This week’s IL-2 developer diary focuses on the Hawker Tempest V (Series II) coming soon to IL-2: Battle of Bodenplatte. It’s more than a regular developer diary because its also the story of how Jason got the details on the aircraft, the trials and tribulations of doing that, and the efforts that the team went through to create what is very likely to be the most accurate and detailed rendition of a Tempest in a flight sim anywhere. Can you tell I’m excited about this update? This is a love letter to a very interesting WWII fighter, one that flies in just under the radar beneath the Mustangs, Spitfires, Bf109s and Yaks.
New screenshots and video
The new developer diary comes with new screenshots showing both the completed model and the model in development. While the completed shots are extremely impressive and add to the collection of images that we already have – its the work in progress shots that really make me appreciate the artistry and attention to detail.
I’ve only got some of those here so check out the diary for more.
And these are the completed images of the aircraft in-engine.
Oh and then there’s a 8-minute video called “Tempest Mk. V + Friends.” Watch to the end because its really awesome seeing the Tempest flying together with the Spitfire, P-47, P-51 and P-38. What a sight!
The Tempest almost didn’t happen
While Jason and team were committed to the Bodenplatte project, making the Tempest happen for the sim was a real challenge as the story that Jason tells reveals. The team was desperate for accurate and detailed information and photos and it was a challenge to get them.
From the first moment I decided we should make the Tempest, I knew building it would be a challenge. I recalled from the days of IL-2:1946 that there was a real lack of quality references to make the plane to a high degree of detail, both in its physical shape and the engine’s performance. That Tempest model is a great accomplishment as well and I remember the enthusiasm that accompanied it way back then. I knew it would be the same difficult road today for our Tempest without a real effort and help from other people. And luckily, that is exactly what happened. Thanks to total strangers and friends in the community, this mission has been a successful one. In the past, other such endeavors have failed, so I am very excited that this one did not.
Jason Williams on the IL-2 forums
Jason details the community members from the IL-2 community that helped step up with resources, materials and museum connections. Fantasy of Flight in Lakeland, Florida U.S.A., RAF Hendon, London, England, UK, and Typhoon Legacy British Columbia, Canada were all part of the research process (and Jason was keen to let everyone know to go and check these places out and support them).
Without the details, the Tempest may just not have happened. Fortunately, it did!
Other details revealed
The developer diary goes on to tell the rest of the story with the 3D modeling team using detailed references to build the interior and exterior of the Tempest and the flight model team using the gathered resources to build a Tempest Mark V (Series 2) with a Sabre IIa engine.
I know some are asking what the engine specs will be and the initial details are a bit vague.
With the info we gathered, the Mk.V sub-variant we decided to build is the Series II with the Sabre IIa engine. The initial results of FM tests are very promising for fans of British airplanes and Alex has done another outstanding job. The Tempest is indeed a deadly plane and British pilots were lucky to have her.
Jason Williams on the IL-2 forums
Fortunately an eagle eye member of the community pointed to an 11lb boost read-out in one of the gameplay sequences during the trailer. Even at 9lbs of boost the Tempest V is a force to be reckoned with but with 11lbs standard by late 1944 and into 1945 it was fitting to give the Tempest its full power and it looks like we’ll be getting that!
UPDATE: There’s now some dispute over if it really reads 9lbs or 11lbs. Gold or blue? Yanny or laurel? We’ll find out soon enough.
You may have also noticed during the play through that the Tempest V gets a pair of bombs… possibly 1000lbs though 500lbs were more typical. It has the reflector gun-sight projected onto the windscreen which cleans up the sight picture a lot.
Other small details revealed in the screenshots and video include the new Rhineland map which we can see in motion for the first time along with the new blackout system. Note the trailer at about 3:20 where a high-G pullout causes a grey and then narrowing vision before returning to normal. Outstanding work there!
A big thanks all around
The Tempest V is coming to the IL-2: Great Battles series thanks to efforts from the 1C Game Studios developer team, Jason Williams, and because of multiple members of the IL-2 community who were able to use connections and contacts to get Jason and the team the information needed to bring this historical aircraft back to life.
This is a labour of love and the whole message is a love letter both to the history of this aircraft and to the IL-2 community right now who helped make this possible. It’s a dream to be able to fly this aircraft once again in the IL-2 series at a level of detail I’ve never previously experienced. To all involved – you have my thanks! I’m truly excited to fly this aircraft in the coming weeks!
Stormbirds 
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