See which Microsoft Flight Simulator WWII aircraft are available, including fighters, bombers, transports and freeware for MSFS 2020 and 2024.
Microsoft Flight Simulator has no single fixed WWII roster: most combat aircraft are optional add-ons. Available types include the P-51 Mustang, Spitfire, Hurricane, Bf 109, P-38 Lightning, A6M Zero, B-25 Mitchell, Lancaster and F6F Hellcat, plus transports, patrol aircraft, liaison machines and amphibians from the same period.
Which WWII aircraft can you fly in MSFS?
MSFS add-ons represent most of the best-known Allied and Axis aircraft, although the precise variant and level of systems modelling differ between packages.
- Allied fighters: Supermarine Spitfire, Hawker Hurricane, North American P-51 Mustang, Lockheed P-38 Lightning, Curtiss P-40, Grumman F6F Hellcat and Vought F4U Corsair.
- Axis fighters: Messerschmitt Bf 109, Focke-Wulf Fw 190 and Mitsubishi A6M Zero.
- Bombers and strike aircraft: North American B-25 Mitchell, Avro Lancaster, de Havilland Mosquito and Junkers Ju 87.
- Transports and patrol aircraft: Douglas DC-3/C-47, Curtiss C-46 Commando, Junkers Ju 52 and Lockheed PV-2 Harpoon.
- Utility, training and amphibious aircraft: Fieseler Fi 156 Storch, Grumman J2F Duck, North American T-6 Texan and Boeing-Stearman Model 75.
This is a representative selection rather than a permanent inventory. Some products model a specific wartime mark, while others use a civilian airframe, post-war restoration or military livery based on the same design.
Which WWII aircraft are available as freeware?
Free MSFS warbirds cover more than single-engine fighters; our library also contains bombers, patrol aircraft and unusual utility types.
| Aircraft | WWII role | What the add-on provides |
|---|---|---|
| Free B-25 Mitchell package with bomb release | Medium bomber | Twin-engine bomber handling and a bomb-dropping function. |
| Historically focused Bf 109 E-4 package | Single-engine fighter | A detailed cockpit and flight model based on the early-war E-4 variant. |
| Lockheed PV-2 Harpoon | Patrol bomber | Multiple variants and military liveries. |
| Storch download supplied for MSFS 2020 and 2024 | Liaison and reconnaissance | Very short take-off and landing performance rather than high speed. |
| Grumman J2F Duck | Amphibious utility aircraft | Operation from both conventional surfaces and water. |
You can browse our broader MSFS aircraft add-on library for other historic types. Read each listing carefully because an aircraft marked for MSFS 2020 is not automatically compatible with MSFS 2024.
Are WWII aircraft included with Microsoft Flight Simulator?
Most dedicated WWII combat aircraft are not guaranteed as part of a base edition. Edition contents, anniversary updates and separately acquired aircraft all affect what appears in the aircraft selection screen.
An updated MSFS 2020 installation includes the Douglas DC-3 through its 40th Anniversary content. The DC-3 is a civilian design closely related to the wartime C-47, but its inclusion does not amount to a complete WWII combat fleet.
A mistake we see constantly is treating three different forms of availability as the same thing:
- Included aircraft come with the purchased edition or a simulator update.
- Marketplace aircraft are separate products unless explicitly included with an edition.
- Community add-ons are externally installed PC packages and do not become part of the base simulator.
Can WWII aircraft use guns and bombs in MSFS?
Microsoft Flight Simulator does not provide a native WWII combat environment. Some aircraft animate guns, display external stores or release bombs, but the simulator does not supply a full target-damage, combat-AI or mission-scoring system around them.
The B-25 package above includes bomb-dropping functionality, for example. That is an aircraft-specific feature, not evidence that every bomber can attack targets. Likewise, a working gun switch or visible cannon does not necessarily mean the weapon has any effect.
Do MSFS 2020 warbirds work in MSFS 2024 and on consoles?
An MSFS 2020 warbird is not automatically a fully compatible MSFS 2024 aircraft, even if it loads without an error.
- PC with MSFS 2020: Community-folder freeware made for 2020 is the safest choice.
- PC with MSFS 2024: Use a dedicated 2024 build or a package whose compatibility notes explicitly confirm support. Older cockpit code, sounds, materials or flight-model behaviour can fail after migration.
- Xbox Series X|S: Ordinary external Community-folder downloads cannot be installed; aircraft must be supplied through the simulator’s supported content system.
- PlayStation 5: The same external-download restriction applies. Only MSFS 2024 is available on PlayStation; MSFS 2020 was never released there.
What should you check before choosing a WWII aircraft?
Choose the package by role, simulator version and modelling depth rather than by aircraft name alone.
- Exact variant: A Bf 109 E-4, Spitfire Mk I and later-war versions have different performance, equipment and handling.
- Cockpit depth: Check whether controls are interactive and whether fuel, mixture, propeller, supercharger and engine-temperature systems are modelled.
- Ground handling: Powerful taildraggers require careful rudder and brake use. They are much harder to control without suitable analogue inputs.
- Weapons expectations: Assume stores are visual unless the description explicitly says they operate.
- Native compatibility: Prefer an aircraft built or updated for your simulator generation over an unconfirmed legacy conversion.