Compare WWII bombing simulators, from IL-2 and B-17 to DCS, Cliffs of Dover and Combat Flight Simulator, with campaigns, roles and limitations.
The best flight simulators with WWII bombing missions are IL-2 Sturmovik: Great Battles, IL-2 Sturmovik: Cliffs of Dover Blitz, IL-2 1946, B-17 Flying Fortress: The Mighty 8th, and Microsoft Combat Flight Simulator 2 and 3. DCS World and War Thunder also support bombing, but neither offers the same dedicated heavy-bomber campaign.
This is a general flight-simulator comparison rather than advice for one platform. The right choice depends on whether you want strategic bombing, tactical strikes, carrier attacks, bomber escort missions, detailed cockpit procedures or quick multiplayer objectives.
Main WWII bombing simulator comparison
These simulators provide substantially different bombing experiences, even when they depict the same aircraft or theatre.
| Simulator | Bombing content | Best suited to | Main limitation |
|---|---|---|---|
| IL-2 Sturmovik: Great Battles | Career, scripted, quick and editor-built missions covering level bombing, dive bombing and ground attack | A modern WWII combat simulator with flyable twin-engine bombers and attack aircraft | Aircraft, maps and careers depend on the battle packages and collector aircraft owned |
| IL-2 Sturmovik: Cliffs of Dover Blitz | Campaigns, single missions, multiplayer and a mission builder; Desert Wings–Tobruk expands the aircraft and theatres | Detailed bomber procedures, Battle of Britain operations and Channel or desert missions | Older interface design and content split between the base simulator and expansion |
| IL-2 1946 | Large selection of European and Pacific campaigns, single missions and editor-built scenarios | Broad coverage of level, dive, torpedo and fighter-bomber operations | Older graphics and controls; not every aircraft visible in the mission builder is player-flyable |
| B-17 Flying Fortress: The Mighty 8th | Strategic bombing campaign with navigation, formation management, crew positions and bomb runs | The most focused B-17 bomber sim | The original is legacy PC software, while Redux is a distinct edition; compatibility and features must be checked for the edition used |
| Microsoft Combat Flight Simulator 2 | Pacific campaigns and missions involving carrier strikes, ground attack, dive bombing and torpedo operations | Pacific naval aviation and older mission-based combat simulation | The stock flyable roster is narrower than the aircraft represented by the simulator and its add-ons |
| Microsoft Combat Flight Simulator 3 | European campaign missions featuring interdiction, close support and attacks on ground targets | A dynamic tactical air-war campaign with extensive add-on potential | It is not a detailed strategic heavy-bomber management simulator |
| DCS World | Module-dependent tactical strikes, packaged campaigns and Mission Editor scenarios | High cockpit fidelity, custom mission logic and low-level attack work | No flyable four-engine WWII heavy bomber; maps, aircraft, assets and campaigns are separate requirements |
| War Thunder | Online bombing against bases, airfields, ships and ground units across several battle modes | Accessible multiplayer bomber sorties, including Simulator Battles | Progression and match objectives replace a persistent historical bomber campaign |
If bombing is only part of the decision, our broader comparison of WWII flight-sim choices also examines air combat, multiplayer and overall simulation depth.
What should you check before choosing a bomber sim?
A bomber aircraft model alone does not make a complete bombing simulator. Four distinctions prevent most disappointing purchases or installations:
- Flyable or AI-only: an AI B-17 may appear in escort missions without letting the player occupy the cockpit or bombardier station.
- Mission or campaign: a single scripted raid is different from a career that tracks crews, losses, aircraft and the wider air war.
- Native damage or visual effects: animated bomb releases and explosions do not necessarily mean that targets have a combat-damage model.
- Included or separately required: the desired bomber, terrain, historical assets and campaign may come from different packages.
Which is the best WWII battle simulator for bombing?
B-17 Flying Fortress: The Mighty 8th is the strongest dedicated heavy-bomber choice, while IL-2 Great Battles and Cliffs of Dover are better when bombing must sit inside a wider air-combat simulator.
- Choose B-17 for strategic raids, crew stations, formation management and a campaign built around the bomber rather than occasional strike sorties.
- Choose IL-2 Great Battles for modern presentation, career-generated missions and a mixture of bombing, escort and air combat. Confirm that the theatre you want includes a suitable flyable aircraft.
- Choose Cliffs of Dover Blitz for detailed twin-engine bomber operation, bombsight work and bomber escort or interception over the Channel. Desert Wings–Tobruk is the better fit for North African operations.
- Choose IL-2 1946 for the widest range of theatres and mission types if you accept an older interface and possible modern-system compatibility work.
- Choose Combat Flight Simulator 2 when Pacific carrier strikes, dive bombing or torpedo attacks are the priority.
- Choose DCS World when cockpit procedure and custom tactical missions matter more than a ready-made strategic bombing career.
- Choose War Thunder for quick online bombing objectives with less procedural burden.
Does IL-2 Cliffs of Dover include bomber escort missions?
Yes. IL-2 Sturmovik: Cliffs of Dover Blitz supports player-flown bombing, bomber escort and bomber interception through campaigns, single missions, multiplayer scenarios and missions made with its editor.
An escort over Dover or the Channel is a mission type, not a separate “Escort Dover” product. Stay with the assigned bomber formation rather than chasing the first attacker to low altitude: mission success may depend on bomber survival, waypoint progress or target arrival rather than the escort pilot's personal kill count.
Does DCS World include WWII bomber missions?
DCS World supports WWII bombing, but it is primarily a tactical strike and mission-building platform. The flyable Mosquito FB VI and bomb-capable fighters can attack airfields, vehicles, ships and buildings, while AI bombers can be placed in escort, interception or target-area scenarios.
The free DCS installation is not a complete WWII bombing package. A mission or campaign may separately require a flyable aircraft module, period terrain, the WWII Assets Pack and the campaign itself.
DCS B-17: flyable aircraft or AI asset?
The DCS B-17G is an AI aircraft associated with the WWII Assets Pack, not a flyable B-17 module. Mission designers can use B-17 formations for escort, interception and raid scenarios, but the player cannot take the pilot or bombardier position.
Anyone seeking a first-person B-17 campaign should therefore choose The Mighty 8th rather than DCS. The presence of an AI aircraft in screenshots or a mission description must not be mistaken for a player-controlled bomber.
Best DCS campaigns for bombing
For bombing-led DCS play, campaigns built around the Mosquito FB VI are the closest match. V for Victory is a clear example, concentrating on tactical strike work rather than B-17-style strategic raids; it requires the Mosquito, Normandy 2 terrain and the WWII Assets Pack.
Fighter campaigns may include individual fighter-bomber sorties, but they are not dedicated bomber campaigns. Before choosing any DCS campaign, check its required aircraft, map and asset pack as one combined dependency list.
DCS universal missions and Mission Editor limits
DCS has no built-in universal mission that works unchanged with every aircraft and map. Mission files are tied to a particular terrain, and their units, client slots and historical objects may require additional modules or asset packs.
The Fast Mission generator can create a quick scenario, while the Mission Editor can provide multiple aircraft slots and reusable logic. Neither produces a universal cross-map WWII campaign, and changing aircraft can break triggers, payload assumptions or briefing instructions.
Are Microsoft Flight Simulator and FSX WWII bombing simulators?
No. Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020, Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024, FSX and FS2004 do not include a native WWII weapons, target-damage or combat-campaign system. They can simulate bomber handling, navigation, formation flying and period aircraft, but not the complete combat loop found in IL-2, DCS or Microsoft Combat Flight Simulator.
Our guide to which WWII aircraft are available in Microsoft Flight Simulator explains the difference between flying a military aircraft and having a functional combat simulation. Microsoft Combat Flight Simulator 2 and 3 are separate, combat-focused products rather than editions of MSFS.
FSX missions and add-ons can script objectives, animated releases and explosion effects. A scripted FSX bomber mission with visible target effects can provide a convincing scenario, but those effects do not create a universal damage model for every aircraft and scenery object.
How do you complete a level-bombing mission accurately?
A successful level-bombing run depends on stable flight, correct bombsight inputs and understanding what the particular simulator expects. Altitude may mean height above the target rather than sea level, while a sight may require true rather than indicated airspeed; wind, sideslip and an unstabilised aircraft will shift the impact point.
Set the correct payload and fuze, open the bomb bay when required, stabilise before the aiming run and avoid abrupt corrections near release. Our practical bombsight and bomb-release procedure covers the full sequence without assuming that every simulator automates the same steps.
Why does a bombing mission not register as complete?
Most failed completion triggers are caused by hitting the wrong mission object, altering the assigned loadout or leaving before the final condition is recorded. A mistake we see constantly is assuming that any explosion inside the target area counts.
- Confirm the named target: the trigger may watch one bridge section, ship, vehicle group or building rather than the surrounding area.
- Keep the assigned aircraft and bombs: older missions sometimes check for a particular weapon or damage value. A substituted payload can work visually without satisfying the script.
- Arm the weapon correctly: check master arm, bomb selection, fuze, release mode and bomb-bay doors where the aircraft models them.
- Allow the fuze to arm: an extremely low release may produce a dud or insufficient detonation delay.
- Follow the planned route: crossing an ingress waypoint or trigger zone may activate the target logic. Flying directly to the objective can bypass it.
- Wait for damage assessment: some missions evaluate destruction several seconds after impact or after the whole formation has attacked.
- Complete the exit condition: mission success may require leaving the combat area, reaching friendly territory or landing rather than merely destroying the target.