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Rara-Avis Sims
Rara-Avis Sims creates characterful, lovingly handcrafted aircraft for Microsoft Flight Simulator.
From forgotten prototypes to homebuilt oddities and daring one-off designs, every project begins with a spark of curiosity: “What would it feel like to fly this?”
The result is a growing hangar of machines with personality — aircraft that feel alive, tell a story, and make you want to take just one more flight.
FROM HANGAR
DAYDREAMS TO
SIM REALITY
WHO'S BEHIND THE WINGS ?
Rara-Avis Sims is a one-person workshop dedicated to bringing unusual, historically rich, and slightly eccentric aircraft into the virtual skies.
Based in the UK, every project is built from the ground up — modelled, textured, tuned, tested, and refined with care and stubborn attention to the small details that make an aircraft feel real.
It’s a mix of engineering curiosity and a love for aviation’s stranger stories, blended with countless hours in DevMode shaping each aircraft into something memorable.
WHAT WE CARE ABOUT
Authentic Handling
Character & Story
Craft & Detail
Every aircraft has a history, a personality, and quirks worth discovering — from the design decisions that shaped them to the small details hidden around the cockpit.
From realistic materials and weathering to animated covers, tie-downs, and walk-around features, every surface and interaction is created with intention and craft.
Flight models are tuned to feel believable and honest, with behaviour shaped by data, pilot feedback, and a lot of test flying in difficult conditions.
HOW WE GOT HERE
Rara-Avis Sims began with a simple idea: recreate aircraft that deserve more attention — machines built with passion, ingenuity, or necessity, not just prestige.
2022
ZIPPY SPORT
a lively, lightweight homebuilt with a distinctive silhouette and a surprisingly spirited climb. The project set the tone for everything that followed: characterful modelling, hand-tuned handling, and a focus on fun.
2023
FLYING FLEA
A quirky and historically notorious design brought to life with care. Your MSFS version captured its unusual charm and introduced many simmers to one of aviation’s strangest footnotes.
PHOTOSHOP
Photoshop is where the visual character of each aircraft comes to life — textures, decals, weathering, panel lines, fabric seams, and subtle material effects all begin here. It’s the foundation for creating believable surfaces that hold up in close-up cockpit views and dramatic lighting
3DS MAX
3ds Max is the heart of the modelling workflow. Every aircraft is built here from the first polygon to the final animation — wings, struts, joinery, cockpits, instruments, and custom moving parts. It’s the primary tool for shaping accurate geometry and preparing assets for Microsoft Flight Simulator.
SUBSTANCE PAINTER
Substance Painter adds depth, realism, and storytelling to each model through high-resolution PBR materials. Wood grain, fabric weave, metal wear, dirt, and age come alive through layered painting, smart masks, and custom brushes, making each aircraft look grounded in reality and history.
BULLDOG AUTOGYRO
A daring step into rotorcraft, recreating a rare British autogyro with its unique flight dynamics and open-air personality.
ENGLISH ELECTRIC WREN
A beautifully delicate ultralight from the 1920s, restored faithfully in MSFS. Its slow, graceful handling made it a favourite for low-and-slow flying.
2024
HORTEN IX
A leap into advanced aerodynamics and iconic aviation history. Blending sci-fi aesthetics with real aerodynamic nuance.
2025
Still Building, Still Flying
New projects are always in the workshop, shaped by research, community feedback, and a love for aviation’s strangest corners.
Get in touch with us at rara-avis_sim@outlook.com
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