PTaylor's WebLog

Available "True FSX" Freeware Aircraft Add-ons and FSX

Lately the chorus of voices complaining about lack of add-ons for FSX has stopped complaining about payware add-ons because the aircraft, airports, and scenery add-ons have really multiplied in the last few months. I have linked to more than a few of these on my blog as well.

Now, the chorus seems to have focused on freeware. There have been claims there is a lack of freeware aircraft available for FSX. So let’s just look at “true” FSX freeware aircraft, where “true” is defined as “Models actually compiled with the FSX SDK”. That is a subset of what is available. These aircraft will have a number of advantages:

1) Faster frame rate
2) Full compatibility with DX10
3) FSX detail / special effects enhancements

So that is a worthy metric.

To determine if a model was built with the FSX SDK, use a file viewer or hex editor to look at the file. Near the beginning of the file, you should see the characters "MDLXMDLH" if it's an FSX model. An FS2002/2004 model will show "MDL8MDLH" or something else,

Using the thread “True FSX Planes” at Sim-Outhouse and working periodically over the Labor Day Weekend, I come up with 55 (yes more than 4 dozen) FSX freeware aircraft (See Note 1):

1) F-5A Freedom Fighter

http://www.sim-outhouse.com/index.php?lloc=downloads&loc=downloads&page=info&FileID=10427

Must have earlier zip for air file

2) Cessna 177RG

http://www.sim-outhouse.com/index.php?lloc=downloads&loc=downloads&page=info&FileID=10522

3) OV-10 Bronco

http://www.sim-outhouse.com/index.php?lloc=downloads&loc=downloads&page=info&FileID=10525

4) Hondajet

http://www.simviation.com/cgi-bin/syb2.cgi?section=jets&file=HONDA_JET_FSX.zip

5) Mitsubishi T-2

http://www.sim-outhouse.com/index.php?lloc=downloads&loc=downloads&page=info&FileID=10699

6) Howard DGA-15P

http://www.fsxaddons.com/file/view/24/howard-dga-15p.aspx

7) Piper Archer-III

http://www.fsxaddons.com/file/view/240/piper-archer-iii.aspx

8) Grumman OV-1 B/C/D Mohawk

http://www.sim-outhouse.com/index.php?loc=downloads&FileType=fsx&page=downloads&Category=aircraft#download

9) Piper PA-28-RT Turbo Arrow III

http://library.avsim.net/esearch.php?DLID=120002&CatID=fsxac

10) North American Aviation Navion

http://www.fsdownload.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=971&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0

11) Lublin R.XIII

http://library.avsim.net/esearch.php?DLID=121136?CatID=fsxac

12) Saab J-29 Tunnan

http://www.sim-outhouse.com/index.php?lloc=downloads&loc=downloads&page=info&FileID=11660

13) RWD-14 Czapla

http://www.sim-outhouse.com/index.php?loc=downloads&FileType=fsx&page=downloads&Category=aircraft#download

hotfix

http://www.sim-outhouse.com/index.php?loc=downloads&FileType=fsx&page=downloads&Category=aircraft#download

14) Curtiss Jenny

http://simhangar.com/main/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=32&Itemid=34

To install Curtiss Jenny in Microsoft Flight Simulator X, you will need Flight Simulator 2004 version

15) RWD-8

http://www.sim-outhouse.com/index.php?lloc=downloads&loc=downloads&page=info&FileID=11776

RWD-8 expansion pack: http://www.sim-outhouse.com/index.php?loc=downloads&FileType=fsx&page=downloads&Category=aircraft#download

16) Boeing F4B-4

http://www.simviation.com/cgi-bin/syb2.cgi?section=vintage&file=F4Bfx.zip

17) Bristol Beaufighter

http://www.sim-outhouse.com/index.php?lloc=downloads&loc=downloads&page=info&FileID=11831

18) Yak 141

http://simviation.com/simviation/download.php?ID=184

19) Yak 130

http://simviation.com/simviation/download.php?ID=183

20) BAC 167

http://simviation.com/simviation/download.php?ID=239

21) Curtiss Junior

http://www.simviation.com/cgi-bin/syb2.cgi?section=vintage&file=CW1vX.zip

22) Northrop XP-56 Black Bullet

http://www.sim-outhouse.com/index.php?lloc=downloads&loc=downloads&page=info&FileID=11834

23) Aeronca Chief

http://simviation.com/simviation/download.php?ID=250

24) RNZAF CT-4E

http://www.airforce.mil.nz/gallery/download/airtrainerdownload.htm

25) Stinson 108

http://fsnorthwest.net/index.php?ind=downloads&op=entry_view&iden=64

26) 707-420

http://www.simviation.com/simviation/download.php?ID=608

27) Gee Bee Model Z "City of Springfield"

http://simviation.com/simviation/download.php?ID=922

28) Spartan Executive

http://fsnorthwest.net/index.php?ind=downloads&op=entry_view&iden=82

29) Monsted Vincent MV1

http://www.sim-outhouse.com/index.php?loc=downloads&FileType=fsx&page=downloads&Category=aircraft#download

30) General Dynamics A-12 "Flying Dorito"

http://www.sim-outhouse.com/index.php?loc=downloads&FileType=fsx&page=downloads&Category=aircraft#download

must have Acceleration

31) Bristol F2-B "Biff"

http://library.avsim.net/search.php?SearchTerm=bristol+f2b&CatID=fsxac&Go=Search

32) N2056's Pete ( modernized Pietenpol Aircamper )

http://www.sim-outhouse.com/index.php?lloc=downloads&loc=downloads&page=info&FileID=10199

33) Piasecki H21C

http://flightsim.filefront.com/file/Piasecki_H21C;81851

34) Fokker Dr.1

http://www.neoqb.com/fokker/Files/dr1_by_neoqb.zip  

35) Dh89a Dragon Rapide

http://www.sim-outhouse.com/index.php?lloc=downloads&loc=downloads&page=info&FileID=9238

36) PC-7

http://www.sim-outhouse.com/index.php?lloc=downloads&loc=downloads&page=info&FileID=10399

must have earlier zip for panel, etc

37) Howard 500
http://fsnorthwest.net/index.php?ind=downloads&op=section_view&idev=8

38) Cessna 310
http://www.simviation.com/simviation/?ID=61&page=1000

39) Mitsubishi F-1

http://www.sim-outhouse.com/index.php?lloc=downloads&loc=downloads&FileType=fsx&page=downloads&Category=aircraft&ammm=15&pap=2#download

40) Cessna Citation 500

http://library.avsim.net/download.php?DLID=121612

41) Boeing P12-E

http://www.simviation.com/cgi-bin/syb2.cgi?section=vintage&file=P12E.zip

and hotfix

http://www.simviation.com/cgi-bin/syb2.cgi?section=vintage&file=P12Eudt.zip

42) OS2U Kingfisher

http://www.sim-outhouse.com/index.php?lloc=downloads&loc=downloads&page=info&FileID=10784

43) 1938 Waterman Arrowbile

http://www.sim-outhouse.com/index.php?lloc=downloads&loc=downloads&page=info&FileID=11808

44) OH-6A

http://www.sim-outhouse.com/index.php?lloc=downloads&loc=downloads&page=info&FileID=11970

45) Piper Warrior II

http://library.avsim.net/download.php?DLID=118438

46) Piper PA-44 Seminole

http://library.avsim.net/download.php?DLID=118706

47) Piper Arrow-IV, non-turbo

http://library.avsim.net/download.php?DLID=117250

48) Grumman AA-5B

http://www.sim-outhouse.com/index.php?lloc=downloads&loc=downloads&page=info&FileID=11403

49) T-45C Goshawk

http://library.avsim.net/download.php?DLID=127112

50) DC-3

http://library.avsim.net/download.php?DLID=104181

and an article for developers on how to convert from 3DSMax to Gmax models using this aircraft as an example here.

51) Curtiss F9C-2 Sparrowhawk

http://www.simviation.com/simviation...oad.php?ID=609

52) HAIG L-15

http://www.flightsim.com/cgi/kdl/main/88/fsx_l15.zip?Wee8Z02A

53) Waco UPF-7 Biplane

http://sim-outhouse.com/index.php?lloc=downloads&loc=downloads&page=info&FileID=10878

54) Boeing 221A Monomail

http://sim-outhouse.com/index.php?lloc=downloads&loc=downloads&page=info&FileID=10837

55) FSX RNZN Kaman SH-2G Seasprite
http://www.flightsim.com/cgi/kdl/main/90/sh2gnzv2.zip?Z8qme02m

56) Mooney Mite M-18C

http://www.sim-outhouse.com/index.php?lloc=downloads&loc=downloads&page=info&FileID=12514

57) Seabird Seeker 

http://www.aussiex.org/index/download.php?view.36

58) Westland Wyvern S.4

http://www.nazcastudios.com/sea-hawk/Wyvern_FSX.zip

59) SOKO J-20 Kraguj

http://www.sim-outhouse.com/index.php?loc=downloads&page=info&FileID=12623

I am sure if I really put more time into this, I could find more. That is with Saturday, and Sunday morning. There really is more out there than people think, the main problem is the community is dispersed and you cannot count on going to one site and finding it all. I list 10 sites just for these 54.

In terms of pace, FSX was released in Oct 2006. That’s 22 months ago. FSX SP2 was released Dec 2007. That’s 9 months ago. Using the RTM timeframe, that’s 2+ a month. Using the SP2 timeframe, that’s 6 a month. Either way you count them, there has been a steady diet of freeware aircraft.

FSX users should read this and realize the freeware add-ons are out there.

Note 1:

Caveat: I have not downloaded each and every one of these, but quite a few. So far, all the ones marked in the Sim-Outhouse thread as “true FSX” have been, so I am trusting the rest of the data in that thread based on a representative sampling.

Note 2:

Not yet released, but worth watching for:

Aerospatiale Gazelle by Cyril Pioffet

http://pagesperso-orange.fr/gmaxflight2002/media1/Gazelle.htm

Note 3:

ModelChecker.zip at AVSim can be used to perform the model version check:

http://library.avsim.net/download.php?DLID=114098