The latest developer diary for the IL-2: Great Battles Series shows us the next aircraft coming to the series and also the first aircraft for the IL-2: Battle of Normandy series to arrive – the P-47D-22 ‘Razorback!’ Plus they are also talking plans for the next two patches and some nice new 4K skins for the Ju87D-3. Let’s have a look!
It’s the Razorback Thunderbolt
A bit of a P-47 theme going this week and 1CGS is in on it with the latest screenshots and the first to show their P-47D-22 Thunderbolt in engine. The D-22 model has the traditional strut canopy with a ‘Razorback’ fuselage shape behind it that goes nearly all the way back to the original prototypes. The D-25 was the first to introduce the bubble canopy, borrowed initially from the Hawker Typhoon which received a similar transformation, and the bubble canopy version stuck for the rest of the production of the P-47.
Those two images are of the P-47 in-engine. The cockpit is still underway and it is not there yet, however, we did get some great images of it. The usual high standards are on show here and the vast differences in visibility between this and the bubble canopy should be interesting.
Of note, the bubble canopy slightly reduced top speed and impacted on the handling of the aircraft so this P-47D-22 model should actually be subtly faster than the D-28 version. It’ll also be up against slightly lesser performing fighters (in the Bf109G-6 and Fw190A-6) so Battle of Normandy should offer a slightly greater chance for the P-47 to shine.
4K skins for the Stuka
Continuing the efforts to upgrade all of the skins for older aircraft in the IL-2 series to 4K standard, Martin =ICDP= Catney has turned his attentions to the Ju87D-3 ‘Stuka’ from IL-2: Battle of Stalingrad.
As usual, they look great and add detail and sharpness to the aircraft’s exterior model!
The next two patches
The latest developer diary also talks about the next couple of patches. First, patch 4.007 is already in beta testing and has been planned to come out within the next week if all goes well. Although Han’s update is a little vague, he does say that there are features that have been long awaited that are coming in this intermediate patch.
Next, either in late June or early July, 1CGS plans to release patch 4.008 which will come with the P-47D-22 and the Sd.Kfz.184 “Ferdinand” for Tank Crew. No doubt there will be other updates included in that patch as well but with those two pieces of content as being the most notable.
It’s also likely that the new Ice Ring Scripted Campaign will come in the 4.008 patch.
I am really looking forward to checking out the latest P-47!
Next up… the Hurricane!
Now a few of you might be asking too… where is the Hurricane,? And you may not know or have forgotten that the release order given to us by Jason has for a long time now said that the P-47D-22 would come after the Yak-9 and Yak-9T and before the Hurricane. So everything is going according to their release schedule.
We might even see some updates on this aircraft in the next week or two.
Stormbirds 
Sweet article!
The Jug looks really good and i can’t wait to sit in this beast. Even now you can see some interesting details like the compass 😀 And the exterior is awesome as well!
Btw Ice Ring could be included with 4.007 according to BlackSix if everything is working as planned (check this post: https://forum.il2sturmovik.com/topic/62253-ice-ring-scripted-campaign-now-available-for-pre-order-discussion/?do=findComment&comment=952684)
Regarding 4.007 itself I have high hopes that remaining issues from the AMD front get fixed. Even when Jason stated that they fixed it, there are still some issues and it would be a shame if they would move on before it is really fixed.
Rico
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Thanks Bigalrico! The exterior is really good but that cockpit is looking superb! Nice details as you say.
Supposedly 4.007 is coming by the end of next week and BlackSix is suggesting another 2.5 weeks for the translations from Russian to English on the briefings so I’m sticking with my 4.008 release guess.
I’m sure they will continue to tweak the AMD issues and sort them out. Are you still having a few problems?
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Sadly yes. The biggest issues like the black flickering on the ground were fixed but there are still pixel when you look from a certain angle on your plane from the exterior. My best guess is that the shadows cause this issue. When i switch to FXAA it’s gone but i only get barely 70-50 FPS instead of the 140-70 with MSAA. So just switching the AA is not really an option for me :(. I reported the issues i found and hope Han will find a solution for this. Otherwise it would be kind of shitty for me. Don’t have the money and the will to invest again in a new graphics card from Nvidia. Even when the next one will be for sure from them, even when it is only to avoid issues like this for the future.
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Hope they improve the AI for Tank Crew and add more zoom effect to binoculars
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I think we’re going to see Tank Crew’s AI and overall experience evolve a bit more yet. It’s a new area for the sim and it definitely needs to come along still.
It does do very well in the highly scripted single player campaigns so it does do well there.
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I hope some FM update will come with P-47D-22…….
I may not be a professional, but IMO, the two biggest FM doubts in the current game are the P-47D-28’s airspeed bleed rate too fast and Spitfire IXe’s dive performance is too strong, which made the role in the late World War II sky not clear. I’m thinking about that why Jug’s wing load is similar to Fw-190, but the maneuverability is very different.
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I can only agree to this! I also hope they will add the 150 Octane Fuel for my big ladys. It’s still a mystery why it didn’t already happend yet. And as you said, it would be lovely if the P-47 wouldn’t bleed speed so quickly after maneuvers and dives. Fingers crossed 😀
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I love the fact that 1CGS is always full steam ahead with their projects and I really appreciate their focus! Granted, there are still minor issues (i.e. the P-47 FM mentioned above by Oyster) but I guess any sim this complex will always come with its quirks here and there.
That Razorback is breathtaking!
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1CGS expert project management is a huge asset. They have a plan and they execute it really really well!
I too hope to see a few changes with the P-47 but I Hope most of them are minor.
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We may have a P-47 campaign from Gambit21, which has been under validation for a long while now (see his last post here: https://forum.il2sturmovik.com/topic/56722-announcing-hell-hawks-over-the-bulge-an-official-historical-scripted-campaign-p-47d/?do=findComment&comment=950927).
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It is indeed coming and relatively soon. Jason and I talked about it in the Q&A that we did.
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I was wrong, seems we’ll need to be a little bit more patient 🙂
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Thanks for the update – I had missed this.
Despite my previous doubts about BoN, I obviously went and purchased EA. Not much of a Thunderbolt fan, but am sure it will be a lovely thing when it emerges (something a bit more agressive about the razor-backs, I always thought).
Any updates on the map, BTW? Could do an epic online ‘1941’ BoB campaign with the aircraft set we have and a bit of historical leeway. Same as a BoF on the Rheinland, but not seen anyone do that.
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There is something to like about the Razorback design. It looks fast and aggressive yes!
Nothing new about the map except that they are actively building it.
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But…..Typhoon and Mossie!
Re-read Desmond Scott’s autobiography the other day; cracking account of 123 Wing hopping over France. I hope the Normandy map gets plenty of E-boats and river traffic, otherwise like Bp it will feel a little lifeless.
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If we’re lucky we might see the Typhoon before end of the year. Some river traffic would be nice, so would plenty of trains. I do want to do some more train hunting with some Typhoons or Mosquitos 😉
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