This week’s developer diary gives us a look across a wide range of features that the IL-2 team is working on with most of the aircraft currently in development getting a mention along with some flight model and systems updates as well as some new screenshots of the work in progress Churchill Mark IV tank. Let’s go!

Churchill tank images

Let’s start with the pictures! This week we got a look at the latest work being done on the Churchill Mark IV. This British infantry tank appears to be well underway with the tank now in the sim and clearly beginning to gain some of its functionality.

It’s untextured aside from the treads so its not quite there yet but there is good progress on display.

Three aircraft in the next patch

We have three aircraft now confirmed as coming in Update 4.703. The Ju88C-6, the Gotha G.V and the Handley Page 0/400. Three bomber aircraft in both WWI and WWII eras. Jason, the series Executive Producer, makes mention of the types’ handling traits which I’ve heard from Rise of Flight pilots is rather tricky.

The Sopwith Tripe (or tri-plane) also got a mention as making good progress and its likelihood to appear in the update following 4.703.

Next patch date and features

We also have news that 4.703 is in final testing and should be coming in the middle of next week assuming testing continues to go well. Jason mentions that the latest patch comes with 40+ smaller tweaks and improvements. Among them are the new sky technology, improvements to lighting, improvements to snowy landscape rendering, quick mission GUI enhancements, and more.

Also of note was news that the team has discovered some issues with the Bf109’s propeller modelling and that they have been busy testing some changes to the way that it’s modelled. The aerodynamics are over my head but the end results appear to be reduced possibilities for “hovering on the propeller” as well as minor tweaks to speed, turn, acceleration, and effectiveness of ailerons. Here’s what Jason said:

The goal was to be more accurate overall, so in some cases speeds may be bit lower at sea level, but higher at rated altitudes and climb-rate may be a bit slower. But in some cases, turns may be quicker, but acceleration a little slower.  As usual, we have used a mix of German and Soviet sources to try to get a more accurate picture.

Jason Williams

Sounds interesting. I know the Bf109 is a key aircraft and there are many fans of it so we’ll see what the overall result is. It sounds like these are tweaks rather than an overhaul so it may matter little to some.

The Bf109s are also still the first to be getting the new fuel system modelling and the news this week is that its in beta testing but there are still issues to hammer out. I’m guessing it won’t be coming with 4.703 but we’ll see how it goes.

For all of this and more, check out the latest developer diary.