After some years of development and a couple of set backs, one of the most expected WW2 modules for DCS is finally here. The de Havilland Mosquito is one of most impressive aircraft that Britain built during the war, so having the possibility to enjoy it as a full fidelity module is fantastic. To say that I like this aircraft would be an understatement, seeing as I have a scale model of it right under my monitor as I write this, of the same variant too!
Let us take a look at what this highly anticipated module has to offer at launch and how this Early Access launch stacks in relation to previous releases such as the P-47 Thunderbolt.
EXTERNAL AND INTERNAL MODELS
She has, without question, one of the most complex and intricately-made models currently in the game. The shapes for the external model might be simple but they are polished and to the average user it looks perfect (This is not considering some of the things I have noticed when looking at it as a "2D artist" such as the stretched UVs) . From the subtle curves of the main wooden fuselage that lack rivets to the impressively detailed bomb bay, this model is pretty.
Click the pictures to enlarge them
The cockpit is not slacker either. It has been beautifully recreated and excellently weathered. All the knobs and crevices look like they have been used but not like they have been beaten with a bat, a nice balance indeed. Both the pilot and navigator sides are gorgeous, even more when you the back side of the navigator side and its equipment. If the release delay was because of the remodeling process, then it is certain that it was worth the wait.
Scroll through the pictures!
FLIGHT AND SYSTEM MODELING
I have the very respectable amount of zero flight hours on real life Mosquitos, so take my opinion here with a Texas-sized grain of salt. Without axis curves, this aircraft feels a bit overly sensitive. That is something I also experienced with all other WW2 aircraft that I tried, so I have gotten used to tweaking my desk-mounted short stick (T1.6000 and TWS Throttle w/pedals) to these modules. From what I have heard, these modules are modeled to reflect the longer control columns that these fighters had. To fix that "oversensitivity", lower your saturation and add a slight curve. That should do the trick.
But when you have tuned her well, oh boy, she is a joy to fly. She is maneuverable but not as much as a Spitfire or even a P-47D. She is fast and, when using all of her advantages, she can annihilate almost every fighter. Remember that you are heavy but extremely fast for your size, so use that to your advantage. I can't really complaint about the systems since I have not had the time to use them to their fullest, so I will reserve my comment on this subject for a future full review once it is out of Early Access.
Oh, one noteworthy thing about the engine modeling is that the developers modeled the infamous carburetor issues that can cause engine stalls during negative G maneuvers. Watch out for this, since you will most likely be in this situation (like I've been countless times).
ARMAMENT
At launch, this bird came only with a fraction of the weaponry it should have. But remember, this is an Early Access launch inside of the Open Beta branch. This means that features will be added as they are developed.
.303 BROWNING MACHINE GUNS (4X)
Kind of weak but their sheer volume of fire is enough to deal damage. You have 4 of these with plenty of ammo to spray and pray.
HISPANO 20MM CANNONS (4X)
Now these actually deal some significant damage. Not as much ammo as the MGs but plenty to last a while, watch that trigger time though!
250 and 500LB BOMBS
The only externally mounted armament in the Early Access release. These are enough to do a single pass on a target and the scram towards allied airspace.
CONCLUSION
So, after talking about this bird, what are my thoughts on it? Simple, this bird feels right at home in DCS. It is a welcome addition to the WW2 roster and I can not wait to see how the developers will handle the Early Access period. This was a great module launch.
About the author:
Santiago "Cubeboy" Cuberos
Longtime aviation fanatic with particular preference towards military aviation and its history. Said interests date back to the early 2000's leading into his livelong dive into civil and combat flight simulators. He has been involved in a few communities but only started being active around the mid 2010's. Joined as a Spanish to English translator in 2017, he has been active as a writer and the co-founder of Skyward ever since. Twitter | Discord: Cubeboy #9034
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