Grinnelli Designs: Living F-100D
- Aaron "Ribbon-Blue" Mendoza
- 11 minutes ago
- 9 min read
The most accurately modeled aircraft in DCS?
The F-100D Super Sabre in development by Grinnelli Designs (GD) is shaping up to be the most accurate representation of "The Hun" on any simulation platform. Though, it may also be one of the most accurate representations of an aircraft in Digital Combat Simulator thanks to a unique angle other developers have not had access to, and new development tools created by the team itself.
In our first article about this aircraft and its developer, we spoke at length about things seen in its pre-order trailer, how this aircraft was promoted over the last two years and a few points about the internal systems of the F-100D modified to Project High Wire standard. We continue the series by discussing some of the newer information released since then and more thoughts on where the Super Sabre would most likely thrive within Digital Combat Simulator's online community.
Soundtrack Release
The last leg of the promotional push for the F-100D Super Sabre certainly has been active. So active that right before this article was posted, Grinnelli Designs released the official soundtrack accompanying the F-100D Super Sabre module on YouTube. On social media the album is being released track by track, hour by hour on May 23rd, 2026. The developer's YouTube Channel also has the full album available for listening.
The soundtrack is titled "Death or Glory". All 10 tracks on the album were composed and performed by Dark Twin Productions in cooperation with Grinnelli Designs. The album is described as capturing the "raw energy and danger of the Super Sabre, a fighter born from an era where speed was survival and war was hell."
Without a doubt this is a true Heavy Metal album; an appropriate music genre for what they are trying to portray. We're big fans of the track "YGBSM". Rock out as the article continues:
Active Aircraft Access
The general standard for aircraft in Digital Combat Simulator is that they aspire to be some of the most accurate virtual representations of combat aircraft possible. There is a certain level of declassified documentation, technical data and licensing agreements that need to be cleared. Subject matter experts (SME) for both maintaining and operating the aircraft are needed to fine tune the details only those that have handled aircraft in military service would know. Thousands of photos showing the fine details of aircraft and 3D scans of museum aircraft to ensure the 3D model of the DCS World representation of the aircraft are also a must have.
The Grinnelli Designs' F-100D Super Sabre certainly checks off all of these boxes, but their ability to access civilian owned aircraft is a massive boon. In 2024, the GD team traveled across the United States of America to meet various organizations to gather data on the F-100D. From Georgia to Indiana, Ohio and Texas. Working with the Collings Foundation, the Museum of Aviation and a still flying Super Sabre under the custodianship of Dean "Cutter" Cutshall in Indiana; though it has now been transferred to a new operator.
An experience with the F-100 Super Sabre in Fort Wayne, Indiana became an especially productive event. The aircraft experienced a fuel valve failure while the GD team was onsite gathering data. This resulted in the development team being able to experience aircraft maintenance firsthand. They were able to gather audio and video from the maintenance process and while the aircraft was in flight after its repair.
An entire 12-part video series was created around this experience.
Access to a still flying aircraft is something that many licensed DCS developers do not have. It somewhat comes with the territory of simulating combat aircraft. Whether that is because there are no flying examples, few museum examples, incomplete museum examples, lack of accessible extensive documentation or the aircraft is still in active military service and cannot be accessed by civilians. The Grinnelli Designs team has found themselves in a highly unique position and are capitalizing on it in a way few others could.
The Top Extremely Accurate Flight Model?
On May 1st, 2026, a video was published providing the first in depth look into the F-100D Super Sabre for DCS World. The video shows amazing new visuals of the module with Joseph Grinnelli himself narrating the finer points of the flight model. He discusses the specific parts of the aircraft design and their effects on the aircraft's flight performance while the simulated F-100D provides visuals.
In the video it is mentioned that the flight model was constructed using hundreds of thousands of data points that were then matched to real-world full-scale coefficients and dynamics. Let me tell you that is no exaggeration. In fact we can prove that.
On August 15th, 2025, Grinnelli Designs discussed the second revision of their Flight Model Methodology Report in a Discord post on their server. This detailed document was created as a part of the flight model review process required by Eagle Dynamics as a part of clearing the F-100D for use in Digital Combat Simulator.
It is safe to assume that the flight model has been improved upon since this document was published nine months ago. Releasing a document like this is a gesture to show just how dedicated GD is to pursue 1:1 simulation of their aircraft. For anyone that flies in DCS or has a passing interest, this document provides a hardly seen aspect of module development for Digital Combat Simulator before aircraft are made available for purchase.
Grinnelli Designs created their own in house flight model simulation tool which runs independently from Digital Combat Simulator. Referred to as the Non-Linear Simulation Tool in the aforementioned document, it is a software is programmed using Python to make use of various other scientific tools like root finding, integrated plotting and curve fitting for example. Rather than a program that simply crunches any number typed into it, this tool is so advanced it contains a physics engine. It can quickly and repeatedly run multiple tests in seconds in different dynamic and steady state conditions which are paired with data from real world tests document stick input and resulting output. This same tool is used to create both the player-controlled F-100D and the DCS AI controlled flight model.
All of this is rounded off by verifications of the flight model the "old fashioned way" by confirming flight characteristics with SMEs including actual F-100 pilots.
I cannot help but think that a standalone tool for building flight models would be useful for any aircraft you could gather enough data for. Who knows which aircraft Grinnelli Designs will use this tool for next.
A New Level of Customization
This aircraft is going to have a level of user driven customization that other modules in Digital Combat Simulator do not match. A video posted on May 16th, 2026, demonstrates things, but let's go deeper.
As mentioned in our last article, nine of the cockpit's instrument panel can be reconfigured to the user's preferences. Rather than let users wait for the aircraft's release, players can reconfigure their Super Sabre's front dash on the developer's website in the F-100D Dash Creator.
As instruments are dragged and dropped into their desired positioned players are given a Custom Dash ID number. This string of numbers can be used in the special options of the Super Sabre when it is available in DCS World to have their cockpit layout appear in the simulator every time they load the aircraft.
Anyone that has created, commissioned or downloaded custom aircraft liveries will know that even the smallest detail like kill markings or a pilot's name involves someone putting them in just the right spot at the right size. These texture files are sometimes overly complex and take time to study to make sure the relevant part of the files is being edited. Not to mention considerations on the livery file if DCS allows for dynamic tail numbers.
The upcoming F-100D takes some of that workload out of the hands of a texture file guru and puts it directly into the hands of the player with the dynamic victory marks tally system. At launch, this system will pull data from the player's single player activities to show destroyed surface targets as bomb silhouettes and air targets as aircraft silhouettes. The table below visually explains it:
These tallies can be removed in the Special Options menu for this module with a single mouse click. The GD team is in contact with Eagle Dynamics to try and expand this to include multiplayer victories, but that will not be available at launch.
When compared to the everyday efforts of livery creators having to make every marking on an aircraft fuselage or customization within a cockpit by hand, this level of customization made available through an options menu is truly new territory for DCS.
Thoughts on The Hun in the Virtual Skies of DCS World
While the F-100D is not available to fly yet, I find myself thinking about how an aircraft like the Super Sabre would fit into Digital Combat Simulator. New information about its weapon and systems, my memories of flying extensively at FlightSimExpo 2025 and the recent videos about it have me wracking my brain over how this aircraft will be received and remembered long term. Specifically into its online multiplayer community which arguably is where a majority of the focus of DCS is from both its player base and those that experience DCS passively through videos.
Digital Combat Simulator has an abundance of what would be considered Cold War (1947-1991) era aircraft. While the F/A-18 Hornet and F-16 'Viper' were designed and produced during the Cold War, when talking about DCS World, the simulator has more aircraft from would be considered the "peak" decades of the conflict. Aircraft like the MiG-21 Fishbed, F-4E Phantom II, Mirage F1, F-5E Tiger II and AJS-37 Viggen. These are the types of fixed-wing combat aircraft that, in the mind's eye of aviation enthusiasts, were some of the last "true fighters". The aircraft primarily engaged in within visual range combat, traditional dogfighting based on pilot skill rather than technology, rolling nose down into anti-aircraft fire to put bombs on target; you get the picture, right?
There are entire Digital Combat Simulator communities and servers built around this style of warfare. This equates to a period between the 1950s through the mid 1970s. The Hun certainly fits the bill as it was introduced and built during that transition between second generation and third generation fixed-wing combat aircraft.
The flight performance and combat capability of the F-100D matches a level of technology that a significant portion of the aircraft catalog in DCS shares. Mission editors that take time to restrict certain weapons on aircraft slightly more advanced than the Super Sabre could still have them within the same scenarios as The Hun as well. But through balancing would be a must have.
Similar to how the Aerges Engineering Mirage F1 became a prevalent REDFOR aircraft in Cold War era player vs player servers, it is very possible that the F-100D becomes a staple frontline BLUFOR aircraft for the same scenarios. A prevalent air-to-ground workhouse capable of carrying substantial amounts of ordinance to fly alongside aircraft like the F-4E Phantom II without having to press a light fighter like the F-5E Tiger II into a bomb laden configuration all the time.
I truly look forward to seeing the Super Sabre proliferate across the well-established Cold War communities that are forefront in this DCS.
A Decisive June
There is still no solid release date for the F-100D Super Sabre, but we are well within what could be considered an ideal timeframe for its release. FlightSimExpo 2026 (FSExpo) starts in roughly three weeks. Running from June 12th through 14th, 2026, it is one of the most important annual flight simulation industry events. For any company, releasing a product during the expo would be a big final promotional boost as the world looks for the latest announcements from within the industry.
Our next article about Grinnelli Designs will discuss the impact of this developer's presence at FSExpo with the context of the past five years based on Skyward Flight Media covering the event over the years. With the way the GD team has been moving in the past few weeks, it is likely that we will have more concrete information on their upcoming aircraft and the in-person Combat Arena to be seen at FSExpo 2026.
Connect with Grinnelli Designs
About the Writer
Co-founder of Skyward Flight Media. After founding Electrosphere.info, the first English Ace Combat database, he has been involved in creating flight game-related websites, communities, and events since 2005. He explores past and present flight games and simulators with his extensive collection of game consoles and computers. [Read Staff Profile]
