It hasn’t been that long of a wait but it still seems like we’ve been waiting for a while for IL-2 patch 4.502 but the latest information we have now suggests that it is getting close. What’s in the new patch and why are so many of us so excited and anxious to see it download onto our systems? Let’s have a quick look.

Note: This article has been updated at 4:49pm EDT on October 31st

Release candidate is being prepared

There was no IL-2 developer diary update this week but we did get a short message from IL-2 Lead Producer Jason Williams that offers a tidbit of information on where we’re at with this next patch. In a post on the popular ‘DD today?’ post which has been going for years and is now on page 235 on the forum. He wrote,

No DD today guys. Team is busy prepping release candidate for testing.

Jason Williams on the IL-2 forums

That seems to say that the content for this patch is complete and ready to be tested to ensure that everything works and is stable. That’s definitely a good sign for the impatient among us and if we use this information and the knowledge that the Halloween sale ends on November 3rd, it’s possible that we’ll see the next IL-2 patch come out as early as the 4th. It’s also possible that testing will reveal problems or more time will be needed to get this patch together and its released later on too.

In this patch

Three things stand out to me as being the highlights of this next patch. First, the Hurricane Mark II Collector Plane is coming and according to the last developer diary is likely to be in 4.502. If it feels like we’ve been waiting for a while, that’s because we have. The Hurricane Mark II was announced alongside the Yak-9 on October 18th, 2019 so it has been a year. Of course, I’m willing to wait for what looks like a seriously impressive Collector Plane with its long list of armament variations and modifications that are included here. Knowing 1CGS track record, the wait will have been worth it!

Next, the C-47 Skytrain AI aircraft for Battle of Normandy doesn’t give us a new flyable but it is another step forwards for this project. I have high hopes that the C-47 will eventually be made a flyable and with part of the work now done, all it really needs is a cockpit! Still, the 1CGS team are busy with quite a few other projects.

Nonetheless, that hasn’t stopped them from ensuring that this aircraft has things like working cargo doors (also seen on the Ju52) and externally deployed supply packages. A lot of love has gone into making this aircraft, that’s for sure!

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I should add too that the new G-force and physiology modeling comes into play in this new patch as well. It should refine something already impressive!

And beyond

I mentioned 1CGS is busy and I wanted to remind everyone that we’ve seen quite a bit of work done on IL-2: Battle of Normandy aircraft. The Mosquito, P-51B/C Mustang, Typhoon Mark IB and Spitfire XIV have all been shown in various stages of completion. Not shown, the Fw190A-6, is supposedly the next Battle of Normandy aircraft to release on the list but perhaps its delayed in favour of others. We’ll find out soon enough!

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