red, there will be consequences. It is no longer just an aircraft, it’s a simulation.

Actions Lead to Consequences
Your A2A Simulations Spitfire is a complete aircraft with full system modeling. However, flying an aircraft as large and complex as the A2A Spitfire requires constant attention to the systems. The infinite changing conditions around you and your aircraft have impact on these systems. As systems operate both inside and outside their limitations, they behave differently. For example, the temperature of the air that enters your carburetor has a direct impact on the power your engine can produce. Pushing an engine too hard may produce just slight damage that you, as a pilot, may see as it just not running quite as good as it was on a previous flight. You may run an engine so hot, that it catches fire. However, it may not catch fire; it may just quit, or may not run smoothly. This is Accu-Sim – it’s both the realism of all of these systems working in harmony, and all the subtle, and sometimes not so subtle, unpredictability of it all. The end result is when flying in an Accu-Sim powered aircraft, it just feels real enough that you can almost smell the avgas.

Your Aircraft Talks
We have gone to great lengths to bring the internal physics of the airframe, engine, and systems to life. Now, when the engine coughs, you can hear it and see a puff of smoke. If you push the engine too hard, you can also hear signs that this is happening. Just like an actual pilot, you will get to know the sounds of your aircraft, from the tires scrubbing on landing to the stresses of the airframe to the canopy that is cracked opened.

Be Prepared – Stay Out of Trouble
The key to successfully operating your Spitfire, or any high performance aircraft for that matter, is to stay ahead of the curve and on top of things. Aircraft are not like automobiles, in the sense that weight plays a key role in the creation of every component. So, almost every system on your aircraft is created to be just strong enough to give you, the pilot, enough margin of error to operate safely, but these margins are smaller than those you find in an automobile. So, piloting an aircraft requires both precision and respect of the machine you are managing.

It is important that you always keep an eye on your oil pressure and engine temperature gauges. On cold engine starts, the oil is thick and until it reaches a proper operating temperature, this thick oil results in much higher than normal oil temperatures. In extreme cold, once the engine is started, watch that oil pressure gauge and idle the engine as low as possible, keeping the oil pressure under 120psi.

The oil and coolant temperature gauges are critical throughout your flight. Idling too long on the pavement will overheat this Spitfire because it’s cooling radiator is inadequate. Plan to be off the ground in under ten minutes. Don’t let your engine exceed 100 degrees Celsius before your takeoff roll.

Once airborne, you will want to avoid steep climbs, especially in hot weather, to keep good airflow to your radiator. You will also want to keep your radiator opened at all times during flight, adjusting it to maintain temperatures around 100 degrees if possible, never more than 120 degrees. High engine power increases both water and oil temperatures, but oil is also heated up quite a bit by engine friction (RPM). So if you are running hot oil temperatures, you may wish to also decrease your engine RPM.

Equipped with a large, powerful radial engine, it looked as tough as it was. However, when British pilots first saw the P-47, it was often mocked due to its size. The light, maneuverable Spitfire’s could get on a P-47’s tail with ease in test trials. What they didn’t know at that time was the P-47 was different type of fighter and the battles were to be fought at higher altitude where the air is thin, using high-energy tactics. Both the British and the Germans soon found out, in the right hands, the P-47 was lethal.

Real pilots will tell you that no two aircraft are the same.  Even taking the same aircraft up from the same airport to the same location will result in a different experience.  For example, you may notice one day an engine is running a bit hotter than usual and you might just open your cowl flaps a bit more and be on your way, or maybe this is a sign of something more serious developing under the hood.  Regardless, you expect these things to occur in a simulation just as they do in real life.  And under the hood, you expect your aircraft systems to respond accordingly.  This means no more one minute engine warm-ups. This is Accu-Sim – it puts the gauge back in the game.

While Accu-Sim is created by pilots, it is built for everyone.  Realism does not mean you have have to have a difficult time with your flying.  In fact, realism can mean an easier time with your flying as things react as you would expect in real life.   Common sense thinking applies with Accu-Sim.  For example, if you are exceeding your maximum allowed speed with your flaps down, there will likely be warnings.  You may hear and odd rumbling telling you, the pilot, “hmm, something is not right”.

We are proud to launch our all new “Accu-Sound” sound system with over 200 recorded sounds for the P47 Razorback alone.  This new sound system brings Accu-Sim to an entirely new level.  While hearing is a critical sense when flying, it is even more important for a simulation, as you are deprived of the sense of feel we have in a real aircraft.  We have loaded the P47 with smart, intuitive sounds.  You will not believe how much audio can immerse you into an authentic flying experience.  We hope you enjoy this as much as we did creating it.

Part of the secret of the P-40 was in it’s rugged Allison engine and its high dive speeds. Some squadrons pushed it’s capabilities well beyond it’s official limits in combat. This high power matched with an airframe that held onto energy better than the Japanese counterparts, meant an experienced pilot could command the fight. He could decide when to engage and when to escape. When we read about Middle East and Australian squadrons over-boosting their Allison engines, we couldn’t wait to Accu-Sim this bird and experience it ourselves. This resulted in us digging even deeper into not just the function of this engine at such high power levels, but the sound. Additionally, other systems like the P-40’s unique hydraulics required us to take our Accu-Sim to yet another level of detail. You may notice when a fighter raises it’s gear, the gear sometimes comes up at different times. Instead of us simply and without condition, telling the aircraft to raise the gear one leg at a time, we decided to dig deeper and create the entire underlying system, allowing whatever behaviours be the result of actual systems at work. In fact, this is the philosophy behind Accu-Sim from the start. Build it right, and enjoy the experience. When looking to the construction, the newest modelling and advanced material-making techniques results in an aircraft that you can just spend not just minutes but hours admiring the beauty of the shape and look of the aircraft. Together, with professionally recorded sounds and physics, the end result is the sense of having a complete, real, majestic, raw, flying machine stuffed inside your computer. We hope you enjoy your new beautiful bird, and hope you learn to fly and treat her well.

Troubling reports begin circulating that the Germans are about to introduce a new super fighter and station it just across the English Channel where British fighters are now patrolling with confidence.  One report indicates the new fighter to have a top speed of 390mph, which if is true, would make it 20mph faster than the Spitfire.

The RAF’s worst fears began to unfold when the first batch of Focke Wulf 190’s began leaving the factory at Marienburg to the 6^th Staffel at Jagdgeshwader 26 in Belgium.

RAF pilot’s began to encounter this new fighter and described it as being fast and maneuvered unlike anything they’ve ever seen before.  The first contacts misreported it as being a German captured P36 with a radial engine, but top RAF officials knew this was nothing they produced; it was the mysterious new super fighter they have been hearing so much about.  What they didn’t know was just how much of a shock the FW190 had in store for them.

Encounters over the coming months proved that this new German fighter could not only penetrate British airspace at will, but could cut their fighters down with a brutal efficiency.  This reputation gave the Focke-Wulf the title, “Butcher Bird.”  This isn’t to say the British were unable to defend or fight back, but things changed for even the Spitfire as it went from the role of hunter patrolling the Channel to the hunted.  The FW190, with it’s faster speed, climb, and maneuverability could dictate when and where to fight and to disengage at will.  Needless to say, this had British high command gravely concerned.

For almost a full year the Focke Wulf enjoyed this decisive edge.  The Spring of 1942 was still a tough time for the RAF pilots as more Focke Wulf’s were being deployed each week.  The British high command was concerned to the point of orchestrating an elaborate commando operation to hijack a Focke Wulf.

The Focke-Wulf Ta 152 series was considered Kurt Tank’s crowning achievement with respect to the development of a high altitude reconnaissance fighter and interceptor.  The Ta 152 H-1 was similar in general layout to the Fw 190D, as it used a liquid-cooled inverted V-12 for motive power.  But the airframe was considerably different.  The wings were much larger and the fuselage and tailplane were significantly improved and modified.  In addition, the nose was further streamlined and the aircraft was fitted with a bubble-type canopy for better pilot visibility, and the cockpit was pressurized.

The Ta 152 H-1 is considered to be the definitive version of the series.  It had a fuel capacity of 180 U.S. gallons total in the wings and fuselage, and was fitted with a Junkers Jumo 213 E-1 engine which used both the MW50 methanol-water injection and the GM-1 nitrous oxide injection to increase available power at both high and low altitudes.  This aircraft was designed as a high-level reconnaissance fighter and interceptor.  It did not have the fast roll rate of the Ta 152 C owing to the drastically increased wingspan, but the trade-off was the aircraft’s very high operational altitude — its ceiling was over 48,000 feet and it could reach a top speed of 467 miles per hour at 40,600 feet with the GM-1 boost.  In this version, the rear fuel tank was deleted to accommodate the GM-1 tank and to resolve a center of gravity issue.  The MW50 is located in the left inner wing tanks.

But, despite the hype that was associated with this aircraft (Liberator crews sometimes groused about there being 11 crew members on every B-17, including a publicity officer), there were very solid reasons why the B-17 Flying Fortress holds a revered place in history and in the hearts of those who flew her.  It was, first and foremost, a supremely functional and extremely rugged aircraft.  No other aircraft to served during WWII has come away with as many documented cases of surviving extreme battle damage and making it home.  Designed during peacetime, the aircraft was not rushed to the drawing board and emerged as wonderful aircraft to fly.  The Fortress was a very stable and forgiving aircraft, truly a “pilot’s aircraft” in all respects,  and was a pleasure to fly.  It can be trimmed to fly hands-off for any normal flight regime and, while slow to maneuver, is quite responsive to the controls for such a large craft. While aerobatics are prohibited officially, there are many documented cases of B-17s being put into spins, rolls, stalls, and other acrobatics by instructors and pilots who flew the type. Pilots who flew all of the major American bombers of WWII — the B-17, B-24, and B29 — state almost universally that the B-17 was a joy to fly as compared to the other types.

Production of the B-17, which totalled 12,731 of all types, was eclipsed by that of the B-24 Liberator, a later aircraft hurriedly designed with the single intention of getting as many bombs on target as possible, with little regard to aesthetics or handling characteristics.  In fact, over 6,000 more Liberators were built than B-17s, a numerical advantage of 50%.  To this day, however, the Flying Fortress continues to outshine the Liberator as the flagship of the United States Army Air Forces and a symbol of victory and American ingenuity and know-how.  It was that kind of airplane.

The flight model was very carefully researched and we used the actual P-51H pilot’s training manual and technical orders to ensure our procedures and performance matched the real thing as closely as possible.

The P-51H differs from the P-51D primarily in performance. The procedures are identical in many cases to the P-51D, and aircraft handling is very similar, with the “H” model having greater agility and a higher roll rate due to its substantially lighter weight and larger ailerons. The fuel capacity is lower on the “H” model because the fuselage tank was made smaller to reduce the negative impact on weight and balance from the excess weight being so far aft from the centre of gravity. However, the “H” model has a range similar to the “D” model because its airframe has slightly less drag, and the aircraft weighs considerably less than the “D” model. The P-51H was conceived and manufactured during WWII and would have seen combat had the war not ended in September, 1945. It was developed on a time line that was roughly concurrent with that of the Focke-Wulf Ta 152, and its performance was similar to the German aircraft. However, the P-51H, with its top speed of 487 mph at 25,000 feet, was substantially faster than either the Ta 152C or H models, by at least 15 mph. In addition, the P-51H incorporated many of the automatic features common to late-war German aircraft. It used a Simmonds control unit to maintain a constant manifold pressure relative to throttle position, eliminating the need for the pilot to “chase” the throttle lever to maintain manifold pressure as the aircraft gained altitude. The supercharger switch from low to high speed was fully automatic, as were many of the controls related to the water injection and war emergency power.

Perhaps the greatest advantage the P-51H would have had over the Ta 152 is the fact that the Mustang remained a superlative dog-fighter despite achieving parity of power and speed with the Ta 152. If anything, the P-51H was a nimbler, better-handling aircraft than the P-51D, and its lighter weight would have allowed a tighter turning radius at high altitude than the German plane. In a dive or level flight, the P-51H was as fast or faster than any single-engine, propeller-driven Axis fighter ever built. The P-51H, although not well-known, was probably the finest piston-engined fighter to emerge from WWII in every respect and was likely the fastest propeller-driven aircraft in the world at the close of WWII.

The He 219 was a superb and lethal gun platform and the later versions packed as many as eight cannon, including the potent 30mm “Schrage Musik” which fired upward into a bomber’s belly at an oblique angle.  These accompanied as many as six forward-firing cannon.  The “Uhu” was absolutely devastating to any aircraft that came into range of its guns.  This was accomplished through the use of radar, a new technology.  Ground-based stations would direct the night fighter to the bomber stream, and when in range, the Uhu’s radar operator would then take over and guide the pilot to within 100 meters of the target.  The bristling antennae were ugly and added a lot of drag, reducing the aircraft’s ultimate top speed substantially.  But without the radar the plane would have been useless at night, and since the Uhu was still about 150 mph faster than the Allied four-engine bombers, this was really not a handicap.  Some of the latest versions were used to track, hunt down, and kill the Mosquito bombers, which were a much more challenging quarry than the lumbering four-engine craft comprising most of the night fighter’s prey.

In the end, the He 219 fell victim to bad decision-making and was too little, too late.  But it was the most advanced aircraft for its time, signaling the shape of things to come.

The F4U was born and bred to be a killer and she excelled at this endeavor, laying claim to an astonishing eleven to one kill ratio by the end of WWII. That doesn’t include the unfortunate Ensigns who had so many problems trying to land the long-nosed bird on a carrier that the Navy finally gave up. They assigned the F4U to the Marines who quickly learned to love her for her superior fighting ways.

In her final form, which was the F4U-4, she was certainly in the running for the “Best Fighter of WWII”. The F4U-4 could out climb the P-51 Mustang by almost 800 feet per minute and had exceptional speed at low and mid altitudes.

The F4U Corsair launches the Aircraft Factory, which is a new line of products from A2A Simulations for those who want a solid quality aircraft but price is very important. With the Aircraft Factory, we stay true to stock Microsoft FSX SDK standards, which streamlines the development process and delivers an aircraft that you can just throw the throttle forward and fly away.

The F4U Corsair is truly a unique aircraft with it’s bent wings, long nose, and powerful engine. We have had a lot of fun flying her and believe you will as well.

The Avro Anson, also known as Faithful Annie to its crews was built to Air Ministry Specification 18/35, which called for a twin-engined coastal reconnaissance landplane. Being first flown on 24th March 1935 it was the first RAF monoplane with retractable undercarriage. When the Second World War began there were 26 RAF squadrons operating the Anson MK1, 10 with Coastal Command and 16 with Bomber Command. By this time however the Anson was obsolete in the bombing and coastal patrol roles and was being replaced by the Armstrong Withworth Whitley and Lockheed Hudson.

Instead of being scrapped like most other obsolete aircraft, the Avro Anson was found to be perfectly suited to aircrew training. Becoming on of the main aircraft in the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan (known in some countries as the Empire Air Training Scheme), it was used to train pilots for multi-engine bombers of the time. It was also used to train the other members of a bomber crew, such as navigators, wireless operators, bomb aimers and air gunners.

After WW2 the Anson carried on in the training and light transport roles. The last Ansons were withdrawn from RAF service in June 1968. By the time production ended in 1952, around 11.000. Avro Ansons had been built, spanning over 9 versions.

First flown in 1913, the Avro 504K was to become one of the most famous aircraft of all time. It started its long career in 1914, when 3 504As, of the Royal Naval Air Service, bombed the German Zeppelin sheds in the first planned raid in aerial warfare. The Avro 504K was one of the first aeroplane types used to strafe troops on the ground. It also had the unenviable distinction of being the first Entente aeroplane to be downed by enemy anti-aircraft fire.

In the winter of 1917–18, converted 504Js and 504Ks were given to Home Defence squadrons of the RFC to replace the ageing B.E.2cs. These aircraft were modified as single-seaters, armed with a Lewis gun above the wing on a Foster mounting, and powered by 100 hp (75 kW) Gnome or 110 hp (80 kW), with around 226 still being used as fighters at the end of World War I

Though it was soon obsolete as a front-line aircraft, it came into its own as a trainer, with thousands being built during the war, the major production types being the 504J and the mass produced 504K. Around 8,000 Avro 504s had been produced by the end of the war in 1918.

Whilst the aircraft stayed in RAF service after the war, large numbers of surplus aircraft were available for sale, both for civil and military use. More than 300 504Ks were placed on the civil register in Britain. Used for training, pleasure flying, banner towing and even barnstorming exhibitions. Civil 504s continued flying in large numbers until well into the 1930s when aircraft like the DH Tiger moth replaced it.

The 504N, which had a radial engine and a redesigned undercarriage, was produced in 1925 and was chosen by the RAF to replace the 504K. Used to equip the RAF’s five training schools, a total or 592 504Ns were produced between 1925 and 1932. The 504N was also used by the armed forces of Belgium, Brazil, Chile, Denmark, Greece, Thailand and South Africa, with licensed production taking place in Denmark, Belgium, Canada and Japan. The Soviet Union produced a copy of Avro 504K under the designation U-1.

The Avro 504 was finally replaced in 1933 by the Avro Tutor, ending the career of this truly remarkable aircraft.

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