I agree with Husky42, I have an 8800 Ultra and runs IL2-1946 with 1920x1200x32 at Perfect mode; it looks pretty decent to me.
Being an ‘old fart’ of flight-sim since the days of Atari and 286, it is my bumble opinion that the IL-2 series (IL-2, IL-2 FB, PF, 1946) ranks amongst one of the best ‘Survey Sims’. While It cannot nonestly compete in the ‘rivet-counting’ department against Study Sims such as the original Falcon 3.0, Tornado, or Su-27 Flanker (again, my personal 2cents), it nevertheless captures enough fidelity to put it firmly in the heavy-weight category. It is true that graphics is somewhat dated (Crysis it is not), but at least for me that is not a primary consideration when it comes to a simulation.
Like a good pint of Guinness, or any Sim for that matter, IL-2 is an acquired taste. There is absolutely nothing wrong for anyone to think it “sucks”, for after all, beauty is in the eyes of the beholder