MicroProse, a newcomer to the Microsoft Flight Simulator scene, has released the Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress in early access. The wartime aircraft marks the first entry in the developer’s Heritage Valor Collection, a series dedicated to preserving aviation history through flight simulation. We first covered the aircraft’s development announcement back in June 2024.
The Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress
The B-17G was the most extensively produced variant of the iconic Flying Fortress, incorporating all improvements made to the preceding B-17F. Of the 12,731 B-17s built, more than two-thirds were G models. The aircraft became renowned for its toughness, with many stories recounting heavily damaged bombers returning safely to base.
The B-17G is regarded as the final version of the Flying Fortress. It is best known for its significant role in World War Two, serving as one of the principal heavy bombers of the Allied forces. Though long retired from active service, a handful continue to operate as warbirds today, with four still airworthy as of January 2025.
MicroProse’s Rendition of the B-17G
While MicroProse is new to Microsoft Flight Simulator, the developer has a portfolio of games under its name. According to the Heritage Valor Collection page, the project was developed by an internal team dedicated solely to this aircraft. As part of this collection’s aim to share the legacy of such aircraft, the release has received input from people of all backgrounds, including historians, foundations, and warbird enthusiasts.
The early access release pays tribute to the crews who flew the Flying Fortress and to the communities that continue to maintain them. At launch, the aircraft features a highly detailed 3D model with hand-crafted 4K PBR textures and a fully modelled cockpit, bomb bay, and crew compartments. Experts familiar with the real aircraft helped tune its flight dynamics and systems behaviour, while engine and cockpit sounds were recorded from the real B-17 Sentimental Journey.
According to the development roadmap, MicroProse plans to refine textures, enhance systems, and implement bug fixes in the coming months, leading up to a v1.0 release. The soundscape, currently a work in progress, will also be upgraded to more accurately reflect the real aircraft. Additional liveries and optional modern avionics are planned, all configurable via the in-sim clipboard, which will see expanded functionality throughout early access.
Sérgio Costa, Product Development Manager at MicroProse, said, “We’re thrilled to finally let players take the controls of this incredible aircraft“. The B-17G Flying Fortress is available now from JustFlight for an early access price of £24.89 (GBP), set to increase to £29.99 following the v1.0 release.
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