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If you’re looking for the best World War II flight simulators, you have a lot of options. Thanks to the resurgence of flight simulators in recent years, we’ve seen a number of new flight simulators emerge, many of which focus heavily on World War 2 events. Nonetheless, some of the games on our list are classics, perfectly capturing the feel of the era.
While there are many excellent simulations available, Ubisoft’s IL-2 Sturmovik:1946 pack is still the best of the best. A slew of small features that really help bring the experience to life highlight one of the best-designed flight simulators we’ve ever had the pleasure of diving into. There are, however, a number of World War II flight simulators worth mentioning, and we’ve compiled this list to help you confidently explore new frontiers.
IL-2 Sturmovik: 1946 (Check latest price on Amazon), which was released in 2006, is still one of the best World War II flight simulators available. This package, which includes all of the original IL-2 Sturmovik combat flight simulation games as well as their expansion packs, is well worth your money. There’s plenty of content here to keep you busy for a long time, with 229 historically detailed aircraft and 200 missions spanning iconic WW2 locations like the USSR and Korea.
IL-2 Sturmovik: 1946 has aged exceptionally well, despite its release date. Outside of a few minor environmental details, the graphics are still excellent, and the amount of sheer detail inside the cockpits is almost unfathomable when compared to other simulators released since then. You can also use the game’s advanced mission-builder to create almost any type of mission you can think of.
It may seem strange to see Battlefield V (Check latest price on Amazon) on a list of the best World War II simulators, but bear with us. Because of their lack of moddability and additional peripherals like flight sticks, consoles have long been overlooked when it comes to detailed flight simulations. While Battlefield V’s flying mechanics aren’t quite that of a flight simulator, they are among the best in any FPS game.
The Battlefield series has always been known for its vehicular combat, and the various planes in Battlefield V do an excellent job of simulating WW2 flight. It’s still a little arcadey in comparison to some of the other games on our list, but if you have a PlayStation or Xbox, we recommend picking it up and playing it.
Players can experiment with a wide range of options in DCS World, including several independent campaigns such as the DCS: BF 109 K-4 Kurfürst – Jagdflieger Campaign (Check latest price on Amazon). This content pack, which includes 12 semi-historical missions focusing on the JG26, is set between March and July 1944, plunging players right into the thick of World War 2.
A wide range of mission types are available, including free hunt, intercept, bomber escort mode, and ground attack. The plane included in the pack has realistic details inside the cockpit and uses the same realistic simulation settings as the base game of DCS World. If you’ve ever wanted to fly over the beaches of Normandy and watch the masses storm the beaches, this pack is one of the more affordable DLC options for DCS World.
While spending $30 on an add-on pack for a free-to-play game may seem daunting, the DCS P51 Mustang package (Check latest price on Amazon) allows players to dive into one of World War 2’s most iconic warbirds.
With a single click, you can enter the detailed cockpit of one of the most prolific Allied planes of the era and generate new missions. With the DCS P51 Mustang pack, there’s plenty of content to explore in DCS World, and if you enjoy World War 2 flight simulators, you won’t want to miss out on this particular beast.
Wargaming has made a name for itself by creating realistic and enthralling simulations that depict some of the world’s most iconic military moments. It’s no surprise, then, that World of Warplanes (Check latest price on Amazon) has received so much praise since its release.
Players in World of Warplanes take to the skies with detailed mmo-style action. Fight for control of some of World War 2’s most iconic locations in intense 12 vs 12 battles against a slew of other planes. There’s no better combat flight simulator out there when it comes to sheer scale and upgradeability than this one, with access to hundreds of different aircraft.
Of course, the one major caveat here is that many of the different planes will require you to buy them with real-world money or grind out a significant amount of in-game cash.
The Final Word
You can’t go wrong with IL-2 Sturmovik: 1946 if you’re looking for the best World War II flight simulator. There’s no shortage of great content here, with nearly 300 aircraft to explore and master, as well as a detailed mission generator. Although the graphics have aged poorly in some areas, the sheer amount of detail in the cockpits is almost unrivaled to this day.
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