There are currently just 19 operational B-2 Spirit bombers in service. The U.S. Air Force had originally planned to acquire 132 of the flying-wing stealth bombers, but the program was cut short to 20 production aircraft and one prototype.
With the loss of two aircraft in accidents, just those 19 remain flying. As a result, only 550 B-2 pilots have been assigned a "Spirit number" – a tradition that began when the first two test pilots flew the first prototype. Only 800 people in total have received a Spirit number, and those include senior military leaders, Cabinet-level secretaries, members of Congress, and award-winning enlisted military members.
In other words, more passengers can fit on an Airbus A380 in a single flight than have ever been aboard a B-2 Spirit.
But now, there might be a way for aviation buffs to experience the thrill of climbing into the cockpit of the world's first successful flying-wing jet bomber – via a new download for Microsoft Flight Simulator.
It was announced this week that a long-anticipated B-2 Spirit download will be submitted to MSFS Marketplace for review and testing. It could then become available for PC gamers as early as Thursday. An Xbox version, which will need some additional testing, could arrive next month.
Top Mach Studios, which designed the virtual B-2 for inclusion in the popular flight simulation, released a trailer that previews what gamers can expect. The aircraft has been in development for more than two years.
It may be a video game version of the famous aircraft, but the studio wants to get the details as right as possible. No doubt there will be a few "guesses" along the way.
"Given the classified nature of the real-world B-2 Spirit, Top Mach Studios faces the challenge of balancing realism with the limitations of publicly available information. While the exact features implemented in this virtual rendition remain to be seen, if their previous work on the F-22 Raptor is any indication, simmers can likely look forward to a visually impressive and enjoyable flying experience," wrote MSFS Addons on Monday.
Here is what we know we can expect: the aircraft will feature "a highly detailed and accurate cockpit layout," and "a realistic flight model that aims to capture the unique handling characters of the B-2."
What we know we can't expect will be bombing any "enemy" cities. Microsoft Flight Simulator is about flying, not combat.
No doubt a few gamers will try to surpass the 2,000 hours that 110th Bomb Squadron Commander Lt. Col. Justin Meyer reached when he took off from Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri, this past June and became the first Air Force pilot to reach that milestone number in the cockpit of a Spirit.
Those gamers who do hit 2,000 hours should be thankful that it is a lot more comfortable to play a game than to experience what some of the B-2 jockeys have had to endure in their massively long CONUS-to-CONUS flights.
Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based writer. He has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers, and websites with over 3,200 published pieces over a twenty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: Editor@nationalinterest.org.
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