Seven months after we first spotted Aeroplane Heaven teasing screenshots of a Mosquito in development, the “Mossie” has officially landed. The deHavilland DH-98 Mk IV Mosquito is available now for Microsoft Flight Simulator, priced at $32.99 USD, through the developer’s own store.
If you’re waiting on the Microsoft Marketplace version, you’ll need to be patient: Aeroplane Heaven confirms the files are ready and tested on both Xbox and PC across MSFS 2020 and 2024, but the store processing on Microsoft’s side means availability is estimated at around two weeks out.
When we covered the initial teaser back in September, details were scarce. Now that the full package is out, and with a companion video from the developer walking through the features in detail, there’s quite a bit more to unpack than a first glance at the feature list suggests.
A bomber variant with serious historical grounding
The Mk IV is the dedicated bomber variant of the Mosquito, which participated in some of the war’s most notable precision raids. Aeroplane Heaven says the exterior and interior models were built from original drawings and references, with particular attention given to the Rolls-Royce Merlin V-12 engines. Sound design is handled by Echo19, and the developer describes startup routines and systems as realistic. They’ve also released two companion videos alongside the manual: one covering the startup procedure and magneto test, and one dedicated entirely to the options panel, which turns out to cover a lot of ground.
The options panel is where it gets interesting
More than a simple configuration menu, Aeroplane Heaven built a physical options panel into the cockpit itself, accessible via a switch on the left side of the instrument area. From here, pilots can remove the pilot model entirely, toggle the co-pilot between seated, removed, and bombardier positions, and control the exhaust flame guards, also known as hush kits. Switching the hush kits off exposes the exhausts and triggers random flame effects, something the developer notes is particularly relevant for night mission accuracy. Engine covers can also be removed to expose the Merlin for visual inspection, though the game will automatically restore them if you move the aircraft with them off.
The bomb doors are mapped to the spoiler key (numpad slash in MSFS 2020) and, notably, opening them actually affects the aircraft’s aerodynamics. The bombs themselves can be hidden via the options panel to simulate a post-sortie configuration, though the developer is clear that they can’t actually be dropped.
The roundel system
One of the more thoughtful additions is an independently configurable roundel system for both wing and fuselage positions. Using two knobs on the options panel, you can cycle through the historically classified roundel types: A1, B, B1, C, and C1, which correspond to the variants used by the RAF at different points during the war. The classification system is based on the post-war historian categorisation, the same one used on Wikipedia’s roundel reference page, so it’s reasonably well grounded. Wing and fuselage roundels are set independently, which is important because different aircraft in the same squadron didn’t always use matching configurations.
The DIY squadron feature
This one deserves a proper explanation because the name doesn’t quite tell the story. The package includes two blank liveries called SR1 and SR2, which refer to two different ways squadron identifier letters were painted on the fuselage: SR1 being two letters, roundel, one letter from the left, and SR2 being the reverse. Using the in-sim customisation panel, you type in your own serial number and squadron codes, choose your roundel variants, and the aircraft generates a unique livery based on your inputs. In a multiplayer environment, your settings apply only to your aircraft and don’t override what others see on their end.
The developer is upfront about the limitations: the historically accurate font couldn’t be replicated within the simulator’s constraints, the colour palette for squadron identifiers is limited to 256 presets (which don’t include the exact shades used on wartime aircraft), and spinner colours can’t be customised. As Aeroplane Heaven puts it in the video, it’s a fun tool for filling out a squadron or creating a livery that wasn’t included in the base package, rather than a precision historical accuracy tool.
Ten liveries
The base package ships with ten liveries covering a solid range of historical units, including No. 105 Squadron, No. 627 Squadron, No. 109 Squadron, the 653rd Bomb Squadron (USAAF), a BOAC high-speed courier scheme, a Canadian racer variant based on the B.35, a raw factory finish, and the blank DIY livery. The selection leans heavily on RAF bomber and pathfinder units, which fits the Mk IV’s operational history.
The add-on was developed primarily for MSFS 2020 but has been tested and confirmed compatible with MSFS 2024. Marketplace availability follows in approximately two weeks.
You can grab it now at aeroplaneheaven.com.
