First look at the latest "Local Legend" in Microsoft Flight Simulator - the mighty Dornier Do X

Asobo released their latest "Local Legend" in Microsoft Flight Simulator today - the mighty Dornier Do X. We take a look around the incredible modelling throughout the aircraft, and look forward to learning how to operate it over the days and weeks ahead. It's going to be fun!
#msfs #flightsimulator #aviation #flying #flight #simulator #microsoft #asobo #tobii #dornier #dox #locallegend
---
Useful resources:
My homepage:
- jonbeckett.online
My flight simulation blog (subscribe by email for free!):
- jonbeckett.substack.com
All of the functional procedures I have written up to get aircraft up and running in simulators:
- ko-fi.com/jonbeckett/shop
The flight simulation community I founded (join for free!):
- virtualflight.online
---
Resources I use to create content:
Microsoft Flight Simulator
- www.flightsimulator.com/
Navigraph (charts, flight planning, and tracking)
- navigraph.com
Copyright © 2023 Jeppesen. All rights reserved. The charts are available to the flight simulation community via Navigraph.
LittleNavMap (mapping software)
- albar965.github.io/littlenavm...
OBS (Screen and audio capture)
- obsproject.com/
Tobii Eye Tracker 5 (head and eye tracking)
- gaming.tobii.com/product/eye-...
Volanta (flight tracking)
- volanta.app/
Simbrief (flight planning)
- simbrief.com
---
Computer Specification:
- CPU : Intel Core i7 @ 3.60 Ghz (Skylake)
- GPU : NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080
- RAM : 16Gb
- HDD : 1863 Gb NVME
- NET : 500 megabit fibre

[@jonbeckett]

For a full walkthrough of the cold and dark startup - kzbin.info/www/bejne/e6iyfntrpt1jbLssi=HLAZgXtahSZ8m8MW

[@michaelhallaschka2571]

It's the Box in the Middle i think to steer it on the water. I'm German

[@book5ter]

Lotse is german for a harbour pilot. The Box has knobs for course and speed as well as switches for the anker and to couple/uncouple a tug boat. I can not tell you if this is an actual control panal, or just a communiktion device for the water/surface crew.

[@jonbeckett]

@@book5ter I figured it out the same day I recorded the video :)

[@7spower998]

1:35 Each engine pod has a back-to-back 4-valve per cylinder V12 engine, a total of 24 cylinders. This gives a grand total of 144 cylinders.

[@steveunwin830]

There's a team of people building a replica of this aircraft with a target of flying it in 2029 to celebrate the centenary of its first flight. They endorse the MSFS model and hope it raises interest and support for their efforts.

[@Phyto-Dragon-nb6it]

Link?!😮

[@GoingtoHecq]

Frankly this plane is terrifying. I wouldn't want to be in it when it flys.

[@mmeovv]

@@GoingtoHecq They will do inspection before flying it again, or maybe replacing the old stuffs so it could fly once again. I would like to fly with it lol

[@mmeovv]

Good to know, thanks

[@jeremygilbert3005]

Therr is none of this planes exiszing amymore, nor is anyone planning to build a flying replica

[@cdsoloachim6069]

Lotse means pilot as in harbour pilot. Anker = anchor, gesetzt = dropped, eingeholt = raised, Schleppboot = tug boat, ankoppeln = hitch up, entkoppeln = unhitch, Kurs-Richtung = steering direction, links/rechts = left/right, Geschwindigkeit = speed, stop/voll = stop/full speed ahead. So in other words, the box is similar to calling and using the pushback tug in a modern airliner’s EFB on land (and anchor as parking brake I guess).

[@realLuisGiordano]

This plane not only looked like a ship with wings (hence nicknamed Flugschiff), but also shared similarities with sea vessels in it's operation. It had a crew of 14 comprised of two pilots, navigators, radio operators, and flight engineers among them. The engineers were located on a separate room where they controlled the throttles of the 12 engines. Engine speed was commanded by the flight crew to the engineer in charge through engine order telegraphs, much like those used on ships and submarines of that era.

[@AmatuerHourCoding]

thats absolutely bonkers

[@Henkerhaus]

I especially liked that Ctrl-E does a simulated sequential cold start of each engine, and not just a “suddenly they’re all immediately running” start. It adds to the immersion and realism of the experience, especially when you’re new to it and have no idea how to operate it yet.

[@GulfCoastTim]

I literally just bought this plane and it's absolutely fantastic. To steer the plane on the water, it doesn't use the rudder pedals. Instead, it uses the water rudder wheel on the right of your pilot seat. Spin the wheel towards the bow to start steering left, -50 is full left. Spin it towards the stern will steer to the right, a +50 is full right.

[@paulkirkland3263]

I don't think a flight sim video has ever sold me on an aircraft so quickly. The interior is a master class on modelling. I started laughing when I saw the bone china tea service, and then moving through into the engineer's station reminded me of the engine room in Das Boot ! Superb all round.

[@herrsolaire]

Das Boot is such a phenomenal movie!

[@somerandomcommenter5823]

I was watching a documentary on it then searched for it and found this video thinking "oh how awesome.. they preserved one all these years!"... Only after 10 seconds I realized that this was MS Flight Sim. I am totally impressed.

[@jasonlescalleet5611]

This plane, and the Latecoeur, look like something out of a Studio Ghibli film. I find it amazing that things like this were really built, and really flew. Also, totally unrelated but I am renovating an old house in in some sealed off areas it had that *exact* wallpaper. I think I have an idea when those walls were last papered now. Never thought I would be seeing that wallpaper pattern on an *airplane*

[@dantilert5320]

I thought exactly the same, re Ghibli.

[@AngryHoplite]

Indeed. gives me strong Porco Rosso vibes.

[@tc3884]

Watch „The wind rises“ from ghibli in case you haven’t watched it yet. It’s a great movie and it features planes very similar to this one.

[@TamaHawkLive]

This is an absolute marvel of engineering. I've never seen anything like it

[@buckzx12r]

Of course!Its German!

[@oxygenasturia5706]

If you consider we couldn't fly at all 25 years ago this was a marvel of engineering but also engine construction. Sadly the plane itself wasn't this successful at all.

[@Mariano.Bernacki]

At 12:23, altimeter is in kilometers, roughly 0 to 10 thousand feet. (1 km ~ 3280 feet)

[@Fastvoice]

Correct - max was 3200 meters.

[@BenDaleTV]

As a 3D modeller... total respect to all the work went into this!

[@lvwpy]

This one definitely shows how desperately MSFS needs to implement some proper first person movement and interaction. I mean, like in any first person shooter, where you can walk, run, jump, crouch, sit, etc., with WASD controls.

[@jasonlescalleet5611]

Yeah! I hope this is in 2024 with its apparently greater emphasis on more than just “fly plane from airport A to airport B.” Both for large airplanes that are big enough to walk around inside like this one (or, you know, like a 747) and for doing walk around inspections without needing each aircraft dev to implement this themselves. Also would be cool to be able to pick a spawn point for yourself that isn’t the same place as your plane. It would give the super detailed airports a reason to exist other than to look cool as you taxi to the runway. Imagine spawning in the parking lot of, say, Catalina Island, with your plane waiting for you outside that hangar. Stop off to say hey to your friends in the restaurant, then walk over to your plane, take the cover off, and begin the pre start checklist including inspecting the outside of the aircraft as well as the inside. Of course you could still opt to spawn in the cockpit, possibly with the engine running, like you can now, because sometimes that’s what you want.

[@lvwpy]

@@jasonlescalleet5611 everything you're saying is my dream for MSFS. I would also add the ability to have multiple planes pre-spawned at different locations. So, you fly from A with a certain aircraft, and you know that at B you have another aircraft waiting for you.

[@3DMVR]

@@jasonlescalleet5611I think well have human npcs at least for missions hopefully, rescue seems to be built in

[@mikemckee6583]

Believe it or not, I built a model of this aircraft when I was a kid. I just stumbled across the model kit in a hobby shop and thought it looked cool. Didn’t know anything else about it at first, but learned about the DO-X later. One thing that is little-known is that the DO-X had access tunnels inside the wings to allow a mechanic to service or repair the engines in flight. Engines of that era were notoriously unreliable (one reason, besides power, that there were so many of them). If I remember correctly, even if there were no in-flight engine failures, the mechanic still needed to service the engines during a long flight (I think they needed oil at a minimum, again if I’m remembering correctly).

[@haroldocantanhede]

And I wonder here what the level of realism - and beauty - we will have in 5 years' time. Congratulations to all of those who wrote it. It is truly awesome. Thank you !!

[@anesthetized7053]

the level of detail is insane. this is like a whole video game level worth of textures and 3d modeling, moving parts and everything. i cant imagine how many hours went into modeling this

[@deanayer3822]

I would love to see a Hindenburg and Graf Zeppelin built to this level of detail.

[@rolandjung9337]

Simply WOW! The Do X is a legend in Germany but only very few people know how it looked inside or have seen it flying.

[@epicdema]

At first glance I thought this was real. Amazing graphics!

[@UnrealSFX]

For almost 50 seconds I thought this was real, until you said "...it looks real...". First I watched a preview for around 10 sec. in smaller window (missing the menu at the start). Then clicked for full screen. Excellent quality!

[@nielstenbrink]

Funny enough the cheaper seats in German were also often labelled "Holzklasse" meaning "wooden class"... Pretty well catches the idea, doesn't it?

[@mikecoffee100]

I'm looking at it but I simply can't beleive how big it is . Absolutely stunning

[@pilotjacobyt]

I'm an IFR, modern airline operations kind of simmer. But even I has to say that this is fantastic, the model is stellar and all for just 15 USD.

[@esinohio]

I will always have a special place in my heart for these older flying boats. I remember as a kid seeing Indiana Jones in the theater and that short bit of him flying to Nepal entranced me. It's been a lifelong no so secret obsession with me.

[@djvycious]

I adore these flying boat interiors. I might have to pull the trigger on it just so I can be a rich traveler in the cabin.

[@acratone8300]

12:22 "altimeter only goes to 2,000 or maybe 3,000 feet". The large flying boat ships going from UK to South Africa in the 1930s gave passengers spectacular views of the herds of large animals below. Flying about 1000 feet or so and even going lower if the passengers requested the stewards to tell the pilots.

[@Fastvoice]

The altimeter here is in kilometers. So we're talking about a max of 3200 meters or about 10,000 feet.

[@jamierice3113]

If I'm not mistaken this is modeled on a version with Curtiss conqueror v12 engines, I could be wrong but I make it 312 liters, 144 cylinders and 7200 horsepower 😄

[@Fastvoice]

It was 640 hp per engine or 7680 hp overall.

[@PennyOnTube]

Oh wow, what a beauty.The graphcs are just stunning. Beeing born in Friedrichshafen myself, the City Dornier build this phantastic "Flugschiff", I really have to think about buying the game now. Would be amazing to fly over the Lake of Constance like hundred years ago.

[@garysmith5256]

Thanks for the early look! I knew I'd find your first impression video same day as release!

[@hakukuze7947]

I got excited for a sec thinking they rebuilt the real plane damaged in the war without reading the title. This looks amazingly real

[@kidkokonut4581]

This "little box" you can't figure out is like "Pushback" Upper left ist Anker/anchor with up/down switch ; middle calls Schleppboot/tug attached/unattached and left/right steering under it, the wheel is for speed settings for tugboat

[@jonbeckett]

The very next video (recorded the next day) I show all of the features in the little box :)

[@BorisZech]

5:47 Lotse is a maritime guide / pilot. On the top row it says anchor, towing boat and speed and the controls for these are underneath. So I guess this box was used by a guide / pilot when the flying boat was moving on the water.

[@Skauber]

The Dornier Do X had radial engines, this looks like the Italian variant named X2 and X3 which used V12 engines.

[@pavelslama5543]

Man, next time you comment you should give it at least 30 seconds of research beforehand. Those are Curtiss V-1570 V12 engines, and yes, they were used in Dornier Do X.

[@Skauber]

@@pavelslama5543 Not according to the article I read, the Do X had Siemens Bristol Jupiter radial engines, while the X2 and X3 were built in Italy and had Fiat A-22R V12 engines. The original Do X was later _refitted_ with the Curtiss V-1570, but it was not originally built with V12's.

[@pavelslama5543]

@@Skauber And where exactly does it say that its a Do X in the original configuration?

[@johncillis3431]

It's a wonderful, value add-on. I got it for the Xbox, and I like it--especially the cabin which has everything modeled, from the flight crew areas, water closet, standard, first class, and dinette seating. I set up a viewpoint that lets me toggle from the flight deck to the central part of the passenger cabin after a few moments of moving the eyepoint around.

[@rolux4853]

Ah this is a amazing, my german heart is very proud of this amazing digital recreation!

[@ceegnz]

Don't think I've ever heard 'tankslapper' used that literally before :) It looks lovely but I think I'd only ever fly it once maybe twice so I'll just admire it from a distance and watch you fly it.

[@sptony2718]

I love this one. It's a perfect embodiment of its era of aviation. When I was a kid, my father gave me an encyclopedia about airplanes. There were all sorts of planes; the SR31, the Blackbird, Boeing 747 and what not. But none kept me coming back as much as the Do-X did. It wasn't one, it was THE largest airplane of its time and one of the largest ever built. And most importantly; it was the largest waterborne plane. At that time waterborne planes never exceeded a certain size, it was thought impossible. Engineers simply couldn't figure out breaking the surface tension in the water, what prohibited larger planes from taking off. Then Dornier came along and built a MASSIVE flying cruise liner. Basically what made the Do-X fly were the small notches on the rear section of its belly. Shame it was destroyed in WWII in a bombing run on Berlin.

[@leezinke4351]

What a gorgeous plane.

[@Luftschiff]

Holy... This looks absolutely incredible. I was sold by the exterior model, and then the interior was modelled, and then the engine compartment... Mind-blowing work recreating such a beautiful and elegant craft. That's...why that's positively sexy.

[@MikeBracewell]

Just incredible. Thank you!

[@pascalcoole2725]

The DO-X only was capable to cruize at 1500Ft because (believe it or not) it was underpowered. Your take off seemed rather unrealistic because it had the performance of a slightly heavy modern turboprop. Still.. indeed what an amazing footage !!!

[@punkworkschannel]

Must have been a fantastic experience to travel on this aircraft to some far off location on holiday. I wonder what the inflight service was like?

[@jarich1991]

This is so cool. I love that games and history are coming together

[@jamesanderson9229]

WOW! Thats very cool! Thanks for showing that!

[@dazzershell]

That engines sound is pleasant music, Beautifull plane.

[@M.Godfrey]

Yeah, honesty the modelling is incredible. Just wow. Those details… Worth every penny!

[@SEPK09]

how cool is that!!! great video good fun.

[@mostly-harmless]

lol that sand bank was perfect

[@jonbeckett]

Apparently the devs are looking at the rotation - it causes abnormal take-off behaviour (the rear of the body hits the water, and prevents rotation).

[@AlfieGoodrich]

All that amazing visual modelling and it sounded like a wet sponge being thrown at a wall when it landed :-)

[@sivoltage]

What a crazy machine, love it!

[@Jackdaniels-bi4hg]

They really out did themselves on this it is so real looking

[@luna-hw9li]

amazing. I don't even play this game, but it looks just awesome. It's so beautiful.

[@RHaenJarr]

Woah, always liked this plane so much

[@hotrodmercury3941]

I legit thought you were standing on the shore filming this. Wondering why you were talking about this plane in MSFS. It had me mighty fooled, even though I know the plane would not be sitting on the water these days!

[@AndreLuiz-gk1mf]

A vontade e de morar nesta maravilha.

[@stuartmackinnon]

Brilliant!!! Thank you.

[@outdoorsdelmarva5691]

Very nice....love it.

[@TheLobstersoup]

That little box says "Lotse" on it. In Germany Lotse is the guy who guides the large ships into the harbor, to their dock.

[@Calbeck]

Absolutely gorgeous.

[@Altenholz]

What a f... hot graphics- absolutely mind blowing!

[@Jannik_Stein]

Well, it’s legend here, (I live near lake Constance), but I just don’t k ow what to do with it if I’d get it

[@UsualSuspect331]

Great video dude, enjoy you're content. I don't think the passengers are too comfortable in those seats especially on choppy sea in that ploat

[@jiffey_faux]

Ploat 😂

[@justinjoven5127]

I love this type of stuff!

[@bliglum]

Such an impressive machine for it's time.

[@dimon5891]

the aircraft looks awesome, but it really more resembles a boat than plane :) the interior is great too

[@matthewcaughey8898]

The DO-X ran on 12 Curtiss Conquerer V-12s each one was good for 400 horsepower. Catch was the DO-X was altitude limited. In testing they didn’t fly much over 2000 feet ( which kept some degree of ground effect to help the thing stay aloft)

[@cycadaacolyte6349]

Amusing to see St Thomas and Cay/Long Bay just casually in a game like this in such detail. Was my daily route by dingy to get groceries etc so some serious visual and auditory recognition going on. They still operate seaplanes daily out of that exact spot by the way.

[@jonbeckett]

I think many of the island airports were upgraded recently.

[@ScoopDogg]

I honestly didnt know that was computer gfx at the first 1 minute, blew my mind when i realised it was

[@SpaceCube13]

Without reading the title I thought this was real life. I was so amazed until I realized it was Microsoft Flight simulator.

[@user-xd1gt9if2v]

Wow that looks so real wow

[@godbluffvdgg]

Wow, mind blowing...USAF vet...Until you said "it looks real" I thought it was! The graphics these days are insanely good! Amazing flight... :)...Best way to fly a monster like that; flight sim...:)

[@Ramash440]

My favorite detail is the little anemometer on the nose. So low tech and antiquated, I know WW1 biplanes had anemometers strapped to the struts to measure speed, but it's also kinda cute.

[@Yukihuru]

It is very impressive. Except for the fact that it behaves like a small seaplane during takeoff and landing, it is impressive to see the wings that the planners dreamed of soaring majestically in the sky.

[@Farmores]

wow at first i thought it was real life heh fantastic detail.

[@joukoniemi9250]

If the motors are similar and one looks forward and the other backward then they should rotate to opposite directions. This would be most effective because the last propeller can utilize the turbulence of the front propeller. The form of the propellers means that they should rotate to the same direction.

[@davidoliva1036]

As ground crew i always joke with sarcasm about "what comes next to this stand?" answering its a ship...this plane may shut our mouth hahahaha

[@captainiceberg8637]

What a cosy plane

[@PERCYxyz]

Going to need three Bravo throttle quadrants to fly this beast 😂

[@evangel1460]

I haven't considered getting the new msfs because it didn't have my old love (pmdg 777) but this is marvelous. I do hope it has some death, I fly DCS helicopters so i love complexity

[@mikemckee6583]

Did you mean “depth” by any chance? If not, good luck in your Kamikaze career.

[@GenericJohnDoe]

Translation for the "Box": Lotse: Ship's pilot / Marine pilot Anker: Anchor gesetzt: set eingeholt: hauled in Schleppboot: Tow boat ankoppeln: dock / couple entkoppeln: undock / Uncouple Kurs-Richtung: Course direction Links: Left Rechts: Right Geschwindigkeit: Speed / Acceleration stop: stop voll: full

[@Zebred2001]

Very beautiful. I'd like to see a release of a 1920 Aeromarine 75!

[@nellofontani]

amazing airplane

[@plane_spotter_italy]

My great grandpa used to fly this in the second world war for the Italian airforce

[@damerval]

Is it just me, or are other people getting really tired of the new planes never being turboprops? It's always just about anything else - something remakes of models already existing in the sim, sometimes even imaginary aircraft, or aircraft only one of which was ever built. We have over 50 military aircraft, some of them duplicates, and only 14 total turboprops, some of which are military too! I'm dying for a jetstream 31/41, a YS-11, a Dornier 328, a Saab 340, an L-188... as good as this one looks, I will never make it a regular flyer. Even the trimotor was good only for a few joyrides before I got tired of it. Sorry, rant over - great review all the same, even if I'm not getting this one because there are already like ten vintage seaplanes already. I do speak German but I wasn't able to read the labels so if anyone has a question, I can answer in here.

[@AlphaMachina]

Incredible.

[@Pamberjack_]

"in 1930, the Do X was refitted with 455 kW (610 hp) Curtiss V-1570 "Conqueror" water-cooled V-12 engines."

[@leosaura1993]

Wonderful great video thank you for posting it to bad these planes are not in service any more.

[@phileasfox983]

Whaaaaou, c'est incroyable !

[@7MPhonemicEnglish]

I imagine each passenger being given a piece of rubber hose to bite down on just prior to take-off.

[@TheStowAway594]

Looks like a 12 cylinder, going off the exhaust manifold, if I counted right. But it definitely does look beautiful.

[@pavelslama5543]

Interesting that its a V12, but with 24 exhausts (12 per each side). Each cylinder has 2 separate exhausts, 1 per each valve.

[@jacobaubertin645]

I want it, and that French one. However Asobo's water physics are such a buzzkill I'll save my hard drive space for more A2A stuff.

[@garypugh1153]

Huge wings producing much lift ! 😮

[@alexhale6582]

At first glance the engines look like an H or maybe a V configuration, but those are actually 9 cylinder air cooled radial engines (525hp each).

[@Jannik_Stein]

5:50 it looks like you can show/hide and steer a tug with this panel. If you need more translations, just ask me

[@jonbeckett]

I'll do a full walk-through when I get more time to play with it :)

[@7MPhonemicEnglish]

😅On it's 70th Test Flight: "The flight set a new world record for the number of people carried on a single flight, a record that would stand for 20 years.[9] After a takeoff run of 50 seconds[8] the Do X slowly climbed to an altitude of 200 m (660 ft). Passengers were asked to crowd together on one side or the other to help make turns. It flew for 40 minutes[1]" -- Wikipedia

[@Sashazur]

How many people?

[@Luke-ot6mk]

awesome

[@johnhaxby306]

This detail is just amazing, wish they had this for Ps5

[@miked2662]

Great videos John, have you considered doing live streams of civil aircraft? I think it would be great fun.

[@Michael_Michaels]

1:43 it seems to me, before any further research, just by counting the amount of exhaust pipes, that those are pods with twin V12 engines each.

[@Vipertanker1985]

ENGINES are the Curtiss V-1570 Conqueror was a 12-cylinder vee liquid-cooled aircraft engine

[@thomashubert2977]

Wow. Der ms flight sim hat sich gewaltig verändert in den letzten 30 Jahren.