Flight sim enthusiasts can now add two historically significant aircraft to their virtual hangars. Flight Replicas’ Douglas DC-4 Skymaster and Consolidated B-24 Liberator are now available for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 and 2024. Remarkably the developer had no hand in these offerings. With permission from Flight Replicas, enthusiastic community members adapted these from the FSX/P3D versions and made them available for free on flightsim.to. While these two models are community conversions, Flight Replicas continues to develop official addons for MSFS with aircraft such as the DH.60 Gipsy Moth and the recently released DH.85 Leopard Moth.
Aircraft Heritage and Specifications
The DC-4 and its military counterpart, the C-54 Skymaster, began service with the United Stated Army Air Force in 1942, initially carrying up to 26 passengers with later versions accommodating up to 50 passengers. The DC-4 featured a cruising speed of 197 knots, service ceiling of 22,300 feet, and maximum range of 4,250 miles. Total production comprised 80 DC-4s and 1,163 C-54s. The C-54 was the main aircraft used during the Berlin Airlift, underscoring its historic significance. The aircraft was powered by four Pratt & Whitney R-2000-2SD13-G Twin Wasp air-cooled 14-cylinder radial engines producing 1,100 horsepower each.
The B-24 Liberator was with more than 18,000 units one of the most produced American bombers of World War II. The aircraft was introduced in 1942 and featured a crew of ten including pilot, co-pilot, bombardier, navigator, radio operator, flight engineer, ball turret gunner, tail gunner and two waist gunners. The B-24 achieved a cruise speed of 187 knots, service ceiling of 28,000 feet, and maximum range of 2,850 miles. The aircraft was powered by four Pratt & Whitney Twin Wasp R1830-65 engines producing 1,200 horsepower each.
Conversion Limitations and Early Reactions
As unofficial conversions by community members, both aircraft exhibit anomalies and limited functionality compared to the original FSX/P3D versions. Early community reactions to the conversions have been mixed. While some users are happy that historic airplanes from the WWII era are available, many have lamented the limited functionality with very few clickable buttons in the cockpit. Some users are reporting non-functionality with MSFS 2024 with suggested solutions being using the MSFS Layout Generator. Overall, while not fulfilling the requirements of more serious flight simmers, many seem to be happy to have visually stunning models of historic airplanes. Both the DC-4 Skymaster and the B24 Liberator are available for free via flightsim.to.
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