05 January 2021
The manual is currently being compiled for the upcoming release of the F-15 Eagle for FS2020 so we're nearly there! Here are just a few shots that we thought you'd like to see, these along with many others will help form the manual. Noteworthy specifically is the first shot showing the animated WSO in the back seat as you’re looking around the ejector seat. When occupying that rear seat, you can see the pilot looking around as they’re flying the aircraft, it’s hugely immersive in VR! And something only possible until now in DCS we believe. And of course enjoy the other shots too...
23 December 2020
A final development update for you to end the year - All of the F-15 Eagle variants are now flying and working in the simulator, with fully functioning cockpits and all ordnance displaying via the simulator's dynamic payload editor. The F-15C Eagle is the air-superiority variant, with the F-15D the fully combat-capable trainer version.
The F-15E Strike Eagle and its Israeli counterpart, the F-15I, are the ground attack / strike variants, with conformal fuel tanks and a much heavier combat load-out available.
Cockpit night-lighting is underway, with the F-15E complete and the F-15C not far behind. Testing is now moving to aerodynamics as the builds are completed. Custom sounds via WWise will be the last step, allowing more varied sound options to accompany the custom sound set created for the Eagles. While supersonic flight is not yet possible in Microsoft Flight Simulator due to their hard-coded limit for "Modern" flight models, that is the only barrier - the Eagles should all be capable of Mach 2.5 once the barrier is removed.
Work will continue over the next week or so to add polish and sort tweaks with a view to having everything ready as early as possible in January 2021. Roll-on that time. No pun intended. Enjoy these shots.
23 November 2020
Further improvements have been made to the MSFS version of the F-15 Eagles, with the implementation of ordnance selection via the in-sim loadout page. This allows the user to dynamically change the weight of relevantly named stations, and see the ordnance appear there along with dynamically increased aircraft weight.
All external textures have been increased to 4K resolution, and the paint kit has also been altered to match. The virtual cockpits now have active MFD screens displaying all important flight information, as well as a dynamic weapons loadout screen that matches the user's ordnance selection.
Even when heavily laden, the Strike Eagle is still a formidable aircraft with high performance throughout the flight envelope. The various improvements can all be seen in these latest screenshots.
16 November 2020
Not too far off completion now, the DC Designs F-15 Eagles for Microsoft Flight simulator are being modified to take advantage of the new simulator's effects, such as dynamic rainfall on the canopy glass. Some effects created by DC Designs will remain however, such as the "G-Vapour" effects above the wings when performing high-G manoeuvers, and of course the modelled and animated afterburner flames. One major change is the way that stores will be presented. These will now be selectable in the simulator's main menu via the "External Fuel" and "Station Loads": this method ensures both dynamically loading stores, but also includes the extra benefit of including the weight of those stores upon the airplane - the F-15E Strike Eagle when fully-laden will handle very differently to the F-15C at its lightest combat weight.
Here are some new images, one shot shows external weapons but no fuel tank, for maximum combat manoeuverabilty. There's a shot showing off the G-Force - low-pressure vapour effect over the wings and min-burner flames in the exhaust cans and the final shot shows the rainfall effect in action on the Eagle's canopy.
10 November 2020
Here are the first set of shots showing off how the F-15 C, E & I Eagle is shaping up in Flight Simulator. You can see how so many of the model's features are used to the best extent here including the full PBR texturing sytem and much more including authentic night lighting, user-operated 'slime lights' for combat operations, custom animated afterburner flames and sonic shockwave effects, custom-coded air intake animations based on aircraft airspeed and angle of attack, selectable weapons load-outs, and optional pilots in the virtual cockpit.
We'll be showing off more shots and giving more detail as the release date approaches. Enjoy these shots for now!
