FALCON BMS 4.38:
The Legendary F-16 Sim Takes Flight Again!
Benchmark Sims has just unleashed Falcon BMS 4.38, and in doing so, they’ve pushed this 25-year-old simulation into an entirely new stratosphere. FALCON BMS 4.38 has leapt forward incredibly with a massive overhaul of its structure including its graphics engines and more.
FALCON BMS 4.38 now boasts an all new Terrain – Atmosphere – and Ground Movement Engines that will greatly enhance the advanced ground AI. This will hopefully clear up the lower quality ground textures of the past and really modernise this incredibly good combat flight simulator.
The new fully recreated 3D airbases along with the updated skins for aircraft are going to improve the overall sim quality immensely. This update is so substantial it feels closer to a next-generation sim than an incremental patch that threatens to possible attract more DCS WORLD players to its ranks!
If you’ve ever wondered whether Falcon BMS could stand toe-to-toe with DCS World, this release should erase any doubts. The passion and commitment of the Benchmark Sims, Falcon BMS team is a wonder to behold! They have continued to break new ground with every major update and this could sincerely be the biggest step they have ever made. Congratulations to the whole team at Benchmark Sims! Impressive work!
Below, we’ll walk you through the massive list of improvements and additions that make BMS 4.38 a must-have for serious virtual pilots.
Quick Reminder: What Is Falcon BMS?
Falcon BMS (Benchmark Sims) is a community-developed continuation of Falcon 4.0, air combat flight simulator classic from 1998 created by by MicroProse. The sim started with Falcon then updated through Falcon 3.0 and then 4.0. THere was an Allied force release as well and im sure some others. I personally still have the Falcon 3.0 – 4.0 and Allied Force in a drawer!
Falcon was a breakthrough series when PC’s had 33 Mhz and then 66 mhz with maybe 4 cores at max. Gpus back then were the NVIDIA GeForce 256 and the 3dfx Voodoo 3. I think I had a Voodoo but it’s a long time ago now. Big hard drives were about 40 Megabyte with ram about 4 mb to 8 Mb. Yeah the tech has certainly changed incredibly.
It builds on the original’s dynamic campaign engine still unmatched for its real-time war simulation by any simulator in air,sea and ground warfare. Nothing has ever matched its capabilities and many have tried, and failed!
Falcon BMS 4.38 adds modern graphics, systems modeling, and multiplayer capabilities with even VR becoming available in the last iteration at Falcon BMS 4.37. It uses steam VR to power the VR experience which is good!
Important!
Important Licensing Note:
You still need a copy of Falcon 4.0 installed on your PC for BMS to run. You have to point the Falcon BMS install to the Falcon 4.0 directory. It looks for the Facon4.0 exe file.
Falcon 4.0 is available for just a few dollars on Steam or GOG.
Once installed, BMS uses your Falcon 4.0 EXE for legal verification.
Download Falcon BMS from the link below! (BMS 4.38 had yet to be released to the public as I write this but it should be out in a couple days!)
Falcon BMS 4.38 Major Components.
NEW TERRAIN ENGINE – What Changed in 4.38!
- Higher-Resolution Terrain Mesh:
Terrain elevation data has been significantly refined.
This means hills, valleys, coastlines, and urban elevations are more accurately modeled in 3D space. - Modern Texture System:
Support for higher-resolution ground textures, including new seasonal and theater-specific tiles. - Enhanced Lighting & Shading:
The terrain engine now includes more sophisticated shaders for:- Directional lighting and ambient occlusion
- Specular reflection on surfaces like runways and water
- Dynamic shadows interacting with terrain meshes
- Improved Terrain LOD Management:
Level of detail transitions (mipmapping) are smoother, reducing texture pop-in and shimmering when looking across large distances.
What You Notice in the Cockpit.
- Rolling terrain looks far less flat or blurry—especially when low-level flying or during pop-up attacks.
- The transition between near and far terrain is much more seamless, preserving immersion.
- Airfields and roads integrate more naturally with surrounding landscape.
- Mountain ranges, ridgelines, and river valleys are easily recognizable landmarks for navigation—something Falcon historically struggled with.
Compared to 4.37.
- 4.37 terrain could look dated even with add-on textures; large expanses still appeared low-res, especially on modern monitors.
- 4.38 finally closes much of that gap—while it won’t rival DCS terrain mod packs, it’s the biggest leap Falcon’s terrain has ever made.
NEW ATMOSPHERE & WEATHER ENGINE.
What Changed.
- Advanced Sky Rendering:
The sky model has been rebuilt with modern atmospheric scattering:- Realistic blue fade at altitude
- Horizon blending and color gradation
- Correct dusk/dawn transitions
- Dynamic Weather Layers:
Weather is now layered volumetrically:- Multiple cloud decks
- Differing visibility at different altitudes
- Fog layers and haze that are true 3D volumes
- Lighting Integration:
Sunlight interacts dynamically with clouds and atmosphere:- Sun rays through broken clouds
- Correct shadow casting
- Smooth transitions as time advances
What You Notice in the Cockpit.
- Sunrises and sunsets feel much more lifelike, with natural coloration and brightness variation.
- Overcast weather produces realistic gloom and reduces visibility in a convincing way.
- Cloud edges have proper softness and density rather than looking flat.
- In-cockpit lighting adjusts more believably when you fly from clear skies into cloud or dusk.
Compared to 4.37
- Prior versions had skyboxes and limited layering—clouds were often billboards rather than volumetric.
- The atmosphere often felt static and disconnected from lighting.
- 4.38’s new system finally makes the weather and sky feel integrated into the world.
NEW GROUND MOVEMENT ENGINE.
What Changed.
- Pathfinding Overhaul:
- Ground units now use a more intelligent routing algorithm.
- They maneuver around obstacles, roads, and terrain features more reliably.
- Smoother Animation:
- Vehicle movement interpolation is improved—vehicles no longer “teleport” between waypoints.
- Convoy spacing and formation logic looks more organic.
- Combat Behavior:
- Ground units scatter or take cover under attack.
- Anti-air units reposition after firing.
- New logic for resupply and reinforcement flows.
- Expanded Vehicle Assets:
- Many vehicle models have been updated or replaced.
- New lighting for headlights and taillights at night.
What You Notice in the Cockpit.
- When you look down during a strike, convoys are actually moving in columns, not simply spawning in place.
- Tank platoons now react in a more lifelike manner when attacked.
- Road traffic and base traffic look believable, enhancing immersion on low-level CAS or recon sorties.
- Anti-air threats can relocate, forcing you to replan attacks dynamically.
Compared to 4.37.
- In prior releases, ground unit motion was scripted, prone to glitching or stopping altogether.
- Many units simply teleported between positions, killing immersion.
- 4.38’s new engine is a massive improvement—arguably the most transformative change for the dynamic battlefield.
How This All Affects Realism.
In combination, these engines bring Falcon much closer to modern expectations:
- Terrain finally provides recognizable visual landmarks for navigation and targeting.
- Atmosphere and lighting integrate naturally into the world.
- Ground war feels dynamic—something DCS campaigns still largely lack.
- Missions have a stronger sense of place and time.
New 3D Hangars, Buildings, and Airbases.
- Entirely new 3D building assets for airfields and military facilities
- Fully modeled hangars and control towers
- Upgraded runways and aprons
- Many airports have been rebuilt from the ground up
Taxiing and ramp starts now look properly modern—rather than 1990s-era flat polygons. The whole rebuild will impress you as you fire up your jet ready to head into combat!
New Theaters of Operation.
4.38 debuts several official theaters, each with unique scenarios:
- The Balkans
- HTO (Hellenic Theater of Operations)
- ITO (Israel Theater of Operations)
These areas come with their own campaigns, missions, and terrain data—hugely expanding the scope of the sim.
Carrier Operations & Naval Enhancements.
- New aircraft carrier models
- F/A-18 Hornet support (though specifics are still emerging)
- Naval task forces with better AI and visuals
- Carrier launch and recovery operations
This adds a whole new dimension—naval aviation enthusiasts, take note.
New Aircraft Models and Cockpits.
Improved F-16 cockpits:
- Updated displays
- Reworked textures
- More accurate switchology and MFD layouts
New cockpits:
- F-15C fully integrated
Additional aircraft models (shown or confirmed):
- Su-30 Flanker
- KF-21 Boramae
- J-16
- Mirage 2000
- MiG-29
- Typhoon
- And more…
These additions bring the Falcon BMS stable much closer to DCS in terms of aircraft variety.
New In-Cockpit COMMS Menu
One of the most welcome usability upgrades in Falcon BMS 4.38 is the completely redesigned in-cockpit COMMS menu. This overhaul streamlines how you interact with AWACS, ATC, tankers, wingmen, and ground forces, making radio operations faster and more intuitive.
The menu structure has been reorganized to reduce the number of clicks to reach critical commands. New logic ensures that only relevant options are displayed depending on your context so you won’t have to hunt through long lists in the middle of a dogfight.
The COMMS radio also integrates more naturally with carrier operations, including catapult launches and recoveries, as well as refueling calls. This upgrade dramatically improves situational awareness, especially in multiplayer or complex strike packages.
VR Support—Where Does BMS Stand?
Yes—Falcon BMS 4.38 supports VR via SteamVR.
While it remains a newer feature added in Falcon BMS 4.37 release you can fly in VR natively, using SteamVR with all compatible headsets. My Rift S works fine so if you have newer ones then your good to go.
It’s a very good experience actually. If you select to fly in VR then Steam VR starts and away you go. Its smooth and reliable for the most part. I have enjoyed my flights in VR although centering the cockpit can be troublesome on occasion.
Recording VR for YouTube videos has proven troublesome with the OCULUS MIRROR not working and the Steam Mirror is terribly low quality at 720P from memory. It seems OBS selecting a specific window but this still didn’t prove very good. I will probably give it a go with the latest update and see if its fixed.
How It Works.
- BMS launches into VR mode through the SteamVR UI.
- You get stereoscopic rendering in the headset.
- Cockpit instruments and HUD are fully visible in VR.
- Head tracking works natively.
What to Expect.
- Performance is highly dependent on hardware and resolution settings.
- Visual clarity is actually on par with DCS World, from cockpit readability to other aircraft and ground scenery. Very workable!
- Some tuning is necessary:
- Adjust supersampling in SteamVR.
- Tweak BMS graphics settings for smooth performance.
- The 3D cockpit projection can feels great in my opinion where the external graphics and clouds were the point of dissatisfaction in earlier versions. It’s no doubt going to be incredible experience in this new release of Falcon 4.38.
Community Tips.
- Many pilots recommend lowering terrain and shadow detail for higher frame rates but personally I found it worked great at high settings on my system.
- Using a modern GPU (RTX 3080/4080 or equivalent) dramatically improves clarity and smoothness as it should but my 5600x and RTX 3070 deliver a great realistic and smooth experience for comparison. It’s probably smoother than DCS WORLD to be honest.
- SteamVR motion smoothing can help stabilize performance in busy scenarios.
Bottom Line.
This is real VR support, fully usable for flying and mission execution.
It delivers a good or better plug and play experience where the actual simulator graphics level is what stands it apart from DCS. This new release could well close the gap between DCS and FALCON BMS significantly with its new graphical engines in place!
If you’ve been waiting to experience Falcon’s dynamic battlefield in VR, BMS 4.38 finally makes it possible in a big way!
How to Get Falcon BMS 4.38
- Purchase and install Falcon 4.0
(Steam or GOG recommended; usually under $10)
It “MUST BE INSTALLED” for Licensing reasons! - Download Falcon BMS 4.38
- Available FREE from the Benchmark Sims website
- Follow the installation guide carefully
- Install BMS, point it to your Falcon 4.0 EXE
- Enjoy the most advanced version of Falcon ever made!
MicroProse and the Future?
It’s worth mentioning: reports indicate MicroProse has repurchased the Falcon IP license.
What does this mean for BMS? No official statement exists.
Possibilities include:
- MicroProse supporting BMS development
- MicroProse working on a fully modern standalone Falcon sim
- Or both
In any scenario, Falcon’s future has never looked brighter & brighter.
Final Thoughts:
Is Falcon BMS 4.38 the DCS Competitor We’ve Been Waiting For?
If you love dynamic campaigns, authentic procedures, and the spirit of a living battlefield, Falcon BMS 4.38 is finally realizing the dream Falcon 4.0 had back in 1998.
This release is simply massive. For the first time, it feels like Falcon BMS can directly challenge DCS World on multiple fronts while retaining the campaign dynamism that DCS still lacks.
Benchmark Sims deserves enormous credit for bringing this venerable sim into the modern era. The most realistic campaign experience has just got better! Try it Today!
✅ Quick Links
- Official Download: Benchmark Sims Website
- Falcon 4.0 on Steam: Steam Store
- Install Guides & Tutorials: BMS Forum
- Community Discord: [Check Benchmark Sims forums for invitation links]
If you’ve ever been curious about Falcon, there has never been a better time to jump in.
Author
Brendon McAliece (Aka Gunnie) is a military veteran with 23 years working on Jet Fighters, their weapons systems and ejection seat/module systems as well as munitions and R&D. Involved with flight simulation since the 1980s, he has flown all the major flight simulators over the years.
He is an Australian expat who has lived in Malaysia, UK, Saudi Arabia and more recently Thailand. He is a multi-lingual blogger who loves to share his life experiences here on LetsFlyVFR.com and DreamingGuitar.com, with his lifestyle and Travel experiences Blog plus his Dreaming Coffee website.
Learn More @
DreamingGuitar.com – DreamingCoffee.com – LetsFlyVFR.com
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3 responses to “FALCON BMS 4.38: The Legendary F-16 Sim Takes Flight Again!”
Small note on BMS VR, since 4.37u4 it supports OpenXR API as well, which currently is preferred over OpenVR.
Thanks for the info! Greatly appreciated. The VR experience Ive had has been great really to date using the SteamVR but if there are other options I’ll lkk to broaden my knowledge and share with readers as well. All the best and thanks – 🙂 Gunnie
New blog nearly finished inspired by your comment. Much appreciated!