There’s life left in IL-2 Sturmovik: Great Battles as the 1CGS team have just announced a small menu of new Collector Planes that will extend the current series development plans through to the end of the year. Although we don’t know what the long term future is, this does give us a great idea of what we’ll be seeing from the team through to the end of this year and into next year too.
Serving up the collector planes in 2023
Following the release of the Spitfire XIVe and the Bf109G-6 AS, some interesting and in some cases surprising Collector Planes have been announced today.
The first one we already knew about and this is the Li-2, a Soviet license build version of the DC-3/C-47 with different engines, a turret, forward firing weapons and light bomber capacity. 1CGS have some screenshots of the cockpit work coming together. The Li-2 does have a completely different instrumentation from the C-47 that we’re familiar with. This is expected Summer of 2023.
Next, we have something completely surprising. The WACO CG-4A is a towable glider which was used extensively during the Normandy landings and during Operation Market Garden. 16-companies were contracted to build CG-4As and approximately 13,900 were built.
Third up, those rumours of a La-5 with the later canopy design have come true. The 1CGS team list this as a La-5 Series 38 but as near as I can tell most of us old school IL-2 fans might remember this as the La-5F – an in between model that fits in between the earlier La-5 and later La-5FN. The La-5F should fit nicely into Battle of Kuban. Back with the original IL-2, I flew this more often than the La-5FN as the visibility over the nose was slightly better in this version while the rear visibility was better than the earlier La-5. This aircraft is due by the end of 2023.
Fourth on the list is another that we already know. The third party developed IAR80/81 which is coming with a very long list of modifications including both long and short fuselage types as well as multiple different armament selections. There is an important note here that the price is going to go up increasing on May 17th. This is being done because of the huge amount of variety packed into the aircraft. Current pre-orders and those up to May 17th will stay at the current price. The IAR is due by end of 2023.
Those are all of the plans that 1CGS has for 2023, but wait, there’s more!
2024 plans too
Great Battles is stretching development in 2024 as well. Three new aircraft have been announced for the series and they are the Ta152, the I-153, and the Spitfire IXc. Count me as surprised!
This list seems to give us a bit of everything. First, the Ta-152 I will will be the Ta-152H variant (the only one to see limited combat). This development of the Fw190 series featured a completely redesigned and lengthened wing, revised armament with MG151/20 20mm cannons in the wing roots and a MK108 30mm cannon in the nose, and all kinds of optimizations aimed at operation at high altitudes. And it was quite capable with a 472 mph top speed reached at 41,000 feet with GM-1 boost. In reality, it flew mostly at lower altitudes and was allegedly a match for the latest Allied fighters and in one account allegedly was about to outspeed some attacking Mustangs.
Next, we go from the ultra late war to the very early war with a Polikaprov I-153 “Chaika.” This Soviet biplane was built as a biplane companion to the monoplane I-16 and has long between requested by the community. Although clearly outdated at the start of the conflict, I-153s were still operated in frontline and second line duties through to 1943. Most WWII versions of the airplane had four 7.62mm machine guns and some had a variety of rockets and even ShVAK 20mm cannons.
Ten years ago, when IL-2 Battle of Stalingrad was announced, the I-153 was even part of a mini documentary that the team released.
Finally, 1CGS has announced a Spitfire Mark IXc variant of the infamous Spitfire. On the face of it, this is very similar to the Spitfire IXe that we already have in the series, however, there is the potential for this version to cover a much wider range of in-service dates with the unconfirmed potential of Merlin 61, 63, and 66 versions. 1CGS has already confirmed that it will use the earlier rounded rudder as well meaning that this version will have slightly different handling.
Flying Circus reminders and news
Also still planned for the end of 2023 is the release of Flying Circus Vol 3. Already confirmed weeks ago, this pack is intended to arrive with the following airplanes as well as ongoing upgrades to the Western Front map.
Here’s the list:
- F.E.2b
- R.E.8
- Hanriot HD.1
- Nieuport 11.C1
- Nieuport 17.C1
- Nieuport 17.C1 GBR
- Albatros D.II
- Halberstadt D.II
Then, in 2024 the team intend to release a further package with seven new airplanes.
- Sopwith 1 1/2 Strutter
- Sopwith 1 1/2 Strutter B
- Sopwith Pup
- Airco DH.2
- Albatros D.III
- Roland C.IIa
- Fokker E.III
Today, 1CGS also revealed that a team of enthusiasts is working on an Eastern Front map and that more details about the map and its release would be revealed soon. It’s unclear if this will be a redressing of the Ternopol map from Rise of Flight or something new.
Other news
Also mentioned in this update is word that the team are motivated to improve and extend the Great Battles Series. There’s no specifics as to what they intend to do but this does run counter to many community thoughts (mine included) that we were past major development and that we’d see a small trickle of content. We’ll have to see what that will end up becoming.
A Yak-7 fighter campaign, previously announced, is on its way and another currently unannounced campaign is also confirmed as on the way before the end of the year.
Tank Crew gets a small mention too. Current campaigns are being upgraded to support more recently released content. Some of the screenshots show off what they have planned.
Stormbirds 
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