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Reviews (by Ian)

JUSTFLIGHT - METEOR F.8/FR.9 FSX P3D

JUSTFLIGHT - METEOR F.8/FR.9 FSX P3D

I liked this product more than the previous reviewer but I agree that it definitely isn't in the same league as some of the other British military aircraft that are available like the Aerosoft Lightning, JustFlight's excellent Hunter FGA6/9 and their superb Canberra PR9. But it's an interesting aircraft to fly with many of the quirks you would expect from a first-generation British jet fighter. If you can get it on sale, I recommend it as an interesting and enjoyable aircraft that helped pioneer the post WWII "jet age."

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FRAT BROS DESIGN - RAAF/RNZAF CT4A/B PACKAGE FSX

FRAT BROS DESIGN - RAAF/RNZAF CT4A/B PACKAGE FSX

When I first saw this product I was eager to try it, as I have flown the CT4 extensively in the real world. It is atrocious! Any resemblance between the look and feel of this addon and the real thing is purely coincidence. A complete waste of money and a very deep disappointment

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JUSTFLIGHT - DUNKIRK SPITFIRE FSX P3D

JUSTFLIGHT - DUNKIRK SPITFIRE FSX P3D

This is a stunningly realistic replica of what is arguably one the world's most recognizable and respected aircraft in history. It looks, sounds and flies just the way you expect it to. I have read countless books and watched numerous documentaries about the Spitfire and even had the opportunity to sit in a MKV. I also have (and love) the RAS rendition of the MKXIV and IX. Just Flight's version is everything you can wish for. It is a joy to fly. If you are a stick and rudder pilot who values superb performance and flying for the simple joy of it, you will love this product. But if you are in doubt then you don't have to take my word for it - download and try to fully functional free demonstrator.

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JUSTFLIGHT - HUNTER F.6/FGA.9 FSX P3D

JUSTFLIGHT - HUNTER F.6/FGA.9 FSX P3D

I'm amazed that nobody has given this product a review yet. So here it is. The Hunter has been described as one of the most beautiful aircraft ever built and an absolute delight to fly. The JustFlight rendition fits this description perfectly. I don't usually spend a lot of time in outside views, after all, the hobby for me is about flying and not just watching. But in this case, it looks so good that I find myself often "stepping outside" and admiring the Hunter's beautiful shape. The cockpit and systems aren't complex but are still very realistic and immersive and like the real thing, it's a joy to fly. Sound is also excellent. Add to this the spectacular freeware sceneries that are available from ACG and John Young's amazing AI models, and you have the makings of an incredible step back to the time of the early years of the Cold War. An outstanding product in every way

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FRANCE VFR - AI TRAFFIC FRANCE P3D FSX

FRANCE VFR - AI TRAFFIC FRANCE P3D FSX

As you would expect from France VFR, this is a quality addon. It is definitely worth having if you fly anything in France except heavy metal into LFPG. I have a number of the excellent SkyDesigners French military airfields and thanks to this new product, they are now well populated with French military traffic. But I do have a few criticisms... One is that there are not many repaints for the otherwise good to excellent AI models. Though the aircraft.cfg file may show 30 or more entries, in reality there are only one or two different paint schemes for each aircraft. If you have the software, skills and time to do repaints, there is a paint kit for each of them. But given the fairly high price, I feel like there should be more variations "out of the box." Hopefully over time, customers will upload additional repaints. The other criticism is the rather uneven quality of the models. Some of them are truly superb and match the best of the freeware AI products that are available, while others are quite basic and don't equal the standards being set by the various freeware AI traffic providers like MAIW, FAIB etc. On the whole this is a very good product and I do recommend it. But I think it could be better, given the price. Hopefully with support from the community, it will reach a higher standard as new paints and models become available. Ian

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SKYDESIGNERS - FRENCH AIRBASE 126 SOLENZARA FSX

SKYDESIGNERS - FRENCH AIRBASE 126 SOLENZARA FSX

I agree with the previous reviewer. Add the inexpensive Propriano Airport and City from Flight1's XpressSim products and it becomes even more immersive. About the only thing that I wish SkyDesigners would do differently with this and their other products is avoid putting parking spaces in the exact spot where they have static aircraft. It means you either delete the statics, some of which are really good, or you have to fiddle around with the AFD file. But overall, it's great value and a nice addition to the fairly sparse number of quality military airfields available in FSX

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SKYDESIGNERS - LANDIVISIAU NAVY AIR BASE  LFRJ

SKYDESIGNERS - LANDIVISIAU NAVY AIR BASE LFRJ

There are very few developers who produce military airfields and most are of low quality. I purchased this on sale and consider it a really good deal. Though it's not Orbx or FlyTampa quality scenery, it's good enough. Combine it with the RFN AI package and it really comes to life. I wouldn't buy it at full price to be honest, but on sale it's definitely worth having.

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AEROSOFT - ANCHORAGE PROFESSIONAL P3D

AEROSOFT - ANCHORAGE PROFESSIONAL P3D

The FS9 version of this scenery is actually better than the FSX version, but you get both with the same purchase. The main difference is with FS9 you have some amazing animations and very smooth FPS whereas with FSX some of the animations weren't possible and performance isn't quite as good. But as long as you scale back your AI and move a few sliders to the left, it's still excellent. I think it definitely deserves a much more positive review than the previous one, but it's a matter of opinion I guess. If you are a user of Orbx Alaska, I don't think you will adding this to the other great Alaskan sceneries that are available

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RFSCENERYBUILDING - LIPY ANCONA FALCONARA FSX P3D

RFSCENERYBUILDING - LIPY ANCONA FALCONARA FSX P3D

Another five star product from this company. I have three of their addons so far and definitely intend to buy more. Very smooth FPS, loads of detail and the airport and surrounding area are seamlessly blended to give the user a real sense of "being there." I highly recommend this and if the rest of their products are as good as the three I have purchased so far, they are great value!

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MILE HIGH SIMS -  KNKX NAS MIRAMAR TOP GUN FSX

MILE HIGH SIMS - KNKX NAS MIRAMAR TOP GUN FSX

I was really looking forward to using this scenery as there aren't many payware quality US military airfields and this is one of the most famous of all. But I have to say I am quite disappointed. The overall quality of the scenery is okay - nothing wonderful but okay. The static aircraft are very poor quality and the frame rates were awful. By getting rid of the static aircraft I was able to improve FPS but it's still not all that great. I'm glad I got it on sale as I would have been really upset if I had paid full price for something that is only marginally payware quality

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FSDREAMTEAM - HONOLULU INTL FSX P3D FS2004

FSDREAMTEAM - HONOLULU INTL FSX P3D FS2004

I'm amazed nobody has reviewed this scenery before! Although it's an older product, first released in the FS9 heyday, it is still up there with any sate of the art product. It is an outstanding scenery with lots of interesting things to explore and well worth having. If you combine it with the Megascenery Oahu scenery, it looks fantastic in both FS9 and FSX and has excellent performance in both platforms

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CAPTAIN SIM - 737 CAPTAIN - 737-200 BASEPACK FSX

CAPTAIN SIM - 737 CAPTAIN - 737-200 BASEPACK FSX

During my RW flying career, I had the privilege of flying the 737-200. This simulation is as close to the real thing that I can imagine. The systems are authentic, the handling feels right, the vc is as good as it gets and I have not experienced any FPS or other performance issues. In a word, this product is superb!!!

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ANTS AIRPLANES - TROJAN T28B/C FSX P3D

ANTS AIRPLANES - TROJAN T28B/C FSX P3D

Like everything this developer has released, this is an outstanding product. It is incredibly immersive and takes you back to an era of thundering, shaking, rattling radial engine planes. It's fun to fly and because it was a trainer, it's quite forgiving, but it's still a challenge, especially if you take the time to learn the proper procedures. Everything about it is stunning and although it's no longer a new product, it's right up there with the best you can buy today. I love this airplane and you will too...

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JUSTFLIGHT - DH.98 MOSQUITO FB MK VI FSX P3D

JUSTFLIGHT - DH.98 MOSQUITO FB MK VI FSX P3D

Given the high quality of recent JustFlight British classic warbird products, especially their Hawker Hunter, I expected this to be an excellent addon. But "excellent" almost isn't enough praise. It is astonishingly good. The realism and clarity of the VC has to be seen to be believed. The external model is just as good and flight characteristics seem right. It is sweet to handle and this fits with what I have read about the Mosquito - it was much loved by its crews. There are plenty of special effects for those who like that kind of thing - one thing that pretty much amazed me is that you can click on the WWII compass repeater and it instantly turns into a 60's era RMI. And as detailed as the VC is, the hit on FPS is negligible - in fact I saw no loss of performance at all on my system. The sounds are fantastic and really does immerse you in a cockpit with a Merlin engine on each side of you. About the only thing I don't like is that even with the gun-sight removed - a click of the mouse - the ASI is still partially hidden and difficult to read. But this is a minor thing and if you don't have your controls configured so you can adjust your viewpoint, just press shift-1 and a panel comes up that allows you to do so. The Mosquito was known as the "Wooden Wonder" in WWII and this product is also a "Wonder." I recommend it highly as probably the most authentic WWII aircraft available for FSX and FSX-SE (which is what I run)... Even if you're not a WWII fan or not into British classics, you should still consider this addon. It will give you an experience of flying the fastest operational twin-engine aircraft of WWII and one of the three fastest ever built. Cheers Ian

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JUSTFLIGHT - CANBERRA PR9 FSX P3D

JUSTFLIGHT - CANBERRA PR9 FSX P3D

I'm surprised the first reviewer only gave this four stars even though his review was very positive. This is an absolutely excellent product and a perfect replication of the real thing. Yes it's hard to land and the autopilot has limited functions - just like the real thing! The VC is very immersive and the developer has managed to do what many others have failed at. The interior of British military aircraft of the day was black and only a few developers have been able to replicate the 3D feel of a black interior without it being too dark or lacking definition. This VC is perfect. It's not a kick the tires and light the fires kind of aircraft - you do need to do a bit of study to be able to fly it. But there are 2D panels for everything and it's just a mouse click to bring up the one you need. The Canberra was one of the most successful military aircraft the British ever made and this addon does it full justice. A great product!!!

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AEROSOFT - GREENLAND - NUUK X FSX P3D

AEROSOFT - GREENLAND - NUUK X FSX P3D

This is a fantastic and truly unique addon. It's not just an airport to add to your list - if puts you in a world unlike anything most of us have ever experienced. Great graphics, excellent FPS and it also comes with a very good AI package. I highly recommend it

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REALWORLD SCENERY - ISRAEL 3D 2017 FSX P3D

REALWORLD SCENERY - ISRAEL 3D 2017 FSX P3D

I had the previous version of this product and enjoyed it. I upgraded to this 3D version and found that in remote areas, it looked great. But in the Tel Aviv area, it reduces FPS to single digits if you have FlyTampa's LLBG installed and the very low teens even if all you have is default scenery. If it worked it would be great but it doesn't...

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TOGA PROJECTS - ENVTEX FSX P3D

TOGA PROJECTS - ENVTEX FSX P3D

I wish I could edit my previous review and change some of what I said. First, I may not have made it clear that it was the support staff at SimMarket who were giving instructions as though I was a naughty child and then just plain refused to help anymore. I have been contacted by the TOGA developer Maxime and he has been wonderfully helpful and courteous. We're still trying to fix the problem but at least he is giving real help instead of just blaming me for "doing it wrong" which was the SimMarket guy's approach. And if we can't get it working, Maxime has promised a full refund. EXCELLENT PRODUCT SUPPORT so if you have a problem contact them direct and they will help you. Add TOGA to your list of developers who will do all they can to help you with their product. Bravo!

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TOGA PROJECTS - ENVTEX FSX P3D

TOGA PROJECTS - ENVTEX FSX P3D

There is probably nothing wrong with this product if you can only get it to install. I have purchased and installed hundreds of addons over the years but cannot get this to install. I have copied and pasted the key code provided to me and it results in an error message. Requests to the support department for a different code have resulted only in sarcastic comments about how "I must be doing something wrong." The only thing wrong is the key code and the refusal of SimMarket's support staff to provide me with one that does work....

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LHSIMULATIONS KFT. - GYOR-PER (LHPR-LHBY) SCENERY

LHSIMULATIONS KFT. - GYOR-PER (LHPR-LHBY) SCENERY

ALL of LHS products, both freeware and payware, are absolutely top of the line. There is no better producer of scenery and this particular product is a wonderful example of their excellence. You should download and install ALL of their freeware products first - some of them are essential for this scenery to be complete. When it's done you will have hundreds of miles of great scenery, numerous astonishingly realistic airports to fly in and out of, a comprehensive AI general aviation set with customized models and paints. It's impossible to fully describe how good this product is along with all the freeware that is offered.

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VIRTUALCOL - DASH 8 SERIES FS2004

VIRTUALCOL - DASH 8 SERIES FS2004

This is a far better product than I expected. I only purchased it because it was on sale and I have given up on the FS9 version of the Majestic Dash-8. (A very different animal to the FSX version).... The VIRTUALCOL version certainly isn't in the top league but it's got far more systems functionality than I expected and it's fun and reasonably challenging to fly. One thing that is really impressive is that you get four very different versions of the aircraft and an amazing number of paints. The sound is good. It is a bit over-sensitive to rudder input on the ground but you get used to it and in the air it's maybe a bit more agile than the real aircraft would be but on the whole I am having fun with it and recommend it.

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DRZEWIECKI DESIGN - BAKU 2017 FS2004

DRZEWIECKI DESIGN - BAKU 2017 FS2004

Another excellent product from Drzewiecki Design. It's a rather "out of the way" place for most of us but that's part of the charm. You get a fascinating airport plus surrounding area including a former Soviet military airbase nearby. Great performance, excellent modelling and a very reasonable price. A great purchase

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CAPTAIN SIM - LEGENDARY F-104

CAPTAIN SIM - LEGENDARY F-104

11 years after it was released, I can still say that this is one of my all-time favorite FS aircraft. It is one of the reasons I keep a working copy of FS9, even though FSX-SE has become my primary sim. And in case you wondered, YES, it is compatible with Win10... It is a challenge to fly, as was the real thing. The VC is so good that sometimes it's hard to remember if you are in the 2D cockpit or the VC. And the intercept radar works perfectly and I often have fun flying out of a Cold War airfield like RAF Leuchars and intercepting a Bear trolling off the coast... When it was released it was ahead of the game in so many ways. And in relation to most other FS9 aircraft and quite a few FSX offerings, it still is!!! A true classic of the Cold War and a true classic of flight simulation.... A great product that still deserves five stars

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AEROSOFT - ENGLISH ELECTRIC LIGHTNING F6 FSX P3D

AEROSOFT - ENGLISH ELECTRIC LIGHTNING F6 FSX P3D

My experience of this product is the exact opposite of the other reviewer. This is a superb product and has quickly become my favorite aircraft in FSX-SE. It is certainly a challenging aircraft to fly - just as it was in the real world! But once you realize that it's not the default C172 and you actually take the time to read the manual, it is an immersive and genuinely exciting experience. The systems modelling is deep and true to life, the handling is absolutely realistic, the FPS impact is zero and the "fun factor" is 100%... Other than the Milviz F4 and the Just Flight Canberra PR9, there is no military aircraft for FSX-SE that comes anywhere close to comparing with this product...

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FRAT BROS DESIGN - RAAF/RNZAF CT4A/B PACKAGE FS2004

FRAT BROS DESIGN - RAAF/RNZAF CT4A/B PACKAGE FS2004

I purchased the earlier version of this product and was extremely disappointed in it. Having flown the CT4A in real life, I was excited at the possibility of recreating some old experiences. But it didn't come close. The flight model was okay but way overpowered, the VC was substandard and the instrumentation was not remotely anything like the real aircraft. Frankly, as freeware I would rate it about average - as payware it didn't come close to current standards. This new release may be better and the screen shot of the 3D cockpit does show significant improvement, but the screen shot of the VC does not encourage me to want to risk some more money on something I removed from my hard drive after a few hours.

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