It’s available at SimMarket. I’m tempted, but I already picked up the F35 today so I probably should wait a bit…
2 Likes
Very reasonable pricing; can buy directly from AH as well. (Always a bonus IMHO.)
The screenshots look really nice, and if the flight dynamic is of the same excellent quality as the marvelous little C140, this model should be loads of fun.
As soon as I get a chance to fly it, I’ll report back with first impressions. 
2 Likes
I’m interested in this but the quality from AH, especially on initial release versions, is spotty. I’ll wait for reviews.
7 Likes
Interested as well,
I like their Spitfire!
The C140 impressed from Day One. It’s the best GA taildragger in the sim, IMHO. Looks very pretty… flies as good as it looks.
2 Likes
I was never interested in the 140 but the Electra is still not great and the Spit seems better now but was bug ridden on release.
5 Likes
I have the Barrel - it was one of my regular fliers in FSX
It has a couple of issues - the biggest one is the elevator animation is wrong. Spawns and stays fully deflected for max climb, almost fully deflected up. Trim and stick inputs DO adjust aircraft pitch but the elevator barely moves.
There is flickering glass above the telescope gunsight.
The ATC / radio stops working or is intermittent with the notification that the electrical system must be turned on - it is. But the ATC / radio comms drop out anyway.
This is with one flight in the orange Goshawk version - in some cases in MSFS there are variables between one livery and another, but I don’t think any of these issues will be different with just a different livery
I’ll post a video in a minute
2 Likes
And this is why I held off.
2 Likes
here’s the vid
mind that on the takeoff I still had the elevator trim full forward to check if the elevator deflection was a controller issue - in reality I’m only about half that bad at this flying stuff
4 Likes
Just looked at the rivets in the first picture on simmarket than I saw the price and I thought “no, thank you.”
4 Likes
Nice landing, despite the squirrelly behavior once on the ground. Even tricycle gear A/C do that… one of the single biggest challenges with performance modelling in the sim.
I see what you mean about the elevator animation. Odd, but nowhere near a deal breaker. The radio cutting in and out is a bigger issue, but since I ignore ATC anyway (and mostly fly from an uncontrolled airport) even that doesn’t bother me too much.
Looks like a blast to fly, and several new skills and procedures to master. Lots of fun for the money I’d say.
Is it me, or there is no glass protecting the gauges?
I’ll be called river counter again, but the cockpit is definitely on the lower end. The exterior looks much better though. The cockpit sound is also not great. I know it is not the same, but I will wait for F4F to see how they stack against each other and decide.
I am glad that we are at the point where we can be very picky as there are more good airplanes for MSFS than time to fly them, unless you fly only airliners or a very specific type of airplanes.
4 Likes
I really am disappointed that AH doesn’t take a little more time to upgrade to MSFS standards and finish their existing products before pushing new ones. The only AH plane that really was good from the beginning was the C140.
First there was the Spitfire debacle where they pulled the Mk.I in a huff after the dev got into a row with some people on social media because they pointed out that there already was the Flying Iron Spitfire Mk. IX. Nevertheless when they published the Mk. I a few months later it was still buggy. Would have imagined they take some time to perfect it.
Then there’s the disappointing Electra that still looks very 2010 on the inside and has some technical issues as well as mediocre sounds. I am really glad I could return this one…
And this F3F again feels like another port from FSX/P3D with little to no effort to implement new functions or technologies like WWise. Not as much as with the Electra though.
It looks to me as if AH is relying too much on its past successes and awards.
In contrast Aerosoft have completely started from scratch with both their Twotter and their CRJ, as has JustFlight with their PA28s or DC and IndiaFoxTecho with their fighters. They are really making an effort and have very good customer relations.
Granted the JF PA28s are more pricey than AH. But the FlyingIron Spitfire is on par with the AH Spitfire, and FlyingIron just issued another update while the AH Spit seems abandoned. Finally there’s the upcoming Twotter(s), which will be cheaper than the Electra and I’d hazard a guess: vastly superior in every way.
10 Likes
AH are pushing a patch out today to fix the electrical problem and the elevator animation - along with a few other squawks
2 Likes
I agree. 40 or even 50€ for a plane you fly for months - for me the Milviz Porter and PMDG DC-6 - are better spent than 25 or 30€ on a plane with lacking graphics, sounds and systems. These planes with FSX looking cockpits face hard competition from real FSX ports like the Goose redux available for free.
I really wanted to love the Electra, but really couldn’t ignore the FSX poly count in the cockpit and inop systems like the DME.
MSFS is a new world for the third party plane developers. The massive market has been open to lazy ports and outright scams like the A10 and Eurofighter. When the market matures the sheer scale will sustain quality add ons at reasonable prices like the Kodiak (and hopefully the Twin Otter) - and perhaps even lower. But MSFS is also a new world in terms of technology. Take a look at the Caudron Rafele thread on this forum. The dev Bluemesh has worked with Asobo on the Reno add on planes. From this experience he has learned new tricks like decal skinning etc. and returned to the Rafele to make the cockpit and paint schemes look infinitely better. Soon the will be no room in the market for FSX looking cockpits anymore.
10 Likes
Yes that’s the point for me too. The price has to reflect the quality and there’s a lot of cash-grapping out there at the moment. The CL-215 is a perfect example. It’s not really bad but compared to other products it’s much too expensive. I’d snap that up for 17.99 but for 35,- I’d expect something a little more refined.
There are also other free or low-budget aircraft like the GeeBee or the Discus 2c by Got Friends, the Airbus H135 by Hype, all the stuff by Mykrode, the Stearman by DC or of course the Microsoft Ju-52. And then there’s also stuff like the Caproni C-22J which certainly lacks a bit in poly-count but is great fun and very very cheap. Even while I also think the Bredok3D planes are substandard, at least he made some effort to update the Eurofighter it for half a year and he was the first one with a supersonic aircraft. Quite contrary to the MScenery stuff which isn’t even remotely worth the 15,-€ they ask for it.
But I digress. Sorry. Couldn’t help myself …
5 Likes
Aside for lower cockpit/model/texture quality, I just can’t understand why they can’t normalize sound volume. I have 140, Electra and Spitfire and all of them have ear ■■■■■■ sounds (engines, switches…). Every other 3rd party plane, even lowest quality ones, has normal sound volume. I will not hop in on another plane from them.
3 Likes
Bought the Grumman today - long time fan of this aircraft.
Where to begin?
Sound is bad. The radial engine sounds like it was taken from an old game. Compared with the DC Stearman or the MilViz Corsair it is almost reason enough to park this plane into the darkest corner of the hangar.
The in-cockpit sound is missing a lot of bass frequencies which aggravates the problem.
The cockpit is bad, too.
Textures look dated and are missing the liveliness of real world materials. Some parts like window frames are low res and rivets are just painted blurred blobs.
Camera is clipping through the frames and glazing when panning around the cockpit.
This plane currently does not compare well with other planes being offered…
Edit:
Flightstick animation moves diagonally.
Some CTD when spawning the plane or trying to start it. Mostly when clicking the primer button/lever.
5 Likes
The internal engine sound is awful in this thing. It’s like they just pulled all of the bass sliders down in EQ. Glad I passed this one by. More money for the Twin Otter.
4 Likes
I don’t understand how AH can go on releasing aircraft in this state. A bit more work and your customers get something they’re happy to start with.
Later on every update is an improvement.