The Combat Pilot team is making progress on a variety of different aspects of their new sim and in this latest update we’re seeing a bunch of new assets. They are also dealing with the passing of their lead modeler. Let’s dig into it.

Loss of a team member

About two weeks ago, we learned via Executive Producer Jason Williams that Combat Pilot’s lead modeller, Tamás Mart had passed away after a short battle with an illness.

It’s with a heavy heart that I must announce that yesterday, our dear friend and Lead Modeler Tamás Mart, passed away after a very serious, but short illness. Tom’s passing is a complete shock to the Combat Pilot team and to his other colleagues at Team Fusion and to the flight-sim community at large, especially the Hungarian combat flight-sim community. He leaves behind a wife and young son. This has hit us like a ton of bricks. He had learned very recently that his illness appeared to be treatable and he would continue on with his work. We were extremely relieved with this diagnosis and Tamás was in good spirts, but then in an almost an instant he was gone. Tamás is survived by his lovely and wife (who is also an artist) and young son. We have offered them any help they require in this difficult time. Along with his family, we are in state of mourning.  

Jason reported in the messaging that Tamás had quite a lengthy legacy with the flight simming community having contributed significantly to the Combat Pilot team but also before that as a member of Team Fusion Simulations. He worked on the updated Bf109 cockpit, built the Bf110C-6 and Fw190, did textures for the Spitfire cockpit and completed the Hurricane Mark II and Bf108 cockpits. Just to mention a few.

Suffice to say that his work for Team Fusion and then contributing to Combat Pilot was a big part of both projects. The loss is tremendous and surely shocking to the team.

Jason has a heartfelt post about the loss here. My condolences go out to the Combat Pilot team and, of course, Tamás’ family.

A look at assets

Moving on from sadder news to slightly more encouraging news on the project, Developer Diary 14 is focused on various 3D assets in development. Up above we have the Type 98 sight for the A6M2.

There are also progress on M3 3-inch Anti-Aircraft Gun and towed ‘spider’ mount.

Modeling work is also complete on motor launches, boats and rafts of which I’ve covered just a few here.

All of these are tangentially related to the aircraft but very important to fill out the world of Combat Pilot and help to make for an immersive experience.

Check out many more work in progress images with the latest developer diary!

Combat Pilot will be at FSExpo 2025

Jason has also just confirmed that Combat Pilot will be at FSExpo this year. Held in Providence, Rhode Island, the Combat Pilot team are planning to have a couple of cockpit setups in place for the event and attendees will be able to try the latest builds of Combat Pilot: Carrier Qualification.

More about their plans here!