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Thread: FSX Native B-25 Mitchell

  1. #51
    Okay, I posted about this already to this thread a couple days back, but then quickly took it down in-case it was felt inappropriate, but here goes again (hopefully it is okay)...

    As we are nearing completion of the development of the Warbirdsim P-39 (finishing texturing and coding), we have also been nearing the end of a multi-year "research and data recovery" phase ahead of developing a fully authentic B-25J simulation as the next project we will be tackling at Warbirdsim. Unlike the P-39, which has always been a struggle to get quite the level of information/resources we desire, we are very fortunate to have connections to a locally-based (practically next door) B-25J that flies regularly (as well as being one of the few with functioning top and tail turrets, bomb bay doors, and functioning bomb release), and have a close relationship to a few of the guys who originally restored and/or have flown the aircraft, providing great access to the aircraft and great information about not only flying the aircraft, and what it takes to maintain it, but also some great stories and details from the years it was under restoration. We have also been loaned several (huge!) maintenance and operational manuals for the B-25J/TB-25J/TB-25L/TB-25N series aircraft. (One of the manuals we have been loaned is just for the Bendix top turret alone, covering everything from maintenance to operation). Over the course of the last couple years I've also been fortunate to tour and take photographs at Aero Trader (the world-renown B-25 restorer) and their incredible storage yards (literally thousands of B-25 parts, sub-sections, and various un-restored airframes). With the local B-25J, we have also been able to document much needed specific dimensions, and of course have archived hundreds of detail photos. With the capabilities of FSX, we're looking at the feasibility of not only providing an authentic cockpit experience, but also to potentially provide the option to go anywhere throughout the aircraft (front and back), all in accurate/authentic detail. Both original production and post-WWII configurations are being considered, but this may or may not be limited to engine cowl, carb intake, armament, avionics, and graphics differences. As always, our biggest goal is to provide an as accurate as possible visual experience, and a lot of attention will be made to getting challenging areas like the nose, and overall proportions/design, fully accurate (we may or may not be able to secure some original blueprint drawings - though even without, there are methods we've used, such as with the P-39, in order to guarantee a very high level of accuracy).

    Obviously this is all just talk until we have something to show for it, but crossing our fingers that we'll be hitting the development of the B-25J, fast and furious, very soon. The B-25 has been a life-long interest of mine, even out-weighing that of my interest in the P-51, so I am of course very excited to finally get started putting this all together.

  2. #52
    Wow, wow, great news, John!

    Cheers,
    Mark
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  3. #53
    SOH-CM-2020 gman5250's Avatar
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  4. #54
    Great news! Only one question John: more or less when the P39 will be released?
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  5. #55
    Great news on the B-25J, but what I would really rather see is an early version B or C. Even have the manuals if someone is interested in doing one.

  6. #56
    Senior Administrator huub vink's Avatar
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    Its sure good to hear there most probably will be a FSX native B-25. But for me the special thing about the Vertigo B-25 is/was the fact that it depicted an early model. Therefore I really hope Vertigo is able to sort out their problems and finish this model, for which I am already waiting for more than three years!

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  7. #57
    Nice to hear the development plans from Warbirdsim! I'm really surprised that there are not too many bomber simulations for FSX that have every crewmember position represented in VC. So, good to hear you're planning it John. It's a massive amount of work, such a midsize bomber fully in detail, but you're very fortunate at having a real one 'on the desk'
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  8. #58
    Regarding the B-25B/C/D, I'm looking forward to the Vertigo model, and I don't want to be in a position that we're both doing the same variants - especially as there are also so many (hundreds of) differences between the early and late versions - it would be incredibly time-consuming to do all of them.

    One of the really cool things I got to do last year, was see the last surviving (true) B-25B in existence, up-close, inside and out, which is in private/restricted storage with Aero Trader. Consisting of just the fuselage and tail, this particular aircraft is only 3 serial numbers difference from the plane that Doolittle flew. Having been in and around a B-25J since the age of 2, it was really interesting to be looking into the rear of this B-25B and not only see the opening for the top turret in the rear fuselage as opposed to the front, but also the built-up opening for the ventral turret. At the same time, I also got to photograph one of the few remaining B-25C's, also in desert storage, and this particular one was used in the Twilight Zone episode that was somewhat based on the "Lady Be Good". Also, having toured Aero Trader's storage yard, it answered the question as to where all of the old J-model upper-engine short-stack exhausts wound up that were thrown-out from the Hayes conversions (when the exhaust ring collectors were added after WWII) - just absolutely hundreds of the things (more than could ever be needed!). When I was out there last year, I got to see the Planes of Fame Air Museum and their airshow, the Yanks Air Museum, the SoCal CAF Wing collection, and a few other warbird-related places, but being invited to tour Aero Trader's private B-25 storage yard was the definite highlight of the entire trip - I never could imagine that all of what they have still exists, unused/unrestored. Visiting Aero Trader, it was also interesting to learn about how, because the original Holly carbs are as rare as hens teeth these days, they've developed a way for a work-around where they are able to fit the original skinny carb intakes, so it has the right WWII-look, but still keep the Bendix-Stromberg carburetors internally.

    Quote Originally Posted by menef View Post
    Great news! Only one question John: more or less when the P39 will be released?
    I've stopped trying to predict that, I'm afraid. I work for a school district, and some months back it was really looking like the P-39 might very well be completed by around this time, as I had my summer off and completely free, with my standard three months off until the start of the next school year. However, as things tend to turn out, I ended up working quite a lot in late June, all of July, and into early August with some summer school programs, and so I wasn't able to get as much work in on the Airacobra as I had planned. Still, with every day it progresses. As my old friend Damian Radice would have said, I'm currently at the stage where it seems all I'm doing lately is adding a bunch of "dirt, ketchup and mustard" (weathering) to make everything look lived-in, as the base internal and external textures are getting nearer to completion (holding off showing any further previews until it's completed).

  9. #59
    Senior Administrator PRB's Avatar
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    As much as I would love to see VS'd B-25C completed, the thought of a WBS B-25J is also exciting. Right now we don't have either one, beyond the MAAM port, which is nice (MAAM, after all) but showing signs of age... John, your account of crawling around in a B-25C only a few serial number digits from Doolittle's planes is pretty special. Some years ago while wandering around the other end of the Chino airport, I stumbled upon a hangar inside of which they were rebuilding B-25 engines. One guy there took a few minutes to explain some of the things they were doing. Good stuff.
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  10. #60
    This is some of the most fantastic news that I've seen posted here, for sometime!

    +1 John!

    Very good news for B-25 fans. Super! Super! Super!

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  11. #61
    Member trucker17's Avatar
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    Awesome news John.
    Thanks.
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  12. #62
    Quote Originally Posted by mal998 View Post
    Great news on the B-25J, but what I would really rather see is an early version B or C.
    You and me both. I always liked the early Mitchells better. Then again, the B and C are very different from each other as well, so one could do a C while the other does a C (Especially if one does the Doolittle Raid Bs, since they vary in exhaust stacks, bombsight, fuel tanks, armor, armament and more). Still, any variant of a B-25 made specifically for FSX woud be just perfect.

  13. #63
    I'm really looking forward to the P-39. I've always liked it. It's so different from most other fighters.
    And a high quality B-25...fantastic!

  14. #64


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  15. #65
    Bomber_12, you can count me as a confirmed customer whenever this gets released. You have made me (and I'm sure all of us) very excited!

  16. #66
    Im sold, im just after a D or a J both would be great but.......

  17. #67
    This is fantastic news John... hoping for a "J" Gunship in the mix!!!








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  18. #68
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    I'll second the J gunship.
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  19. #69
    Yep, the gunship-J will be covered in addition to the glass-nose J variant(s).

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  20. #70
    Quote Originally Posted by Bomber_12th View Post
    Yep, the gunship-J will be covered in addition to the glass-nose J variant(s).
    John, you be 'da man'!!!! Can't tell you how much i'm looking forward to this;-)
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  21. #71
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    Icon5 New B-25 of Vertigo

    Hello,
    The screenshots of the new development are very promising, at least for FSX-users.
    However I (and a fast growing number of users), using Prepar3D version 4, would like very much a version for that version. In practice it appears that quite a lot of so called native FSX aircraft do not work in P3D V4. Can Vertigo say something about this?
    reg.,
    Piet de Geus
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  22. #72
    degeus, this thread about the B25 is 2 years old, hasn't been any other news about the project since then, sadly.

  23. #73
    Ahhh, I thought this emerges now after all that waiting. 2017 was good to us prop heads, and a B-25 would have been the icing on the cake. But I know it will surface one day.


    Cheers,
    Mark
    My scenery development galleries:
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    Solomon 1943 V2 Open beta download: http://www.sim-outhouse.com/download...on-1943-V2.zip
    Solomon 1943 V2 update 2013-02-05 download: http://www.sim-outhouse.com/download...2013-02-05.zip


    Current Project: DHC-4 / C-7a Caribou by Tailored Radials
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  24. #74
    Boy, we're getting an early and late B-25s from a couple of outstanding developers! I have a few of the WBS P-51s and love the detail put into the look and sound of them. My favorite is the Cripes 'a Mighty restored version and the version of it as it was during WWII. They really brought out the polish on the aluminum! (And it's neat to fly something I saw during EAA!) VS as well. They haven't disappointed me yet! (Except by not making a Cougar to go with their Panther! ) Their sounds are great and they really nailed the look of a glossy sea blue plane! The Panther and Bearcat are my most flown of their planes that I own. Oh AND a P-39 is coming soon! Looks like I'm going to be broke soon....Again.

  25. #75
    VS is out of business. Pretty sure. Would like to hear more from John though on the WBS project!
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