S.E.5A: Legends of Flight for FSX

With various additions into the flight simulator, you'll be able to fly aircraft that use hundreds of different sources and countless different images to recreate each one to the highest possible standards. Every last rivet has been remade faithfully to make sure that when you take to the skies in your aircraft, you are going to be flying the closest thing to the reality that you possibly can.

If you are looking to take on some of the most striking aircraft of the "Great War" then you should really consider picking up this epic package that really brings home just how different aviation was at the start of the 1900s.

About The S.E.5A

The S.E.5 started out as a somewhat different pane to the 5A, and it was one of the first aircraft to ever be used in a military context. It was the brainchild of Henry Folland, John Kenworthy and Frank Goodden. Whilst it had a powerful 150hp engine, it was wholly unreliable at first and therefore suffered serious aviation problems to begin with. Many crashes and deaths were recorded, and changes were made after just 77 aircraft were produced. These changes heralded what was the S.E.5A.

Differing from the later models with a new engine, a 200hp Hispano-Suiza 8b, this four-bladed propeller aircraft changed the landscape for military aviation. More than 5,000 of the S.E.5A were created, and they played a considerable part in the Western Front. It deployed in April 1917, and served under 21 different BE Squadrons, as well as 2 US squadrons. It was even used by the legendary British pilot Albert Ball, who claimed 11 of his 44 victories in the cockpit of an S.E.5A.

It's main characteristics that made it so useful were because it was able to get away from German aircraft with speed, whilst also providing excellent attacking qualities. It was able to dive steadily and maintain accuracy when firing, whilst also securing a level of performance when flying at high speeds and heights. It was a useful defensive and offensive tool in the various aerial battles that took place, and had extremely capable zoom firing which made it even more useful for long-range assaults.

Alongside the Sopwith Camel, it became instrumental in regaining the skies in mid-1917, and ensured that victory for the Allies was once again a possibility. It helped to change the entire tide of the war, providing the military with the chance to beat back the Luftstreitkrafte, and ensure that the seeds of victory were sown long before the final battles ever actually began.

What You Get

In this package, you will gain access to various different models of the S.E.5A, meaning that you will be able to see it from different styles and models. Some of these changes can be quite minor, such as the way that the propellers spin, to specific aircraft that were actually flown by some of the key names throughout the war in the first place. You'll get access to five different models of aircraft;

• Hispano Suiza twin-bladed propellers that run in AC rotation
• Hispano Suiza four-bladed propellers that run in an AC rotation
• Hispano Suiza four-bladed propellers that run in an AC rotation with short-stack exhausts
• Wolseley Viper twin-bladed propellers with CW rotation
• Wolseley Viper four-bladed propellers with CW rotation

As mentioned above you'll also get access to nine specific aircraft that were used at various points in the War. This gives you great customization and makes it easier than ever before to really take the detail to the next level, and see just what the best pilots of the era were flying;

• 84 Squadron machine that was flown by Lieutenant T.V. Lord in October 1917
• 40 Squadron S.E.5A flown by Captain GH Lewis, April-May 1918
• D351 - 6^th Training Squadron, Australian Flying Corps, October 1918
• Hisso powered UK training unit, 1917
• Wanganui, a four-bladed propeller Hisso that was used as a presentation aircraft in New Zealand
• 92 Squadron Wolseley Viper twin-blade propeller
• 24 Squadron aircraft using a Viper engine
• Hispano-Suiza engine with four-bladed propeller, used by Major J McCudden, VC
• American Pursuit squadron from 25^th Aero Squadron, flown by Lieutenant Joseph E. Boudwin

Key Features

• Extremely high detail carried out on every model to make sure that every last rivet matches up with the real-life footage and images used to create this entire package. Everything including the fuselage stitching has been included

• Using unique mapping techniques to improve the overall quality of the image known as canvas textures, the exterior aircraft looks just as it should according to any real-life sourcing. Additionally, images have been researched deeply to get the right color scheme for very aircraft

• A realistic effect of the S.E.5A was that the paint was eventually start to change color, thanks to the style of paint that was used throughout the design - various changes to the texturing of each aircraft ensures that this effect is alive and well to give you that total representation of what these aircraft looked like

• Each model comes with a completely animated pilot who also sits out of the gun-hatch, with a Lewis gun ready to swing down to the Foster mount that it comes on at any given time. This adds yet another layer of credibility to the entire presentation and style

• Rigging has been put together with stunning accuracy, taking time to learn the intricacies behind the RAF aerodynamic wiring around the screws and fittings to really make sure that the aircraft looks as it should. Tiny additions have been made throughout the process to capture each aircraft as best as sources allow

• Small inspection windows have been included in the wings as per the S.E.5A design, and the tail comes with the pulley gear that would reveal the control wires for the aileron and elevator

• Authentic radiator shutters have been created for the Viper variants within the package. These come with the right Palmer Aerocord tyres and tyre valves in each wheel covering, making sure that every last box has been ticked for realism

• Machine guns have been studied and refined using high-detail textures to get every last characteristic and remark into the game in the finest possible fashion

• Incredibly detailed virtual cockpits that fully represent what you had available to you when flying a First World War aircraft. "Baked" textures ensure that the aircraft looks as worn as they were, really giving you a closer look at what even the most respected and established pilots had to work with in the skies

• Detailed remakes of every last fitting within the cockpit helps to seal the deal, giving you the realistic instruments and fittings that were commonplace on an aircraft in the First World War. These small additions like magneto switches and a fuel tank selector, with a fuel hand pump, make it much easier to see just what you are flying and how limited they were!

• Spare magazines lying around for your Lewis assault rifle to see just how cluttered these cockpits were - a working trim wheel exists for the elevator trim, as well! all within the space of one small cockpit!

• Realistic application and design carries out into the performance, too. The aircraft have been researched deeply from many trustworthy sources to make sure they have the capacity and ability of their real-life precessors. There's no auto-pilot here, or many of the modern features, as you'll need to deal with the limitations of a proper pilot!

• Every single detail has been thoroughly fact checked and detailed to make sure that each aircraft really does represent the pilot that flew it. The paint kits used for each aircraft have also been double-checked to ensure it's the right format and style of paint, as well as color

These small changes all add together to make a really detailed presentation that leaves you with the chance to fly some of the most prominent aircraft of all-time whenever you wish. From all period pictures of the time, the coloring and style of the aircraft have been matched up as closely as possible. This affects the performance, too, to make sure that for any proper First World War enthusiast they have a go-to project to us from now on.

This package takes you away from the traditional aircraft packages we are all so used to and seats you in something unlike anything you will have flown in the past. Totally unique in style and quality compared to your usual suspects, this gives you a total appreciation for just how different flying an aircraft can be when you strip away all the helpful features and high-tech capabilities we have access to today.