Third-party developer Blackbird Simulations announced that its upcoming Lockheed C-130 Hercules for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 is getting an alpha release “very soon.”
The release of the aircraft, which the developer calls “Dirty Thirty” (possibly for trademark reasons) will be available in “extremely limited quantities” and pretty much works like an early access deal, providing aspiring Hercules pilots with a chance to fly before the official release at a discounted price in exchange of help with testing the aircraft, which promises to be extremely complex.
The alpha will come exclusively for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 and only for PC. According to Blackbird, it requires the in-depth features of the new simulator (and missing on MSFS 2020) due to its complexity, and considering its scope, it would “Melt” an Xbox Series S, figuratively speaking, we hope.
Those who take this deal will have access to every development build leading to the final release, and will have a chance to “play a key role in shaping the aircraft’s final version” with their feedback.
A specific release date has not been announced (the developers mentioned the plan is to launch within the next couple of weeks), nor the exact pricing. They will be announced at a later time.
If you’d like to see more about the aircraft, you can check out a semi-recent video showing some of its systems.
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 is available for PC and Xbox Series X|S following its recent release in November. if you want to see the massive visual difference against Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020, you can enjoy our video and screenshot comparison.
A few weeks ago we published an extensive interview with Head of Microsoft Flight Simulator Jorg Neumann about the present situation of the sim and the plans for the future.
Incidentally, just a few days ago Microsoft shared an extensive update about its plans for the sim, so you may want to read it to integrate what is said in this interview.
You can also check out our in-depth analysis of how much data the simulator downloads from the cloud, clearing the air from some widespread misinformation that made the rounds over the past few months.
