Just as promised a few days ago, Top Mach Studios has released their rendition of the legendary B-2 Spirit bomber for Microsoft Flight Simulator. It’s another arrival on the platform of one of the most advanced and enigmatic aircraft in the United States Air Force, following KwikFlight’s rendition from last year.
The B-2 Spirit is now available exclusively through the Microsoft Flight Simulator Marketplace, priced at $39.99. Currently, the release is limited to PC users, with an Xbox version planned for release in the coming weeks.
Top Mach Studios invested over a year and a half of painstaking work to bring the B-2 Spirit to life in MSFS. The studio faced unique challenges in recreating this stealth bomber, given its classified nature and limited publicly available information. However, the development team went to great lengths to ensure accuracy and authenticity within these constraints.
“It has only been in the last few years that the USAF allowed any publicly available photographic and video footage from inside the cockpit of B-2 to become available,” the studio noted. “We also received invaluable information, feedback, and encouragement from real world B-2 pilots and maintainers, within the limits of operational security.”
Features and Highlights
The B-2 Spirit add-on boasts an impressive array of features, exhaustively detailed by Top Mach Studios on their website. Here are some of the highlights:
Highly Detailed 3D Model
- 21 detailed liveries representing all current and former B-2As in service
- Intricate exterior modeling, including weapon bays, wheel bays, and surface details
- Animated flight control surfaces, landing gear, and weapon bay doors
Advanced Cockpit Simulation
- Fully functional Multi-Function Displays with customized instrumentation
- Robust crew alerting system with visual and audio warnings
- Interactive checklist system integrated into the Center Information Display
- Simulated Forward-Looking Infrared (FLIR) system for night and low visibility flying
Realistic Flight Model
- Custom programmed simulated Fly-By-Wire control system
- Auto-trim, G-limiter, and other flight envelope protection systems
- Precision high-altitude flight control capabilities up to 50,000 feet and above
Immersive Sound Design
- Highly realistic sound suite developed by Echo19 Audio
- 3D fly-by sound experience for authentic exterior audio
- Detailed interior sounds replicating all major systems and interactions
This new release for MSFS offers simmers the rare opportunity to experience the cockpit of one of the world’s most advanced and secretive aircraft, even if realism is bound to be compromised given the secretive nature of the real-world airplane.
“While impossible within the scope of any desktop flight simulator to replicate the complexity and depth of operational and tactical systems found on the B-2A, we’ve endeavored to provide a highly immersive and satisfying experience that we hope represents what it might feel like to fly the Spirit,” Top Mach Studios stated.
With the PC version now available, Top Mach Studios is focusing on optimizing the B-2 Spirit for Xbox users. The studio has promised to keep the community updated on the progress of the Xbox release, expected in the coming weeks.
To learn more, check out the B-2 Spirit in the Marketplace and read the User Manual, which is available for free on the developer’s website.
