We’ve got some juicy Combat Pilot news! The sim is opening up a Patreon option for dedicated fans who want to support the project monetarily and receive bonus behind the scenes content in return. At the same time, we’re learning more about the goal for Combat Pilot to begin offering playable experiences early on. Then, finally, we have the surprise announcement of a B-17 Flying Fortress that the developers intend to build into a separately released module that complements the rest of Combat Pilot. Here’s the news!
Updated: Added links to the new store and a new video also released!
Laying down the groundwork
Since its announcement over a year and a half go, Combat Pilot has given us a series of developer updates showing off various work in progress assets and talking about some of the plans for the sim. One of the things that Executive Producer Jason Williams, a long time industry veteran, made clear right from the get go was that they were keen to start initial offerings as quickly as they could. Keeping in mind of course that starting a new combat flight sim from scratch against competitors that have 20+ year histories was going to be a challenge.
We’re inching towards that goal of an initial offering with a new video released by the team today. The video includes a roadmap of what they intend to offer in the coming months and years.
That will start with Carrier Qualifications which will not have a combat portion but will introduce aircraft and aircraft carriers. That will be followed by Air Combat which will introduce combat elements into the sim, Naval Warfare which will bring ships into the battle, and then culminate in a completed module called Midway Invasion.
After all of that has been completed, the team have future plans to then take the sim to the battles in the Solomon islands. Fighting in “The Slot” and at Guadalcanal were pivotal battles fought in the aftermath of Midway so having them tackle that after would let them draw on already created content and expand it outwards.
Patreon announcement
The other announcement is that Combat Pilot is now offering up a Patreon option for dedicated fans interested in financially backing the project. Patreon supporters will, varying by different tiers, gain access to exclusive behind the scenes content.
Users at the highest tier, a $25 a month commitment, will even be able to experience a test run of the software similar to what was on offer at FSExpo with some slight refinements. I should say that though I was very impressed by what I saw at the Expo, its no where near a refined experience so keep your expectations suitably adjusted. Still, if you have the ability and desire to support the product at that level it’s certainly a nice perk.
And of course Patreon is not a necessary thing at all, however, I know some diehard fans are looking to back the project and getting a combat flight sim project started from the ground up like this is costly and time consuming.
B-17 surprise
The last bit of the video contains a surprise announcement of a planned addition to the sim. A B-17! This is looking to be on offer in a similar vein as a Collector Plane in the IL-2 series as a separate future purchase. The B-17 model Jason reports is not theirs and was purchased to be part of the sim and that more details will come as to how this is all going to happen. Still, what we saw was a more or less something close to a complete 3D model of both interior and exterior.
As much as this project is probably even further afield from the Midway content itself, announcing this now is also something of a statement that Combat Pilot seeks to offer up experiences for a variety of combat flight simmers and that it won’t be a fighter pilot only sim. Bombers, torpedo bombers, dive bombers, are certainly on offer. Even recce aircraft like the Catalina have been discussed.
Combat Pilot in action video
I missed this yesterday but the team have put together a short cinematic showing off some graphical elements from Combat Pilot. Folding wings, carriers, flying around, clouds, and different lighting. Check it out!
The store is now available too
The Combat Pilot store is now up and running too with a link to their Patreon and they have a 2025 Calendar available for purchase as well. Check it out here!
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