Another day and another release for Microsoft Flight Simulator. This latest one is from Wing42 with their recreation of the Boeing 274D – a classic radial engined two engine airliner from the 1930’s. Let’s have a look!
Classic aircraft release
Microsoft Flight Simulator has seen a growing collection of vintage aircraft and Wing42 have already contributed to that with their Bleriot XI. Now they are coming out with the Boeing 247D and it looks very interesting.
Among the feature list are the usual entries like high fidelity 3D model with PBR textures, realistic flight model, custom animations and WWise sound pack. This aircraft also comes with some interesting systems simulation that takes it above and beyond your average MSFS aircraft.
Wing42 have developed an external systems set that they are calling their “Prop-o-Tronic” physics engine. Accurate systems modeling under the system include Oil, Electrical, Heat-exchange, and more. Also mentioned in the feature set is a realistic start-up procedure involving the flywheel, hand crank, and clutch. A virtual ground crew can do the job for you or you can crank the prop yourself!
This also has a unique outdated radio nav system called “radio range.” Here’s what Wing42 have to say about that system:
The pilot of a historic 1930s aircraft would dial in a frequency on the radio and listen to the changing Morse code transmitted to find his way. It is an annoying and challenging, yet very rewarding way of navigating the skies. We included almost 700 historical radio stations (around 400 of them located in the U.S.A.) and outfitted the aircraft with a Bendix MR1B wireless controller.
Interesting stuff. The radio also runs on the same AM band as your conventional music radio stations and they have piped in some royalty free, era appropriate music into some of the radio stations.
A few (p)reviews are out for this aircraft including these two that I watched. They should give you a good sense of the aircraft.
If all this sounds like you might be into it, its available from Wing42’s website for £14.67. Wing42 have made a point to keep the price low with the idea that they are more likely to sell more copies than if they came in at a higher price. Check out the Wing42 Boeing 247D on their website. It should come to the MSFS Marketplace sometime later.
Stormbirds 
That’s a nice looking plane.
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It is!
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What seriously intrigued me, besides the damage and intricate engine modelling, was another first-for-MSFS bit of info I read on another site claiming that the “state of the aircraft is saved between sessions”.
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Oh also, that bit about the electrics being simulated down to the fuseboxes, blowing fuses and having to replace them, etc. That’s some involving simulation for sure.
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I forgot all about that. The aircraft state being saved is uncommon in MSFS aircraft (Just Flight’s Piper Arrow series has some of that going on).
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Oh I had no idea. Admittedly I only skimmed through reviews of that one – somehow simulation of modern GA planes doesn’t get my attention as much I guess.
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It looks great but I will not buy any new MSFS add-on until Asobo improves stability. After the last update I have a crash to desktop every flight again.
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MSFS really needs to solve that problem across a wider range of systems.
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I wish it was less cryptic about crashes and provided some more feedback either in a separate log or the OS’s event log. Last time I had it crashing on me it took some monitoring with SysInternal’s Process Explorer to figure out what the problem was and that was pretty time consuming to say the least.
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Completely agree! I never did figure out what the cause of the crash was on my old system – I have a new system and it doesn’t crash. So… problem solved? 🙂
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Had an hour long flight last night. I do like having to keep an eye on everything, including the fuses! found one blown mid flight that needed replacing.
Now to work on the radio nav!
This is a dead set bargain at for the price. For mine easy to see the parentage in the B17 a few years down the way.
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I love the B-17 family lineage that is clearly present. Very cool to see and glad you’re having a good time with it!
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