As part of their Summer Surprises week, iniBuilds has announced the T-33 Jet Trainer for Microsoft Flight Simulator. It comes as part of their newly announced Premier Series of aircraft that aims to bring smaller general aviation (GA) aircraft, turboprops and categories of aircraft that don’t fit in their airliner range to flight sim.
The T-33 Jet Trainer is a collaboration project between iniBuilds, SimWorks Studios & AceMaker Aviation, all with the aim of bringing a detailed and feature-rich rendition of the plane to the simulator. To be clear, SimWorks Studios provided support in systems modelling and flight model elements, whilst iniBuilds provided the remaining elements.
As the first Skunk Works project, the P-80 Shooting Star, America’s first jet fighter, entered service in 1945. The two-seat variant debuted in 1948 as the TF-80C, later re-designated as the T-33. The T-33 served in various roles, including initial jet training, advanced IFF training, drone directing, and target towing.
You will find two cockpit styles with the aircraft. The classic, which includes gauges including:
- ID-250 Radio Magnetic Indicator
- ID-310 Distance Indicator
- ID-249 Course Indicator
- ARN-21 TACAN Panel
For those wanting a modern cockpit experience, you can choose that also. The following avionics can be find in it:
- G3X touch single screen Pilot Flying Display (PFD) and Navigation Display (ND)
- GNS430 Navigation System
- GTX330 Transponder
- D10A Electronic Flight Information System (EFIS)
- GMC305 Autopilot
- PAC24 Audio Selector Panel (Vertical)
As for the visual side of things, expect detailed and realistic canopy covers, toggleable chocks, engine plugs, pitot covers, and plenty of air-show-like smoke effects. Everything modelled will be high in resolution and highly detailed in the modelling department. If you’re flying on PC, you will also have pylon-mounted ordnance to allow combat training scenarios.
In order to achieve the most realistic flight model and aircraft possible, iniBuilds worked with Gregory ‘Wired’ Colyer from AceMaker Aviation. Gregory has over 3,000 hours in the plane, meaning he’s somewhat of an expert when it comes to providing input to the team on creating the plane. Between the developers’ experience and Gregory’s feedback, they have managed to achieve the aircraft’s unique performance. You can watch a video interview with Gregory on the plane below.
iniBuilds confirmed that the T-33 Jet Trainer is due to release in mid-August. We’ll keep you posted with any new information.
Features
- Detailed and realistic canopy covers to shield the aircraft from the elements
- Toggleable chocks and entry ladder to allow a realistic grounded config.
- Engine plugs, pitot covers and other ancillary elements to enable a complete walkaround checklist
- Air show like smoke effects and flares to allow for aircraft displays
- High-resolution, UHD PBR liveries with historical and modern options
- PC Only: Pylon-mounted ordnance to allow combat training scenarios.
- Realistic and removable ejection seat plugs for safety procedures
- Forward and rear cockpits with interactive controls in both front and rear seats for two-crew operations.
- Authentically classic steam-gauge and modern glass cockpit instrumentation options.
- Automatic radio tuning managed through the EFB for workload convenience
- Crisp, and faithfully recreated detail mapping, stickers, wear and colouring throughout the cockpit based on a real T-33 configuration.
