Dear friends,

We have just released update 5.507, which improves and fixes the following:

1. Stalingrad, Normandy and Rhineland maps texturing optimized for better video memory usage, texture mapping errors fixed;
2. Flying Circus Career: German pilots are issued parachutes since January 1918;
3. Career: fixed a bug in Armed Reconnaissance missions where the pilots from the player's group were not defending against enemy attacks;
4. Career: fixed a bug in transport escort missions when transport planes were far away from the player's airfield (runway start mission option);
5. Career: corrected II/KG.51 progression in the third phase of the Bodenplatte module career;
6. Career: corrected taxiing routes of Deanland and Chailey airfields (Normandy map);
7. Career: fixed a bug with dropping wing bombs on Mosquito bombers in Intruder missions;.
8. Career: fixed bug in transport missions in Bodenplatte module career from December 26, 1944, when the mission point was placed outside the map;
9. Career: corrected conditions for getting British awards (Distinguished Flying Medal, Bar to the Distinguished Flying Medal, Second Bar to the Distinguished Flying Medal, Distinguished Flying Cross, Bar to the Distinguished Flying Cross, Second Bar to the Distinguished Flying Cross);
10. Updated the historical campaigns “Hawks over the Bulge” (16th mission) and “Lightning Strikes” (22nd mission);
11. Sopwith Strutter and Sopwith Strutter B: fixed cockpit compass animations;
12. Sopwith Strutter: animated bomb release handles in the cockpit;
13. Albatros D.Va: added missing trigger for the second machine gun;
14. Fokker D.VIIF: fixed a bug with the visual disappearance of the right stabilizer strut;
15. P-39L-1: fixed cracked windshield texture bug;
16. Ju-88C-6: altimeter corrected;
17. Fixed physical models of coastal batteries bf_n_batterybig_block and bf_n_batterymid_block;
18. Tournament liveries in red, blue, green and yellow colors are available for P-38J-25, Spitfire Mk.XIVe and Bf 109G6AS (they are in the Custom Paint Schemes section);
19. Added new visual pointer objects (animated ring and arrow) for air races.

Dear friends,

Today we will continue to tell you about the development of our new module - Odessa and Leningrad - Siege and Liberation. Last time we told you about the development of the Odessa map, today we will show you how the development of the Gulf of Finland map is going. The Gulf of Finland map has been developed for a long time by a group of enthusiasts from Finland, and a lot has been done during this time. The realization of the landscape and map scenes on the Finnish side of the Gulf is almost complete, and a unique visual style of both surface textures and building models has been created. The nature and architecture of the north have a significant impact on the appearance of the landscapes of these places, and all of this is taken into account in the new map.

The size of the new map is 204 x 277 kilometers, or 56 thousand square kilometers. The following has already been implemented on the Finnish side:

• Large city: Vyborg
  
• Small towns: 5
  
• Villages: 150
  
• Sea ports: 8
  
• River ports: 3
  
• Bridges: 480
  
• Aerodromes: 20

To create a scene for the Finnish side of the map, the Finnish development team created completely new building models in a style appropriate to the terrain, as follows:

• Rural and urban houses: 309
  
• Unique buildings: 10
  
• New airfield buildings: 10
  
• Assemblies of building blocks of various shapes and layouts for map development: 184

We have also prepared buildings and building blocks for the development of the central part of Leningrad.

In May, we plan to start developing the Soviet (southern) side of the map, as well as the city of Leningrad, which is located at the intersection of these two regions. We plan to finish this work by the end of the fall, as well as the development of all planes of "Siege and Liberation", as well as the modes of the pilot's career, which are planned to be implemented in 4 timeframes (1941 and 1944 on each of the two maps).

Speaking of airplanes, we wanted to tell you more about them today. So, about the planes of 1941:

I-153 "Chaika" (Seagull). It was a biplane fighter designed by the Polikarpov Design Bureau, a version with an enlarged oil tank, whose serial production began in November 1939. The aircraft was equipped with M-62 and M-63 (as a modification) engines. The undercarriage and landing gear release system was pneumatic, which distinguished it from another Polikarpov Design Bureau model, the I-16. Armament consisted of 4 synchronized 7.62 mm SHKAS machine guns, or (as a modification) one 12.7 mm UBS machine gun and two 7.62 mm SHKAS machine guns. The aircraft could carry up to 8 82 mm ROS-82 unguided rockets and two 50 kg bombs. It could also carry four 50 kg FAB-50 bombs or two 100 kg FAB-100 bombs, making it a good option for attack missions at the time.

LaGG-3 of the 4th series. A fighter jointly designed by Lavochkin, Gorbunov, and Gurevich and produced in June-July 1941. Early modifications of the LaGG are characterized by the presence of two 7.62 mm ShKAS machine guns in the engine cowling, in addition to the 20 mm ShVAK cannon and the synchronized 12.7 mm UBS machine gun. In addition, the aircraft can be armed with eight 82 mm ROS-82 rockets. It was not armed with bombs. It was equipped with an unboosted M-105P engine, five fuel tanks, retractable landing gear, and hydraulically operated landing flaps.

Yak-1 of the 23rd series. The Yakovlev Design Bureau fighter was produced in June-July 1941. It differed from later modifications by more complex glazing of the canopy, which provided better visibility, as well as a slightly different design of the landing gear flaps. It was powered by the M-105P engine. A variant (modification) was the M-105PA engine with a modified carburetor and special control of the maximum boost. Early production aircraft did not have radios fitted, but could be equipped with them (for us this will also be a modification). The undercarriage and landing gear release system is pneumatic. Armament is standard for the Yak-1: 20 mm ShVAK automatic cannon, two 7.62 mm synchronized ShKAS machine guns, and up to six ROS-82 rockets can be carried.

Bf 109 E-4 "Emil". A German all-metal monoplane fighter designed by Willy Messerschmitt. The E-4 variant went into production in the spring of 1940. The aircraft was equipped with the Daimler-Benz DB-601Aa engine, and a variant (modification) of the DB-601N engine running on 100-octane gasoline was also installed. The plane's flaps had a mechanical chain-driven exhaust system, and the landing gear had a hydraulic system. The stabilizer of the aircraft was repositionable, which facilitated control at different speeds. Armament consisted of two 20 mm MG-FF/M drum-fed short-barreled wing cannons and two synchronized 7.92 mm MG-17 machine guns. The aircraft could carry bomb armament on special pylons - one 250 kg bomb or four 50 kg bombs.

New aircraft for the 1944 timeframe, developed for the Defense and Liberation project, are also represented by four new models:

La-7 series 1. Compared to the last La-5FN series, the Lavochkin Design Bureau aircraft produced in May-June 1944 had longer landing gear struts and, most importantly, significantly improved aerodynamics: the oil cooler was moved under the fuselage and the carburetor intake was placed in the wing root. The M-82FN engine, armament (two synchronized 20 mm ShVAK cannons and the ability to carry two bombs), airframe, and cockpit design remained the same. As a result of these changes, the plane obtained a 30-40 km/h higher maximum speed, and the rest of the flight characteristics were also slightly improved. One modification was the fitting of three synchronized 20 mm B-20 cannons.

Yak-3 series 9. An aircraft of the Yakovlev Design Bureau, a continuation of the Yak-1 fighter development. Serial production of this aircraft began in May 1944. The aircraft was equipped with the M-105PF2 engine with slightly improved performance characteristics, and its aerodynamics underwent significant changes: the oil cooler was moved to the centerline, and the carburetor intake, as on the La-7, was moved to the wing root. The wing was modernized - its area was reduced. In general, as a result of all the improvements, the takeoff weight was reduced by 300 kg, the speed increased by 30-40 km/h, and other characteristics were also improved.

IL-2 mod. 1944. By the end of 1943, the Ilyushin Design Bureau had worked to improve the stability characteristics of its attack aircraft. Earlier versions of the aircraft had a very low stability margin in the longitudinal channel, and to solve this problem, the wing was significantly modernized, receiving a small sweep of 15° along the leading edge, which shifted the aerodynamic center of gravity to the rear. This normalized the stability and handling characteristics. The new wing was again all-metal, which had a positive effect on the performance and combat survivability of the aircraft. The new wing carried only four rails for unguided rockets and could no longer be equipped with 37 mm cannons.

The Junkers Ju 87 D-5 "Stuka" was one of the most advanced modifications of the famous aircraft, which went into production in the summer of 1943. The D-5 variant received a wing with increased span and area, which was necessary to reduce wing loading. Two 20 mm MG-151/20 wing cannons with 500 rounds each were installed instead of the normal machine guns. This variant could also be equipped with a Stuvi 5B sight (as a modification). There was a modification with a more powerful Jumo 211P engine. As on the earlier Ju 87 D-3, which had a G-1 modification with 37 mm cannons, on the D-5 there was a G-2 modification with BK 37 cannons. They even added a landing gear jettison system for emergency landings on land and water. Interestingly, as the war progressed, the installation of sirens on Ju 87s of later modifications was abandoned.

The development of "Odessa and Leningrad - Siege and Liberation" continues. We expect to be able to complete this work during 2025. It is planned to launch pre-order and early access when the first map ("Odessa") will be in a sufficient state of readiness for it - at least three out of eight planned aircraft should be ready at that time as well.

Stay tuned!

Hello everyone!

Today's Dev Blog is dedicated to the development progress of the Defense and Liberation module, which will be the main innovation of 2025 for IL2 Great Battles. It will be the biggest we have ever created for the project, because if everything goes according to plan, it will include not one, but two maps (Odessa and Gulf of Finland), 4 pilot careers (1941 and 1944 on each of the two maps), and 8 aircraft.

The map of Odessa is already in a high state of completion (here you can see its topographic map, but please note that clicking on this map image would download a big 24Mb file[s-dt2.cloud.edgecore.ru]). The development of the Gulf of Finland map, which is being worked on by a team of Finnish enthusiasts called KarttaKomppania, is also well advanced. Pre-production work on the pilot career mode for both maps began last year, and development will be in full swing this year.

[s-dt2.cloud.edgecore.ru]Three of the seven aircraft are now complete, both visually and physically, and the others are in some stage of completion. The current plan is to launch pre-order and early access in late spring 2025, with a full release at the end of the year - we will only open pre-orders when we are fully confident that everything is going according to plan. In any case, we can show you the screenshots of the finished aircraft today.

Due to the fact that German aircraft are well represented in Great Battles (of course, there are much more of them than Soviet or Allied aircraft since they are included in every module), the emphasis in this Eastern Front module will be on Soviet aircraft. However, there will also be new modifications of the German aircraft - the Messerschmitt Bf 109 E-4 fighter (for the 1941 timeframe) and the Ju 87 D-5 dive bomber (for 1944). The Soviet aircraft are I-153 "Chaika", LaGG-3 series 4, Yak-1 series 23 for 1941 and Il-2 mod. 1944 with swept wing and the legendary Yak-3 series 9 and La-7 series 1 for the late stage of the war.

We also want to show you a picture of a part of Odessa, which has a whole story behind it - the location of a concealed airfield at the Chubaevsky lot (it is 5th Fontanskaya Station at modern times), which the Odessa residents prepared themselves and which the Romanian forces never discovered before they conquered the city. In mid-September 1941 the ring around Odessa was narrowed to a critical size, the regimental airfield was under constant fire, and Soviet pilots suffered many losses. A new airfield was created at the intersection of Fontanskaya Street and Admiralsky Avenue - a runway for fighter planes was built on the avenue. Women and teenagers performed a huge amount of work in just one week. The airfield was covered with camouflage nets so that the planes would not be visible to the enemy from the air and 69th IAP, which later participated in the Battle of Stalingrad, was stationed there. You can spot this airfield on the right of this screenshot.

Please follow our Dev Blog - we will continue to report on the progress of work on the new module.

{LINK REMOVED}We would like to remind you that second round of the duel online tournament will take place tomorrow, Saturday 22nd. Tournament table: {LINK REMOVED}https://tinyurl.com/562v5afc As in the first round, the coordination of flights at the tournament will be done on the official IL-2 TeamSpeak server (address: 65.108.206.8 password: il2series). If you're participating in the second round, please check your email and confirm the time slot if you haven't done so already!

In addition, we're collecting questions for the next video Dev Brief about the Korea. Il2 Series. If you have questions about the IL-10 ground attack plane, please submit them here: https://forms.gle/YqEeM3BmEipCN2v5A

This patch fixes the custom difficulty option Allow Spectators in multiplayer servers created from within the game and singleplayer, and also corrects minor text issues.

Dear friends,

Today we have published a new update, version 5.506. A new historical campaign has been released - more about it below, as well as a number of fixes and improvements to the game:

Update 5.506

1. Added new payware historical campaign Iron Wind for the Battle for Stalingrad module telling the story of a Soviet fighter pilot flying one of the first La-5 series 8 aircraft;
   
2. Bf 109 F-4: fixed the issue of lack of ammunition in some combinations of prohibited and allowed modifications in Pilot's Career mode;
   
3. Bf 109 F-4: engine modification with increased engine time in emergency mode is available since 1942, accordingly changed modification name and fixed availability of modification in career mode for player and AI pilots;
   
4. AllowSpectators option for a dedicated server has been split into two independent options AllowExtCamPlayer and AllowExtCamSpectator: the first one works similarly to the old one, while the second one allows only the spectators to use free camera and external views;
   
5. Added a single mission scenario for the Spitfire Mk. IXc;
   
6. Updated the campaigns Gestapo Hunters (1st mission), Hell Hawks over the Bulge (16th mission) and Lightning Strikes (all missions);
   
7. Reduced the difficulty level in the 11th mission of the Ice Ring campaign;
   
8. Added Spanish translation of the “Gestapo Hunters” campaign thanks to EN69_Cananas;
   
9. WWII Career mode: added new patrol mission subtype Frontline Patrol;
   
10. WWII Career mode: added new patrol mission subtype Bomber area patrol;
    
11. USSR and Allies Career mode: added new patrol mission subtype Top cover;
    
12. Career mode: fixed an error when a train with anti-aircraft flatcars did not activate;
    
13. Career mode: fixed an issue with transport planes flying into mountains in transport interception missions;
    
14. Gleaves class destroyers main guns' ammunition has been corrected according to historical sources: 330 HE + 30 AP rounds per gun;
    
15. Fixed LCI ship damage model (it was nearly impossible to destroy).

The main feature of the new historical campaign Iron Wind is a detailed reconstruction of the most important events of the Battle of Stalingrad, not previously covered in the campaigns Blazing Steppe and Fortress on the Volga set in the same theater of war.


By the end of the summer of 1942, the balance on the Eastern Front had shifted back in favor of Nazi Germany and its allies. After inflicting several heavy defeats on the Red Army, the enemy advanced rapidly in an attempt to break through to the Caucasian oil fields and Stalingrad. On August 23, the forward troops of the XIV Panzer Corps of the 6th Field Army of Army Group "B" reached the northern outskirts of the city. A massive bombardment of Stalingrad began, while the German 4th Panzer Army fought its way from the southwest, smashing the defenses. The city seemed lost.

On August 19, the 287th Fighter Aviation Division arrived at the Stalingrad Front to join the 8th Air Army and arrange the repeated military tests of the newest La-5 fighters. As a senior pilot and then as a flight commander of the 27th Fighter Aviation Regiment, you will take part in the most intense and dramatic episodes of the defense of the city. The pilots of the 287th Aviation Division had to do battle with superior enemy forces from the very beginning in order pass the most difficult stage of the battle of Stalingrad with honor.

Timeframe: August 24th – October 28th, 1942
Unit: 27th IAP of 287th IAD
Available aircraft: La-5 series 8
Duration: 15 missions
Average playtime: 8 hours
Author: Alexander =BlackSix= Timoshkov

The story is based on the most up-to-date research and archives data and can be divided into three large parts. The beginning of the story centers around the Soviet command's first attempts to stop the enemy's breakthrough to the Volga River and repulse the devastating Luftwaffe bomber raids on Stalingrad in late August that razed the city to the ground.

The middle of the campaign is focused on the first German assault on the city during early Fall. Numerous air battles with Romanian I.A.R. 80-A and 80-B fighters are waiting for you: their massed use at the Stalingrad front started just at this time.

Then the story will move to October 1942. Having been promoted to the rank and the long-awaited position of a flight commander, you will take part in the decisive battles that unfolded during the third and final assault on Stalingrad launched by the enemy. The total lack of aircraft in the VVS regiments and the dominance of Luftwaffe in the air became a real test for Soviet pilots.


The campaign is available with a 15% OFF release discount:

https://store.steampowered.com/app/3398320/

The campaign requires the Battle of Stalingrad module and La-5 series 8 Collectors Plane (it is included in the Battle of Stalingrad Premium Edition[il2sturmovik.com] on our website and the Battle of Stalingrad Deluxe bundle on Steam).


We are also pleased to remind you that the previously announced online 1 vs 1 duel tournament begins this Saturday, February 15th. We invite all participants to reply to the e-mail sent to them if you haven't already done so.

Communication during the tournament will be conducted on the official IL-2 TeamSpeak server (please install[teamspeak.com] this utility in advance if you haven't used it before):
address: 65.108.206.8
password: il2series

After receiving confirmations from the participants, we will form duel pairs randomly and publish the preliminary order of fights for Saturday.

Dear friends,

Today we have published another update 5.505. It brings a new interesting campaign which is somewhat unique - more about it below, and there are also improvements and fixes as usual. Here's the update changelist:

Update 5.505

1. The Gestapo Hunters scripted campaign has been released;
   
2. Bf 110 G-2, Bf 109 F-4, Bf 109 G-2: added the modification "1943 produced engine" with up to 3 minutes emergency mode time;
   
3. Bf 109 G-6 Late and Bf 109 G-6AS: emergency mode time increased to 3 minutes;
   
4. P-39L-1: "Engine V-1710-63 (1943)" modification was added reflecting improvements in the engine design that allowed to increase the emergency modes time (up to 5 minutes at 3000 rpm and 60 pressure);
   
5. Fixed a bug with APHE shells introduced in the previous patch (they could destroy a target without actually piercing its armor);
   
6. Career: fixed a bug in attack aircraft interception missions where the mission point was always placed in a same location if the player's airfield is located far from the front line;
   
7. Career: some of the transport planes in airborne operation interception missions won't be generated invulnerable;
   
8. Normandy Career: enemy units won't appear outside the artillery spotting grid;
   
9. Normandy Career: fixed a bug in artillery spotting missions where a route point was generated on the coast;
   
10. Normandy Career: re-generating ships in Mulberry harbor won't cause their balloons to collide;
    
11. Normandy Career: corrected AA fire density in the landing zone attack and bombardment missions;
    
12. Normandy Career: the player group won't attack a landing zone for too long in landing zone attack and bombardment missions;
    
13. Normandy Career: enemy attack aircraft won't head to the corner of the map in landing zone attack and bombardment missions;
    
14. Airco D.H.2: missing photo in the cockpit added;
    
15. Albatros D.3: missing photo in the cockpit added.

The new campaign Gestapo Hunters, as mentioned above, is a new experience: it is the first official campaign on the Mosquito fighter/bomber and has a voiced navigator! You won't be flying over occupied Europe alone. Let's go about it in detail.

Number 464 Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force began service in England as an Article XV light bomber squadron equipped with American made Ventura bombers in December of 1942. The original cadre of the squadron was mostly composed of personnel from Australia and New Zealand, but due to attrition and combat losses, they were a mixed lot by the time they were re-equipped with the Mosquito Mk VI Fighter-Bomber in October of 1943. They executed day and night Intruder missions into France and the Netherlands where they specialized in precision low level bombing attacks deep behind enemy lines. Due to their high speed, they usually flew without fighter escort and relied on their high speed to evade enemy interception. They soon earned the informal nickname 'The Gestapo Hunters' due to their frequent attacks on SS occupied headquarters locations.

In this campaign you and your navigator will fly a mix of precision daylight bombing and night intruder missions. You will fly in formation on larger operations, but you will be on your own for some of the missions, as the pilots soon discovered that it was difficult at best to stay close to their companions in the dark of night. 464 Squadron’s tactics evolved as the Allied invasion of occupied France neared, and you will experience this first hand on D-Day and beyond.

The Mosquito MkVI fighter-bomber was a 2-place airplane, and the pilot and navigator worked closely together to complete the mission assignments. To depict this interaction, audio tracks for the navigator have been included providing voice prompts and directions during flight. These were recorded by Phil "Philthy" Vabre and we thank him for his contribution, which should add a note of authenticity that would not have otherwise been possible.

This is a historically based campaign depicting real events; however, the number of planes and the location of various targets have been altered to improve the player’s experience. The Mosquito was a long-range light bomber capable of flying to Berlin and back without drop tanks, so the 3 or 4 hour missions that were typically flown will be much shorter than they truly were. To improve your perception, it is recommended that you turn off the ambient light in your flying space during the night intruder missions unless you are using VR.

Timeframe: January through July, 1944
Unit: RAAF No. 464 Squadron, 140 Wing, RAF
Aircraft: Mosquito FB Mk VI
Duration: 12 Missions
Average Playtime: 15 Hours
Author: James =Jaegermeister= Yarbrough

This Campaign requires Battle of Normandy to play.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/3398310/

And we're glad to announce that the winter sale has started on our website il2sturmovik.com! Take advantage of the huge discounts some of which are the biggest ever to this day - for instance, Battle of Normandy is 75% OFF! Get ready for the holidays in style!

Hey everyone! Flying Circus Volume IV is now available for purchase on Steam and is currently discounted by 20% through December 4

Dear Friends,

We're glad to report that Flying Circus Vol.IV is scheduled to be released next week.

The team working on the Odessa map for the next Great Battles module is also making good progress - more and more settlements are being recreated. On these WIP screenshots, you can see the cities and towns in the area in 1941: Kotovsk, Rybnitsa, Chisinau, Grigoriopol, and Jassy.

And here are the first in-game shots (WIP since the cockpit is not ready yet) of the aircraft many have been waiting for - the I-153 Chaika, which will be included in the same module.

Dear friends,

Today we would like to show you new screenshots of the new module in development. It is planned to include two maps instead of one, Odessa and Karelia, and a number of aircraft suitable for various operations.

On the Karelia map screenshots you can see the port of Kotka and the islands where the two main airfields of the Soviet Baltic Fleet Air Force (VVS KBF) were located: Lavansaari (asphalt airfield) and Seiskari (grass airfield).

Kotka was one of the most bombed places in Finland because it was an important military port for the German Kriegsmarine and the main base for guarding, defending and repairing the sea minefields that trapped the Soviet Baltic Fleet in Leningrad. As the pressure from the Soviet Navy and Air Force increased in 1943, Kotka was protected by about 30 Bf 109 G-2 Messerschmitt fighters bought from Germany and later by the infamous German cruiser Niobe, which was sunk by the Soviet Air Force in July 1944.

Here's a short video made by the Finnish team KarttaKomppania that is developing the map - it shows an air raid over Kotka Harbor.

Among the new aircraft is the Yak-3 series 9 fighter. The artists are currently working on its textures and cockpit.

The Odessa map covers almost all of modern Moldova and small parts of Ukraine and Romania. Since our May Dev Blog about this map, more than 200 medium and small settlements have been added, the transportation network including all roads, railways and their corresponding bridges is finished. We're currently working on the terrain textures and rebuilding the airfields on the map as historically accurate as possible. More than 100 small settlements in Moldova will be added as well.

In other news: we have updated our user agreement on the website - the Schedule No. 3 has been clarified.