FLYFREESTD - SUKHOI T-50 FSX: A Review of the Stealth Fighter Simulator
FLYFREESTD - SUKHOI T-50 FSX: A Review of the Stealth Fighter Simulator
If you are a fan of military aviation and stealth technology, you might be interested in FLYFREESTD's SUKHOI T-50 FSX, a flight simulator add-on that lets you fly the Russian T-50/SU-57 stealth fighter prototype. This is the first radar-evading warplane outside the U.S., and it boasts of exceptional agility, combat persistence, and advanced weapons configuration. In this review, we will take a look at the features, performance, and realism of this add-on, and see if it is worth your time and money.
FLYFREESTD - SUKHOI T-50 FSX
Features
The FLYFREESTD - SUKHOI T-50 FSX add-on comes with two models: the T-50 and the PAK FA Futura. The T-50 is based on the actual prototype that has been undergoing testing since 2010, while the PAK FA Futura is a fictional concept that was never built. Both models have high quality 4k-textures (4096x4096), native FSX/P3D models, 3D cockpits with 4k-textures, detailed and animated exterior models and virtual cockpits, realistic collimated HUDs, and high quality soundsets.
The add-on also features nine weapons configurations that can be changed with a click on the Weapon MFD in the interior or the External Control System Panel in the exterior (SHIFT+2). The weapons include air-to-air missiles, air-to-ground missiles, bombs, rockets, and guns. The add-on also comes with seven unique texture sets for the T-50 model, representing different liveries and camouflage schemes.
The add-on includes an illustrated user manual in pdf format that explains the installation process, the cockpit layout, the weapons system, and the flight characteristics of the T-50/SU-57. The manual also provides some background information on the history and development of the stealth fighter.
Performance
The FLYFREESTD - SUKHOI T-50 FSX add-on requires FSX Acceleration or Gold edition to run. It also requires 2 Gigabytes of free RAM minimum and 4.5 Gigabyte of free disk space. The add-on is compatible with both DirectX 9 and DirectX 10 modes. The add-on runs smoothly on most systems, but it may cause some frame rate drops on lower-end machines due to the high resolution textures and complex models.
The flight dynamics of the T-50/SU-57 are based on the real data available from public sources. The add-on simulates the advanced aerodynamic design, exceptional thrust/weight ratio performance, and thrust vectoring integrated with an advanced digital flight control system of the stealth fighter. The result is a highly maneuverable and agile aircraft that can perform extreme maneuvers such as cobra, kulbit, flat spin, and more. The add-on also simulates the exceptional combat persistence of the T-50/SU-57, which has an unusually large 24,000-pound internal fuel load that allows it to keep flying and fighting long after other fighters have run out of gas.
Realism
The FLYFREESTD - SUKHOI T-50 FSX add-on strives to provide a realistic experience of flying the Russian stealth fighter prototype. The add-on recreates the look and feel of the cockpit with high resolution textures, functional gauges, switches, buttons, knobs, levers, and displays. The add-on also reproduces the sound effects of the engine, cockpit, weapons, and environment with high quality soundsets. The add-on also provides realistic visual effects such as contrails, smoke trails, afterburners, weapon effects, and more.
The add-on also tries to capture the essence of flying a stealth fighter by simulating its radar signature and stealth capabilities. The add-on allows you to toggle between different radar modes such as passive radar (PR), active electronically scanned array (AESA), infrared search and track (IRST), electro-optical targeting system (EOTS), laser rangefinder (LRF), and more. The add-on also lets you use countermeasures such as chaffs and flares to evade enemy radars and missiles.
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