It’s Friday and that means that we’ve got some DCS World news again on offer from Eagle Dynamics. They have a massive Lunar Sale on right now and there are some interesting bundles for folks looking to pick up some modules at a discount. We also have some interesting information from Deka Ironworks about their JF-17 module and from Octopus G about the La-7.

The Lunar Sale is now!

The latest DCS World sale is on! As is customary, the pricing on a good number of their modules is set at 50% off for the duration of the sale which will come to an end on January 29th. The sale is good on both Steam and on the e-Shop.

For this sale, Eagle Dynamics are offering a series of bundles that offer some pretty good discounts on aircraft, map, and combinations should you be interested in picking a bunch of content up all at once. For example, the ‘Be The Maverick’ bundle is back with DCS: F/A-18C and DCS: Supercarrier bundled together for $64.99 USD (with $64.99 in savings). There’s an Attack Helicopter bundle bringing the Mi-24P, Ka-50 Black Shark 3 and AH-64D together in a $144.99 USD bundle (with $74.98 in savings). There’s a dozen more bundles all told.

Of course some modules are on sale for 30% or 25% and a few modules remain at full price.

A snappy trailer helps advertise the sale.

JF-17 developer update

It’s been a while since we’ve heard anything from the folks at Deka Ironwork. A lot of us have suspected that they are busy building something new for DCS World but they also seem keen to continue supporting their current project – the DCS: JF-17 Thunder.

According to the update, this module is nearing completion. The Chinese flight model will receive updates soon and the English manual will then be translated from that.

Completed cockpit textures, long a week point for the JF-17 module, are coming in the next update as well as updated pylon textures on the exterior model. According to Deka Ironwork, the final exterior model, more skins, livery template and pylon textures are all due in an update coming in March of this year.

And that doesn’t appear to be the end as Deka Ironwork also write that they intend to add and correct JF-17 features when new information becomes available.

No word on what they may do next but it’s nice to hear from Deka Ironwork after a long time.

Speed & Angels

This week the DCS World Weekend update also talks about Reflected Simulations next campaign: Speed & Angels. Here’s what they have to say about the campaign.

“Speed and Angels, the Campaign” is a joint production between Reflected Simulations, and Commander Paco Chierici. Paco is a former Tomcat fighter pilot and F-5 bandit. He is the creator and producer of the film Speed and Angels and the novel Lions of the Sky. Together Paco and Reflected have joined forces to bring you a truly epic DCS campaign combining next level realism and immersion. Together Paco and Reflected have joined forces to bring you a truly epic DCS campaign passionately weaving story, realism, and immersion. You will live the campaign. DCS: F-14 Speed & Angels will be available in the next Open Beta.

Sounds like it should be quite the campaign experience!

All of these news items are part of this week’s DCS World Weekend News update.

La-7 update

Separate from this week’s DCS World update, we also have Octopus G coming in with a developer update via their Facebook page.

This update is focused on the ASh-82FN, a powerful update of the radial engine that was adapted first to the LaGG-3 airframe to become the La-5 and then later the La-5F, La-5FN, La-7, La-9 and La-11.

The update talks about the power, capability, and control of the ASh-85FN with mention of the need to simulate the engine visually and mathematically. Notably, the update mentions the ability to open the cowling in DCS to have a look at the engine. A feature that we’ve only seen so far with the Black Shark 3.

The one description also talks about the various methods of engine control including, the throttle handle (1), propeller control lever (2), lever for combined control of a two-speed supercharger and forsazh (3), oil cowl flaps control lever. (4), and then controls for the cowl side flaps and frontal flaps (mounted on the cockpit right side). ‘Forsazh’ is the boost mode or war emergency power mode on this aircraft allowing it to develop maximum power at lower altitudes with the supercharger stage two control link to the forsazh control to turn it off at the same time that the supercharger stage is switched.

Very cool stuff! Keep an eye on Octopus G for future updates!