Blackbird Simulations had a busy weekend. With just days to go before the early access release of the Dirty 30 ADV — their highly detailed rendition of the C-130J-30 Super Hercules for Microsoft Flight Simulator — the developer went live with a laid-back but information-packed “State of the Sim” stream, offering a peek into its ongoing projects and overall direction.
The highlight, of course, was the Dirty 30. Blackbird’s team gave a detailed walkthrough of the aircraft, demonstrating its complex systems, avionics, and even a quick flight around Honolulu. The Dirty 30 is being described by Blackbird as their most ambitious project yet, with a fully custom electrical system, detailed avionics simulations, a terrain awareness radar with shadowing, and a deep navigation system featuring an INS model based on Kalman filters. The aircraft is being released initially as an “alpha,” priced at $24.99, with ongoing updates planned that will eventually raise the price as the project nears completion.
One thing Blackbird was keen to stress: the Dirty 30 will require MSFS 2024. Future development is exclusively targeted at the newer sim, a decision the team explained was necessary due to significant technical differences between MSFS 2020 and 2024. Supporting both versions, they said, would double the work and ultimately compromise quality.
A closer look at the Dirty 30
In a live demonstration, the team showcased the aircraft’s cold and dark start process, the intricate electrical and hydraulic systems, and various cockpit features — including full circuit breaker functionality and a fully modeled HUD system. The aircraft’s avionics are said to be true to the real Hercules, with everything from GPS-denied navigation scenarios to a working Terrain Avoidance Warning System (TAWS).
The cockpit lighting system also stood out, with simmers able to individually adjust the brightness of nearly every panel and control backlight across multiple pages of settings. Blackbird also confirmed that a cargo airdrop system is in development, though it will not be ready at the alpha release.
Additional cargo variants, aerial refueling capability, and firefighting systems (MAFFS) are planned as separate paid DLCs at a later stage.
Other projects in the works
The stream wasn’t just about the Dirty 30. Blackbird also provided updates on several other projects:
- A6M5 Zero: Blackbird showed off its upcoming Mitsubishi Zero fighter for MSFS 2024, which they aim to release by the end of May. The aircraft features extensive research to reflect late-war models, including the omission of radios (common practice among operational Zeros) and a focus on authentic flight behavior.
- DHC-3 Otter: Both a radial and turbo version of the Otter are well underway. The modeling is complete, and coding is about halfway finished. Multiple variants will be included — floats, skis, Tundra tires — and a summer release is the current target.
- SR-71 Blackbird: Development on the highly anticipated SR-71 continues, with the aircraft now capable of reaching speeds beyond Mach 2.4. The team is working on achieving the aircraft’s maximum classified speeds, and integrating fully custom flight profiles and sounds.
- Boeing 732: Work is progressing steadily on Blackbird’s Boeing 737-200. Two cockpit variants are planned: one with fully analog steam gauges, and another hybrid glass cockpit. About 35% of the systems coding is reportedly complete, and negotiations are underway with another (unnamed) company regarding the project.
- Other mentions: Brief notes were made regarding the long-teased B-1B Lancer (“the Bone”) project, as well as future work on helicopters like the UH-1Y and AH-1Z.
A word about legacy products
Blackbird also clarified their plans for older MSFS 2020 products. While aircraft like the PC-6 Porter, T-6, and Cessna 310 have been updated for basic MSFS 2024 compatibility, full native upgrades will be treated as new products in the future. Owners may be offered discounted upgrade paths where possible, but the company noted that significant rework is needed to truly bring older models up to native 2024 standards.
The upcoming release of the Dirty 30 marks a major milestone for Blackbird Simulations. It also points to a broader shift in the MSFS ecosystem, where MSFS 2024’s newer capabilities and increased stability are setting the stage for the next generation of highly detailed aircraft. Blackbird is betting on that future, with all current and upcoming projects now aimed exclusively at MSFS 2024.
The Dirty 30 will release on May 1st, 2025, at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time, priced at $24.99 during the initial early access period. Buyers will receive all future updates for free, although planned DLC packages (like aerial refueling and firefighting equipment) will come at an additional cost.
For more information, Blackbird Simulations has set up a dedicated product page.
