08 Sep 2026Developer post

Dev blog #377

Hello, friends! We recently told you about the progress on the Bombers expansion for Great Battles. Today, we would like to share an update on another area of work connected to the same project. We previously announced that in 2026 we plan to complete the work of the maps and Car

Hello, friends!

We recently told you about the progress on the Bombers expansion for Great Battles. Today, we would like to share an update on another area of work connected to the same project. We previously announced that in 2026 we plan to complete the work of the maps and Career mode for Odessa and Leningrad, and in this Dev Blog we will go into more detail on that work. Starting with the Gulf of Finland map, which will receive a major expansion that is already nearly complete. First, in addition to the summer and winter seasons already created, three more are now ready: autumn, spring, and the transitional period before and after winter.

Adding these extra seasons to cover all times of year was a critical task, since the two Pilot Careers in Leningrad will together span eight chapters:

Defense of Leningrad, 1941–1942

Chapter 1. "The Noose Tightens" (06.09.1941 — 25.09.1941)

Chapter 2. "The Blockade" (26.09.1941 — 06.01.1942)

Chapter 3. "The Lyuban Offensive" (07.01.1942 — 30.04.1942)

Liberation of Leningrad, 1944

Chapter 1. "January Thunder" (14.01.1944 — 02.02.1944)

Chapter 2. "The Narva Bridgehead" (03.02.1944 — 23.04.1944)

Chapter 3. "Preparations for the Offensive" (24.04.1944 — 08.06.1944)

Chapter 4. "The Vyborg Offensive" (09.06.1944 — 23.07.1944)

Chapter 5. "The Narva Offensive" (24.07.1944 — 04.09.1944)

An extensive research effort lasting more than a year has been completed for the Careers, covering the operations of aviation units across all of the episodes listed above. Work is now underway to implement this information in the simulator and to prepare and refine the combat histories of the air regiments. Between the two Careers, a total of 72 player-accessible squadrons will be available in Leningrad, and 73 in Odessa. In addition, 12 new unique historical structures will be added in Leningrad, Kronstadt, and on Lake Ladoga, bringing the total number of such objects on this map to 57:

And

The Bronze Horseman monument (version with protective scaffolding),

Monument to Nicholas I (version with protective scaffolding),

Tolbukhin Lighthouse

It is worth noting that as a result of this work, the Gulf of Finland map has grown in area by more than 35% — to 86,800 km², with its boundaries extended to 310 km × 270 km.

The city of Leningrad has been fully completed, including all originally planned unique structures; large marshalling yards have been added to the north of the city, along with vegetable warehouses and other industrial zones.

In the Leningrad area, towns along the right bank of the Neva have been added: Okhta, Porokhovye, Rzhevka, and others. The newly added section of the map includes the towns of Chudovo, Kirishi, Slobodka, Slantsy, complete with industrial zones, quarries, and more. In total, more than 400 settlements have been added, along with 180 railway platforms and small stations.

The territory of the Estonian SSR has been built out, with the towns of Narva, Narva-Jõesuu, Jõhvi, Sonda, and other settlements constructed. Ten new historical airfields have been added across the new territories.

Odessa will also receive one additional season—autumn—which is needed to cover the full set of planned Career episodes.

The total number of episodes will reach seven:

Defense of Odessa, 1941

Chapter 1. "The Border Battle" (22.06.1941 — 16.07.1941)

Chapter 2. "The Front Breaks" (17.07.1941 — 10.08.1941)

Chapter 3. "The Siege of Odessa" (11.08.1941 — 16.10.1941)

Liberation of Odessa, 1944

Chapter 1. "Liberation of Odessa" (02.04.1944 — 09.05.1944)

Chapter 2. "Counterstrikes" (10.05.1944 — 08.06.1944)

Chapter 3. "The Summer Lull" (09.06.1944 — 19.08.1944)

Chapter 4. "The Jassy–Kishinev Offensive" (20.08.1944 — 27.08.1944)

So, as promised, the release of Odessa and Leningrad has not stopped us from continuing to improve and expand that project. The work will not be finished until the end of the year, by which point the content of the expansion will have grown by more than double. In addition, the early-war aircraft from Odessa and Leningrad will be added to the Careers of other expansions: Moscow, Stalingrad, and Kuban. Our friends at Karttakompania are working on adding Finland to the Pilot Career on the Gulf of Finland map. The moment when the results of all this work become available in Great Battles updates is not far off.

In order not to miss it, stay tuned and please subscribe to our social media channels and follow the updates!

Stay tuned!

We will be in touch!

Original post

01 Sep 2026Developer post

Dev Blog #86

Greetings, comrades! As promised earlier, today we have a substantial dev diary dedicated to our plans for the coming year across the entire IL-2 series. To provide a clearer overview, we have prepared a Roadmap for the second half of 2026 and the first half of 2027, following th

Greetings, comrades!

As promised earlier, today we have a substantial dev diary dedicated to our plans for the coming year across the entire IL-2 series. To provide a clearer overview, we have prepared a Roadmap for the second half of 2026 and the first half of 2027, following the same format as before.

In 2026, as well as in the beginning of 2027, new modes and major expansions will be introduced to players.

By the end of 2026, the Korea combat flight simulator will receive a training mode and multiplayer leaderboards. Development of the Odessa and Leningrad: Siege and Liberation expansion will also conclude by the end of 2026.

In Q1 2027, the Deck Ops expansion will be released for Korea. It will feature five new carrier-based aircraft and an Essex-class aircraft carrier.

In the Great Battles series, three expansions will be released in 2027. The first expansion — Bombers — will mark the series debut of player-controlled multi-crew bombers and reconnaissance aircraft. In the first half of 2027, the P-47 Thunderbolt and P-39Q Airacobra collector planes will be added.

All expansions will be available on the official IL-2 website and on Steam. Exact Early Access and full release dates will be announced later.

Now, let's take a closer look at each major expansion.

IL-2 Sturmovik: Bombers is one of the riskiest expansions we have ever created for Great Battles. The reason is that creating a bomber for a combat flight simulator is a very difficult, costly, and lengthy undertaking. On average, a bomber requires 4-5 times as much work on the most complex part of the aircraft's visual model – the cockpit. The exterior model also requires, on average, twice as much effort as that of a fighter – a bomber's engine nacelle alone is usually comparable in complexity and detail density to practically the entire forward fuselage of a single-engine aircraft.

Long ago, when we were creating Operation Bodenplatte and Battle of Normandy, along with two AI-controlled twin-engine medium bombers for them – the B-25 Mitchell and B-26B Marauder – you asked us, "Could they ever become available to players?" We replied, "Yes, it may be possible in the future. At the very least, we are building the exterior 3D models so they can later be further developed for use as player-controlled aircraft." And we did not mislead you – that is exactly what happened. Time passed, and circumstances allowed us to allocate all the resources required for this work.

But that did not seem like enough to us. If we were going to do it, we were going to do it on a grand scale!

We decided that two American medium bombers for the Western Front would not be enough, so we chose to develop two more player-controlled twin-engine aircraft. The A-20G-25 Havoc is an extensive development based on the A-20B Boston model from Battle of Kuban, while the Fw-189A-2 Uhu is a completely new German twin-engine reconnaissance and artillery-spotting aircraft. Let us take a closer look at all four aircraft. Although we have previously shown our progress on them, you will now be able to see just how far we have advanced.

Fw-189A-2 Uhu

Fw-189A-2 Uhu, or "Rama" ("Frame") as it is better known on the eastern side of the front. This German tactical reconnaissance aircraft had a twin-boom configuration and was powered by two air-cooled inline Argus AS-410 engines with highly distinctive automatic propeller pitch control mechanisms featuring an additional impeller on the propeller spinner.

The aircraft was used extensively by the Luftwaffe on the Eastern Front, while it was not used in the West. Its crew consisted of three people – a pilot, an observer, and a gunner. The observer could fire from the upper gun position, equipped with an MG-81J machine gun in a mount broadly similar in operating principle to the one used on the Ju-88. The gunner fired from a conical tail mount fitted with a twin MG-81Z machine gun. By rotating the entire cone, which formed the tail of the fuselage, around the longitudinal axis, he could move the firing sector to the most convenient position.

In addition to its reconnaissance role, for which it could be equipped with a camera, the aircraft could perform strike missions and was fitted with four hardpoints for aerial bombs weighing up to 50 kilograms. Another notable feature was that the Frame was quite capable of active defensive air combat. Thanks to its large wing area and low weight, it had a tight turn radius and a short turn time. Two forward-firing 7.92 mm MG-17 machine guns could be used against aerial targets.

А-20G-25 Havoc

A-20G-25 Havoc – this will be a highly versatile aircraft, as it will be represented in a wide range of variants. The base aircraft will have the forward bombardier's compartment faired over, with a battery of six .50-caliber M2 machine guns installed in that space, as well as a powered twin-gun Martin turret. The lower "dagger" gun mount will now carry a heavy 12.7 mm machine gun instead of the rifle-caliber machine gun fitted to earlier versions of the A-20.

Such an aircraft lacked a bombsight and could either perform low-altitude strike missions or carry out unaimed bombing from high altitude. In the base configuration, the aircraft will carry American bombs, while Soviet bombs will be available in the Soviet Lend-Lease variant. We also decided to add a "glass nose" variant housing a bombardier's compartment with a Norden bombsight. This version will represent the A-20J modification.

Such aircraft usually served as leaders for formations of A-20Gs without bombsights when bombing was carried out on the command of a bombsight-equipped lead aircraft. On this aircraft, four nose guns were removed, with two retained on the sides of the cockpit, as on the A-20B.

The long-awaited Soviet torpedo-bomber modification will also be available. In the Soviet Union, the aircraft was fitted with racks for torpedoes and heavy bombs, while the rear lower "dagger" gun mount was replaced by a navigator-bombardier station equipped with an OPB-1 bombsight. In other words, this torpedo bomber could also serve as a level bomber.

B-25C/D Mitchell

B-25C/D Mitchell – a twin-engine medium bomber used extensively by the United States and Britain on the Western Front, as well as by the Soviet Union on the Eastern Front. The game will feature the base American configuration, with available modifications allowing it to be converted into the variants used by Britain and the Soviet Union. These modifications primarily concern the bomb armament, but also the sighting equipment. The American and British configurations will be fitted with a Norden bombsight and 250, 500, and 1,000-pound bombs of American or British models, respectively. The Soviet configuration will be equipped with an NKPB-7 bombsight and FAB-100, FAB-250, and FAB-500 bombs.

B-26B Marauder

B-26B Marauder – another twin-engine medium bomber used extensively by the United States Army Air Forces on the Western Front. Overall, the aircraft corresponds to the AI-controlled version created earlier, but detailed, high-quality interiors have now been recreated for every crew station.

The aircraft had a crew of six: two pilots in the cockpit and a gunner-bombardier with a Norden bombsight and a machine gun in the nose ball mount. The rear compartment housed a gunner-flight engineer in the upper powered twin-gun Martin turret, a gunner-radio operator who operated two waist guns in hatch-mounted pintle mounts, and a tail gunner who operated a twin-gun mount using a hydraulic control system.

The pilot could fire four forward-facing machine guns installed along the sides of the forward fuselage, which can be removed as a modification option. All the aircraft's machine guns were heavy .50-caliber M2 Brownings. Unlike the Mitchell, the Marauder carried its bomb load internally – its central bomb bay could hold 250, 500, 1,000, and 2,000-pound bombs with a total weight of up to 4,000 pounds. Thanks to its more advanced aerodynamics and better engine performance, the B-26 was faster than the B-25.

All four aircraft will be integrated into Pilot Career for all the countries mentioned above. Corresponding historically appropriate squadrons will be added for them, allowing players to use their new aircraft on two fronts.

Korea: Deck Ops is the first and quite substantial expansion for our new combat flight simulator Korea. IL-2 Series. It includes five new aircraft that all share one defining feature – they are carrier-based!

F9F-2 Panther

F9F-2 Panther – a carrier-based jet fighter-bomber built by Grumman, with an exceptionally interesting airframe configuration. The engine air intakes are integrated into the thickened wing roots along the leading edge, while the aircraft's fin blends smoothly into the fuselage without forming a clearly distinguishable joint line.

Another curious detail is that the elevators and ailerons were mounted not on conventional hinges, but on piano hinges, which is rather unusual in aircraft construction. Interestingly, the Panther was fitted with an engine similar to the one used on the MiG-15 – the Pratt & Whitney J42-P-8, which, like the Soviet RD-45 and the later, heavily redesigned and improved VK-1, was a version of the British Rolls-Royce Nene with a centrifugal compressor. The aircraft was equipped with reinforced landing gear, an arresting hook, and folding wings – everything required for carrier operations.

The aircraft was armed with four forward-firing automatic 20 mm M3 cannons with a rate of fire of up to 800 rounds per minute. These cannons fired a fairly powerful 20 mm shell similar to that of the British 20 mm Hispano cannon.

In addition, the aircraft could carry up to 2,800 pounds of bombs on eight pylons. Interestingly, the wingtip fuel tanks were not jettisonable, but could be removed in the field. Another interesting fact is that Neil Armstrong flew the Panther during the Korean War.

F2H-2 Banshee

F2H-2 Banshee – a twin-engine carrier-based attack aircraft built by McDonnell. Interestingly, its engines were fully integrated into the wing roots. In this case, they were Westinghouse J34-WE-34 engines with axial compressors. The wing planform also looks quite distinctive, somewhat reminiscent of the technology depicted in comic books of that era. The twin-engine configuration was considered a highly successful solution for naval aviation, since the aircraft could continue and complete its flight after one of its two engines failed.

The Banshee was armed similarly to the Panther – four 20 mm cannons and up to 2,000 pounds of bombs and rockets on eight universal pylons. Unlike the Panther, the Banshee's wingtip tanks were jettisonable.

AD-4 Skyraider

AD-4 Skyraider – a postwar, single-engine, piston-powered carrier-based attack aircraft built by Douglas. The most outstanding feature of this aircraft is undoubtedly its engine. And that is no exaggeration – this is not simply an engine, but the Wright Cyclone 3350, a variation of the monster fitted to the strategic B-29, except that on this version the famous duplex turbocharger was replaced with a more traditional single-stage, two-speed supercharger.

The engine's outstanding output of 2,700 horsepower allowed the aircraft to carry a standard bomb load of 9,000 pounds and up to 10,500 pounds in an overloaded configuration. Its forward-firing armament consisted of two or four 20 mm M3 cannons. Another interesting feature was the excellent forward and downward visibility provided by moving the pilot's cockpit forward to the area of the wing's leading edge, so the wing did not obstruct the view in that direction. With its rather brutish appearance, the Skyraider can be called the living embodiment of the old aircraft design maxim: "Anything can be made to fly if you have a powerful enough engine."

F4U-4 Corsair

F4U-4 Corsair – the best carrier-based fighter at the end of World War II. It first entered combat in the Battle of Okinawa. Just as the F-51D Mustang was called up by the ground forces, the veteran Corsair was also called up in large numbers by the Navy and Marines for the war in Korea.

Here, too, aircraft were pulled out of storage and ferried across the ocean. Lieutenant Guy Pierre Bordelon achieved five aerial victories in the fifth version of the Corsair, becoming the last piston-engine ace in history. The aircraft was armed with six forward-firing .50-caliber M2 Browning machine guns, or, in a modified variant also represented in the game, four 20 mm M3 cannons. The aircraft had two center-section racks capable of carrying 1,000-pound bombs, as well as eight additional hardpoints under the outer wing panels for rockets and smaller bombs.

FB MK.11 Sea Fury

FB MK.11 Sea Fury – a British carrier-based fighter-bomber built by Hawker. Other countries of the North Atlantic Alliance also took an active part in the Korean War, though on a smaller scale than the United States. And here, of course, we are talking about Great Britain.

At the start of the war, British air forces primarily flew combat missions in the Sea Fury. A British pilot model will, of course, be developed for the British aircraft. If the subject proves popular, a future expansion devoted to the British Commonwealth's participation in the Korean War may also be possible.

Speaking of the Sea Fury – it is a postwar aircraft equipped with a powerful 2,500-horsepower Bristol Centaurus XVIII engine. Given the British aircraft's lower weight compared with the enormous Skyraider, this combination of engine and airframe gives the FB.11 an exceptional power-to-weight ratio. The aircraft was armed with four British 20 mm Hispano cannons, comparable in performance to the American M3s. The aircraft could carry two 1,000-pound bombs and was also equipped with six rocket hardpoints. It could carry up to twelve unguided 60-pound RP-3 rockets when mounted in two tiers.

Essex SCB-27A

All these beauties are carrier-based aircraft. And, of course, they need the deck of an aircraft carrier to fully experience every aspect of their handling and combat employment. And then it takes the stage – a 274-meter-long, 40,000-ton, 154,000-horsepower American maritime leviathan.

It is an Essex-class aircraft carrier in its postwar SCB-27A modernization configuration. In this configuration, the turret-mounted 127 mm dual-purpose guns and 40 mm Bofors guns were removed, while rapid-firing automatic twin 76 mm guns were added. As a result, the ship was armed with eight single 127 mm guns, fourteen twin 76 mm mounts, and eight single 20 mm Oerlikon automatic cannons.

The ship was also equipped with advanced radar systems that allowed it to monitor the airspace at long ranges around the clock and coordinate aviation operations. The ship's enormous hangar, extending from bow to stern, could accommodate up to 80 aircraft. To raise this entire armada to the flight deck and return it below, the Essex was equipped with three aircraft elevators, also known as lifts – bow and stern elevators on the deck centerline, as well as a side elevator on the port side. The hangar had numerous large side openings for ventilation and other needs, but all of them, including the elevator opening, could be closed with roller-shutter-style doors. The power plant propelled this monster to a speed of 32 knots, which also significantly improved conditions for carrier aviation during takeoffs and landings. The aircraft carrier was also equipped with two bow-mounted hydraulic catapults, while the modernization added an escalator lift for the pilots, its shaft clearly visible on the starboard side of the ship beneath the island superstructure.

HO3S-1

HO3S-1 - an AI-controlled helicopter. A "naval" rescue variant from the Sikorsky S-51/H-5 helicopter family.

It made its first flight in February 1946, and by the time of the Korean War it was in service with the United States Army, Marine Corps, and Navy, as well as the armed forces of other countries. The helicopter could perform a wide range of missions, including liaison, reconnaissance, medical evacuation, and the rescue of pilots shot down over the battlefield.

The helicopter was built according to the "conventional" configuration with a tail rotor and was powered by a 450-horsepower piston engine. For operations from ships, the main rotor blades could be folded along the tail boom. In addition to the pilot, the cabin could accommodate three more people on a rear bench.

The helicopter was equipped with a special rescue hoist for evacuating people from the ground or water. The rescue hoist could be called the helicopter's main "weapon", since aircraft of this type performed search and rescue duties for the United States Navy at the time. They also provided rapid assistance during carrier aviation operations, constantly hovering near the aircraft carrier and remaining ready to respond to an accident and recover a pilot from the water as quickly as possible.

The interaction with the aircraft carrier, the specific set of Commander Career missions, tasks involving the air defense of the carrier group, and, of course, suicidal missions in which the Red side attempts to break through to the heart of that group – all of this represents the new gameplay mechanics we told you about earlier when discussing the upcoming expansion.

Development of the Deck Ops expansion is now in full swing, and we will publish more Dev Blogs devoted to each of the aircraft in development and, of course, the aircraft carrier.

In order to stay up to date with all the work and new features, please subscribe to our social media channels and follow the updates: Discord, Facebook, YouTube, Reddit, and X.

Good hunting! Stay tuned!

Original post

08 May 2026Developer post

The Road of Life

Hello, comrades! On Victory Day, we would like to highlight an important topic that we are currently exploring as part of the project “Odessa and Leningrad - Siege and Liberation.” On the Gulf of Finland map, we are currently refining the section where the famous Road of Life was

Hello, comrades!

On Victory Day, we would like to highlight an important topic that we are currently exploring as part of the project “Odessa and Leningrad - Siege and Liberation.” On the Gulf of Finland map, we are currently refining the section where the famous Road of Life was located - a temporary transport route that played a key role in supplying the city besieged by invaders.

Had it not been for this vital artery, the city would not have been able to withstand the terrible trials that befell it. This route was extremely vulnerable - its nearest branches ran across Lake Ladoga less than 10 kilometers from the enemy-occupied shore - but thanks to the efforts of many thousands of Soviet people, it functioned tirelessly and saved Leningrad from a complete collapse of its supply lines.

In our work, we recreate both the ice road itself and its branches that were in use in late 1941 and early 1942, as well as the main points on the lake’s shore where it began (Lavrovo, Kobona, Lednevo) and where it reached the Leningrad side (Osinovets Lighthouse).

In the very beginning, in the fall of 1941, the road began operating as a lake route using various watercraft available on Lake Ladoga - this will also be included in our project. And speaking of the Liberation section in 1944, there you will see a temporary railway line built in record time after the breakthrough of the enemy-held Sinyavino salient, including the famous bridge at the source of the Neva River in Shlisselburg. This road was already called the Road of Victory, marking the transition from the most difficult defensive phase of the battles in the Leningrad sector to the offensive liberation operation.

In addition to the well-known Great Road of Life, the Small Road of Life was also in operation near Leningrad - this was also an ice route, but located on the other side of the city on the ice of the Gulf of Finland. It connected the northern side of the Gulf of Finland with the southern side, passing through Kronstadt and supplying the Oranienbaum bridgehead. While Leningrad was cut off from the mainland and supplied via Lake Ladoga, Oranienbaum was located even further west and was already cut off from Leningrad. This western bridgehead made it significantly more difficult for the German and Finnish forces to blockade the city and was critically important to its defense. The bridgehead was held throughout the war until January 1944, when Operation January Thunder began, after which the enemy was permanently driven back from the city.

Work is also underway to further refine the details of Leningrad itself. For example, Marsovo Pole has been given a new, much more authentic look. The already unprecedentedly large list of unique, specially modeled buildings will grow even further - for instance, here is the completed model of Mikhailovsky Castle.

The flight zone of the Gulf of Finland map will expand from 270 x 230 km to 310 x 280 km: the already vast number of settlements will grow by another 600, including those in Estonia. Among them is the city of Kingisepp.

Ten new airfields will appear on the map. The list of recreated important lighthouses is also gradually expanding - for example, the Tolbukhin Lighthouse, located west of Kronstadt.

Work on the Leningrad map continues, as does the expansion of the career mode in Odessa and Leningrad in 1941 and 1944. Stay tuned for updates - we’ll keep you informed about the progress of this work and highlight the most important details.

We congratulate you on Victory Day and wish you peace and happiness!

Original post

15 Apr 2026Developer post

Update 7.005

Dear friends, This minor update addresses the following issues: Corrected aerodynamics of the La-7 rudder Updated the “Operation Munchen” and “Under Siege” campaigns Corrected the end date of one of the chapters in the 1944 Odessa liberation Career Updated the Gefechtsverband Kuh

17 Mar 2026Developer post

New Aircraft In 2026

Hello, Comrades! Today, we'd like to expand on a topic recently announced by journalists and video bloggers from the flight simulation community. Specifically, we'd like to talk in more detail about the aircraft we plan to implement for IL-2 Great Battles in 2026. Let's start wit

Hello, Comrades!

Today, we'd like to expand on a topic recently announced by journalists and video bloggers from the flight simulation community. Specifically, we'd like to talk in more detail about the aircraft we plan to implement for IL-2 Great Battles in 2026.

Let's start with fighters, and the first one is the Bell P-39Q-15 Airacobra. It's well known that the Soviet Union was the primary user of the P-39 during World War II. However, some Airacobras were used by the U.S. Army Air Forces in the Pacific theater, including during the famous Battle of Guadalcanal in 1942. P-39s with the 99th Fighter Squadron also saw action in North Africa in 1944. The Q-15 modification differs from the previous L-1 in that it features a higher-altitude version of the Allison V-1710-85 engine. It replaces the Curtis Electric propeller with an Aeroproducts Hydromatic, which offers faster hydraulic pitch control. In terms of armament, this modification differed in that the four .303-caliber machine guns were replaced with two large-caliber Browning .50 caliber machine guns. In practice, the Soviet Air Force often removed these wing-mounted .50 caliber machine guns to reduce aircraft weight, and this option will be included in the game. Thus, the maximum possible forward armament was four .50-caliber machine guns and a short-barreled M4 37 mm automatic cannon. Other notable differences include replacing the rear armored glass with a steel armored headrest, which provides improved protection. However, better protection came at the expense of reduced rear visibility, so in practice, this headrest was often removed, and this modification will also be included in the game.

The second fighter will be the Republic P-47M Thunderbolt. The heavy Thunderbolt was the U.S. Army Air Force's workhorse fighter-bomber in the European Theater. The M modification, however, was more focused on fighter and interceptor roles. This modification featured a more powerful Pratt & Whitney R-2800-57 engine, with takeoff power of 2,100 hp and 2,800 hp with water-methanol injection. In the base version of the P-47M, two of the eight .50-caliber machine guns were removed to lighten the aircraft and improve its performance, but they could be reinstalled, and this modification will be included in the game. To improve directional stability, the empennage was equipped with a dorsal fillet. Interestingly, all Thunderbolts of this modification were in service with the 56th Fighter Group (the "Zemke Wolf Pack") during World War II. The group is renowned for flying P-47s in various configurations throughout the war and for achieving the highest number of victories in the 8th Air Force. Three of the top five most successful U.S. aces in the European theater - Francis Gabreski, Robert S. Johnson, and Hubert Zemke - fought with this group.

Let's move on to the four aircraft comprising the new Bomber Pack DLC. And, naturally, they are all multi-engine, multi-seat combat aircraft.

The first of these is the Douglas A-20G-25 Havoc. Unlike the A-20B previously designed for Great Battles, this modification was equipped with powerful forward-facing armament in the form of an "Attack Nose" instead of a navigator's cockpit, housing four M2 .50 heavy machine guns in addition to the two standard ones. The glass nose with a navigator's cockpit will still be available as a modification, so in addition to the A-20G, you'll also get the A-20J modification. Instead of a dorsal machine gun mount with a single .50-caliber machine gun, these aircraft were equipped with a Martin electric turret mount with two heavy machine guns. The ventral machine gun mount with a .303-caliber light machine gun has been replaced with a mount for a .50-caliber heavy machine gun. The pilot's cockpit in this modification was equipped with bulletproof glass. In the basic version, the aircraft will be presented as an American aircraft with American bomb armament, which took part in battles in the skies over Europe and the Pacific. Interestingly, the A-20J, equipped with a navigator-bombardier cockpit, was usually the leader, while the A-20G wingmen, without such equipment, dropped their bombs on the leader’s command. The game will also feature a Soviet modification of the aircraft with Soviet bomb armament and an external mount for anti-ship torpedoes! In the Soviet version, the aircraft's crew included a navigator, who, however, was located in the rear cockpit in the ventral gunner's position. The ventral machine gun was replaced with a standard OPB-1 bombsight.

The second bomber is the North American B-25C/D Mitchell. There's probably no point in describing where the Mitchell fought, as it fought everywhere: on the European, Pacific, and Eastern Fronts. This bomber has been featured in Great Battles since the release of Battle of Bodenplatte as an AI-controlled aircraft. We've long talked about the possibility of one day making it controllable by players. And now that moment is coming. In the base version, the aircraft will be represented as a U.S. Army Air Force bomber with the appropriate instrumentation, bomb armament, and Norden sight. A Soviet version with Soviet bombs and an NKPB sight will also be featured. On the Eastern Front, the Mitchell was used primarily in long-range night bomber squadrons from late 1942 until the victory. Thus, in Great Battles, the B-25 will take part in the Battle of Kuban, Battle of Odessa, Battle of Leningrad, Battle of Normandy, and Operation Bodenplatte module timeframes.

The third multi-seat aircraft of 2026 is the Martin B-26B-55 Marauder. We added it as AI-controlled aircraft for the Battle of Normandy project. Like the Mitchell, many wanted to pilot it, which will become possible this year. This is one of the most controversial and simultaneously successful U.S. medium bombers. On the one hand, it earned a reputation as a "widow maker," with many young crews suffering catastrophic crashes due to demanding flight controls. At the same time, this aircraft suffered the fewest combat losses. It could be said that the saying "hard to train, easy to fight" is especially applicable to this aircraft.

This bomber began its combat career in the Pacific during the attack on Rabaul in April 1942. They even took part in the Battle of Midway. But the Marauder's combat history is primarily associated with the European theater. The aircraft's lower combat losses compared to other medium bomber types are primarily due to its higher speed. It also boasts a formidable defensive armament of seven M2 .50 heavy machine guns: one in the nose, two in a dorsal turret, two in a twin mount at the rear, and two in dedicated hatches on the sides. Additionally, the aircraft had a substantial forward-firing battery of four heavy machine guns, which were sometimes removed in practice to lighten the load and further increase the aircraft speed. This modification will be featured in the game as well.

The famous German twin-engine, three-seat reconnaissance aircraft, the Focke-Wulf Fw-189 Uhu, completes this list. This aircraft was used by the Luftwaffe primarily on the Eastern Front, where it earned the nickname "Rama" (Frame) from Soviet troops for its distinctive twin-boom design. It is arguably the most famous frontline reconnaissance and spotter aircraft of World War II. It performed a wide range of missions, including reconnaissance, photo reconnaissance, artillery spotting, and bombing. To accomplish these tasks, it was equipped with a wide range of equipment: a radio, a camera, a radio compass, a bombsight, bomb racks, and two forward-firing 7.92 mm machine guns. The crew consisted of three airmen: a pilot, a navigator/observer, and a gunner/radio operator. The gunner controlled a tail-mounted defensive machine-gun mount of an original design, featuring a rotating cone-shaped turret that housed the machine gun on a pintle-mounted mount, allowing a variety of firing arcs. Due to its high aspect ratio and lift, as well as its low takeoff weight, the Uhu possessed outstanding horizontal maneuverability and was considered a challenging target for fighters in maneuver combat.

We'll reveal more details about these aircraft later, including Work-In-Progress screenshots. We're also working on the Gulf of Finland map seasons and expanded Pilot Career mode timeframes for Odessa and Leningrad, which we plan to share more about later. Also, next week we plan to release a small content update that will add the individual scenario missions for the remaining Siege and Liberatation aircraft that didn't have them yet and two interesting payware historical campaigns. Stay tuned for more news and updates!

Original post

04 Mar 2026Developer post

Korea. IL-2 Series Steam Page Is Now Live!

Hello pilots, We are happy to announce that the official Steam page for Korea. IL-2 Series is now live. This page will be a place on Steam where you can follow development news, see new screenshots and videos, and learn more about the upcoming next-generation flight simulator set

28 Jan 2026Developer post

Update 7.001

On this day 82 years ago, January 27th, 1944, the Leningrad siege has finally ended after 872 days. Today we release our largest Great Battles module in three years - Odessa and Leningrad - Siege and Liberation. We have completed development of all 8 aircraft for this module, as

On this day 82 years ago, January 27th, 1944, the Leningrad siege has finally ended after 872 days.

Today we release our largest Great Battles module in three years - Odessa and Leningrad - Siege and Liberation.

We have completed development of all 8 aircraft for this module, as well as both maps. Let us remind you what is included in the set:

Early war Soviet biplane fighter I-153 "Chaika" designed by Polikarpov Design Bureau,
Early war German Messerschmitt Bf 109 E-4 fighter,
Early war Soviet fighter Yak-1 series 23 by Yakovlev Design Bureau,
Early war Soviet fighter LaGG-3 series 4 by Gorbunov Design Bureau,
Soviet ground attack aircraft Il-2 model 1944 by Ilyushin Design Bureau,
Late war Soviet fighter Yak-3 designed by Yakovlev Design Bureau,
Late war German Ju 87 D-5 dive bomber,
Late war Soviet fighter La-7 designed by Lavochkin Design Bureau,
The "Odessa" map with a flight zone size of 320 x 320 kilometers,
The "Gulf of Finland" map with a size of 270 x 230 kilometers.

The project's release means it is now available for purchase both on our website and on Steam. But it is important to note that this does not mean the project's work has stopped! As has always been the case with our previous modules, we will continue to refine and improve it after its official release. We plan to continue developing "Odessa and Leningrad" for several more months.

First, we plan to expand the time periods of the Pilot's Career mode to four full timeframes, two for Odessa and two for Leningrad. Each map will include a timeline for the sieges of these cities in 1941 and their liberation in 1944. In total, these four timeframes will contain 15 (!) chapters. We have currently implemented three of them—two in the Odessa theater of war (1941 and 1944) and one in Leningrad (1941). New chapters will be added with each update.

In addition, we plan to increase the number of seasons for the Gulf of Finland map to five: spring, summer, autumn, the transitional period before and after winter, and winter. Summer and winter have already been released, and the remaining seasons will be added in Q2. We plan to complete the career mode expansion by the end of summer 2026.

Another addition in this version is new historical campaign Ram Squadron dedicated to the actions of the 401st Squadron of the Royal Canadian Air Force in the summer of 1944. Its main character will be the Spitfire Mk.IXc fighter, which is available to all owners of the Battle of Normandy module.

You will lead a section of Spitfires from the 401st Squadron of the 126th Wing of the Royal Canadian Air Force. Along with attacks on various ground targets, in the summer of 1944, the squadron's pilots engaged in several successful, large-scale air battles, laying the foundation for the future glory of the most effective unit of the 2nd Tactical Air Force. The campaign will culminate in missions to destroy the encircled German forces in the Falaise Pocket.

All missions are based on the combat log of the 401st Squadron of the Royal Canadian Air Force and, where possible, reconstruct the real ground and air situation that developed during the Battle of Normandy.

The new campaign is available on our website and on Steam.

Version 7.001 changelist:

The La-7 series 1 fighter and the Il-2 mod. 1944 (with swept wings) ground attack aircraft have been added to the sim. Now, owners of the Siege and Liberation module have access to all 8 of its aircraft listed above
The Gulf of Finland map and the Pilot Career mode in the Leningrad Theater of Operations in 1941 are available to all owners of the Siege and Liberation module
The Pilot Career modes for the Odessa Theater of Operations in 1944 and 1945 are available to all owners of the Siege and Liberation module
A new payware historical campaign on Spitfire Mk.IXc, Ram Squadron, is now available (requires Battle of Normandy)
I-153 “Chaika”: flight characteristics with the M-63 engine modification installed have been corrected
Buildings won't disappear and reappear when rotating the camera view
Corrected the algorithm for calculating coolant leakage from radiators
Added single scenarios for the I-153, Yak-1 series 23, and LaGG-3 series 4
Career mode: Zeppelin escort mission added to WWI Western Front map
Career mode: reduced the probability transport aircraft intercept on the Eastern Front (except for the 6th Army encirclement at Stalingrad timeframe)
Career mode: fixed an issue with a group of transport aircraft circling over a drop zone after a successful cargo drop
Career mode: added night Intruder and Combat Patrol missions for the Bf 110
Career mode: increased the cover distance for the player's group in the Normandy theater of operations
Career mode: fixed a bug in the Normandy theater of operations where other aircraft did not have tactical codes in cargo and parachute drop missions
Career mode: increased flight altitude in bomber intercept missions on the Eastern Front
In the Sky Nomads campaign, changes have been made to the weather conditions in some missions, and a number of bugs have been fixed

Work on the "Siege and Liberation" module is not the only thing we plan to do this year for Great Battles. Soon, we plan to make an important announcement about something new and long-awaited that will be coming to you in the near future. Stay tuned for news and stay in touch!

Original post

13 Nov 2025Developer post

Update 6.107

11.11.2025 Dear friends, On this very day, 107 years ago, on November 11, 1918, the armistice on the Western Front of World War I came into effect — for the first time in four years of nearly continuous artillery barrage, silence fell. The armistice was not subsequently violated

11.11.2025

Dear friends,

On this very day, 107 years ago, on November 11, 1918, the armistice on the Western Front of World War I came into effect — for the first time in four years of nearly continuous artillery barrage, silence fell. The armistice was not subsequently violated and became the official date of the end of the bloodiest war in human history at that time.

In honor of this anniversary, we have released update 6.107, which introduces numerous new features to the Flying Circus module. This update expands and diversifies the virtual world of World War I, developed in collaboration with Yugra Media.

Watch on YouTube

First, a real giant has entered the Flying Circus arena! We've wanted to add German Zeppelin-class R bomber airships for many years. Despite their vulnerability, they were not an easy target — catching up with or intercepting an airship flying at high altitude and at what was then a high speed was a task at the limit of the capabilities of the first airplanes. Machine gun fire did not guarantee sufficient damage to the hydrogen tanks even after hundreds of rifle-caliber bullets hit the outer shell. The situation changed only with the advent of more powerful aircraft engines and incendiary rockets.

New major cities have been added to the Western Front map, including Mons, Namur, Aachen, Verviers, Maastricht, Brussels, Charleroi, and others. Additional landmarks have appeared in Paris, including the Arc de Triomphe and the Trocadéro Palace. Railway stations and train stations have been added to many settlements. Several minor improvements have been made, which collectively have significantly enhanced the perception and realism of the map.

All Flying Circus owners have already received the airship and all map updates - no additional purchases are needed. If you were planning to purchase Flying Circus, we would like to draw your attention to the new Flying Circus Deluxe collection, now available on Steam and our website.

The bundle contains 40 flyable aircraft of the rise of flight era, a pilot career mode, individual scenario missions, and a mission generator on the huge Western Front WWI map, as well as five historical campaigns: Gallant Green (S.E.5a pilot of No. 56 Squadron in April - June 1917), Red Knights (Albatros D.V pilot of Jasta 11 during Spring 1917), Spring Offensive (Sopwith Camel pilot of No. 54 Squadron in March 1918), Kaiserschlacht (Fokker Dr.I pilot of Jasta 6 in March 1918) and Against the Tide (SSW D.IV pilot in August - September 1918).

And that's not all — of course, the improvements in the new version are not limited to World War I. Several improvements and fixes have been implemented in World War II campaigns and aircraft, as outlined in the list of changes below.

Version 6.107 Changelist

The AI-controlled Zeppelin R airship is available as a target in the new “Intercept Zeppelin” mission type in the careers for the Spad 7 and Nieuport 17 for the French squadrons N103, N12, N26, N31, N48, N62, N23, N3, and British No.19 from 1916 to 1917;
The Western Front map has received a major update: large cities (Mons, Namur, Aachen, Verviers, Maastricht, Brussels, Charleroi, Trier, Liège), the landscape has been refined, and Paris landmarks have been added: the Arc de Triomphe and the Trocadero Palace;
The new Flying Circus Deluxe Edition, which includes all 40 World War I aircraft, is now available (on Steam and on our website);
To protect against cheating, newly saved multiplayer missions in .msnbin format can no longer be opened in the editor (.mission files can still be opened for future edits). Previously, it was possible to examine missions received from the server in the editor to gain an unfair advantage over other players;
Bf 109 E-4 — due to popular demand, a modification of the DB-601Aa engine with increased power at ground level but reduced altitude has been added;
Me 410 — the engine's emergency mode operation time has been increased to 3 minutes in accordance with documents from the Bundesarchiv submitted by players;
Il-2 model 1943 — while working on the new Il-2 model 1944, stability and controllability have been adjusted to more accurately match the available data, and switch sounds have been added to the cockpit;
A scenario mission for the Yak-1 23 series has been added to the Odessa map;
Fixed a bug where World War II equipment could appear in WWI scenarios;
The “Hornet's Nest” campaign has been updated;
The “Wild Mustangs” campaign has been updated;
Fixed a bug where night bombing targets for the Me 410 were only selected on the coast of England;
The missing emblem of the 298th IAP has been added;
Fixed a bug where II./JG 3 pilots received awards as bomber pilots instead of fighter pilots;
AQM: fixed a bug on the Western Front map where balloons appeared in the corner of the map instead of the correct coordinates;
Mission Editor: large missions opening and saving is up to several dozen times faster now.

Original post

25 Oct 2025Developer post

Dev blog #374

Dear aviators, Today, we are happy to report that our joint development with Ugra-Media of a major Flying Circus-themed update is nearing completion. In mid-November, we plan to release this update, which will significantly expand and diversify the virtual world of World War I in

Dear aviators,

Today, we are happy to report that our joint development with Ugra-Media of a major Flying Circus-themed update is nearing completion. In mid-November, we plan to release this update, which will significantly expand and diversify the virtual world of World War I in our simulator.A significant improvement will be the addition of 7 new major cities to the Western Front map: Mons, Namur, Aachen, Verviers, Maastricht, Bruxelles, and Charleroi. Several additional unique landmarks have been added to Paris, including the Arc de Triomphe. Small and big railway stations have been added to many settlements. Several smaller improvements have been made, which together significantly enhance the map's perception and realism.

In addition to the map improvements, a real giant is entering the Flying Circus! We have completed development of the German Zeppelin R Class combat airship. We are now finishing a set of related additional combat missions for the early period of the Pilot Career mode. Six new types of combat missions include intercepting the airship and assaulting and bombing airship bases for the Entente - German pilots will cover the airship's passage across the front line and defend the Zeppelin bases.

Creating a simulation model of an airship was not a simple task: we had to resolve issues related to the interaction of such a gigantic object with other objects in the game world, implement a very specific damage model, develop AI to control the airship's flight and the use of its weapons, and create an entirely new set of graphic effects and sounds for it. Our earlier fears about taking on such a task were not unfounded — in many ways, such a unique object brought us close to the limits of what is possible within the game world of Great Battles. Nevertheless, we managed to solve all these problems, and soon all Flying Circus owners will see the result on their PCs - you won't have to buy anything extra.

We will continue to keep you updated on the latest developments in the Great Battles game world — there will be additional important news before the end of the year. Please stay tuned and stay in touch!

Original post

12 Oct 2025Developer post

Dev blog #373

Hello, comrades! Today, we will share more information with you about the Gulf of Finland map, which is being developed for the Siege and Liberation module. More specifically, we will focus on its biggest city, Leningrad. This will be the largest city in Great Battles, even large

Hello, comrades!

Today, we will share more information with you about the Gulf of Finland map, which is being developed for the Siege and Liberation module. More specifically, we will focus on its biggest city, Leningrad. This will be the largest city in Great Battles, even larger than Paris on the WWI map. This has been made possible by the increase in graphics card performance. What was previously impossible to achieve, maintaining satisfactory performance, when we created the Moscow map in 2015, is now possible. The result is certainly impressive despite some textures being WIP — a huge city with many reproduced features of its layout.

Choosing unique buildings was quite a challenge, as Leningrad is home to many UNESCO World Heritage landmarks. We selected the most notable and significant, in our opinion, large historical buildings and complexes, as well as some unique bridges. Perhaps we can expand this list even further. Currently, the Peter and Paul Fortress complex, St. Isaac's Cathedral, Kazan Cathedral, the General Staff Building, the Hermitage, the Alexander Column, the Spit of Vasilyevsky Island complex with the Rostral Columns, the Admiralty, the Kresty Prison, and the KGB building have been implemented.

Later, we hope to add the Smolny Cathedral, the Church of the Savior on Blood, St. Nicholas Cathedral in Kronstadt, and several forts. The part of the work that involved reproducing the colors of historic buildings was interesting and challenging, because their modern appearance is entirely different from what it was in 1941, especially since many of them were painted in special camouflage at the beginning of the war.

The work on reproducing the city's layout, which is affected by a complex railway network, was intricate and time-consuming. St. Petersburg, which later became Petrograd and then Leningrad, was the capital of the Russian Empire for hundreds of years and remains a major transportation hub. At the same time, the city is criss-crossed by an exceptionally well-developed network of rivers and canals, which necessitated the reconstruction of their embankments, the total length of which is simply enormous.

Overall, we have successfully recreated the recognizable image of the city on the Neva, which you will soon see in the game. The Siege and Liberation module, featuring two famous cities simultaneously, is now available in early access and can be purchased on our website. Please stay tuned for our news and keep in touch!

Original post

IL-2 Sturmovik: Battle of Stalingrad

Updates & announcements

Dev blog #377

Defense of Leningrad, 1941–1942

Liberation of Leningrad, 1944

Defense of Odessa, 1941

Liberation of Odessa, 1944

Dev Blog #86

Fw-189A-2 Uhu

А-20G-25 Havoc

B-25C/D Mitchell

B-26B Marauder

F9F-2 Panther

F2H-2 Banshee

AD-4 Skyraider

F4U-4 Corsair

FB MK.11 Sea Fury

Essex SCB-27A

HO3S-1

The Big IL-2 Series Sale is now live!

Update 7.008

Update 7.007

The Road of Life

Update 7.006

Scheduled maintenance 5.05

Update 7.005

Are you a pilot?

Update 7.004

Small update 7.003 is now available!

The IL-2 Spring Sale is now live.

New Aircraft In 2026

Korea. IL-2 Series Steam Page Is Now Live!

Update 7.001

Patch 6.107b

Update 6.107

Dev blog #374

Dev blog #373