Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Aces Over Europe
Aces Over Europe
II REFERENCE
11. Aircraft - Specifications & Color Plates ....... ..... ..... .. ......... .... .. ... ..... .. ......... 92
12. Flight
Control Surfaces and Movements .... .. ........... ... ............... ... .... ............. 124
Physics of Flight .. ... ..... .... ..... .......................... ...... ................... .......... 126
Basic Flight Skills ..... ..... ... ... ... .. .. .. ... .. .... .. ..... .. .. ........... .... ......... ......... 129
Flight Model Settings .... .............. .............. .. ... .. ... ... .. ..... ...... ...... ........ 132
13. Flight Maneuvers ........... ..... ...... ..... ..... .. ..... .... ..... .................. ..... ....... ........ 133
14. Air Combat Tactics
Gunnery ...... ... .... ..... .. ............ .... .... .... ..... .... ..... ............. .... .... ....... ..... 137
Fighter Combat ......... ...... ... .. .. ... ... ..... ..... ... .... ..... ....... ... ..... ......... ...... . 139
D efensive Tactics ............ .... ..... .. ..... ..... .... .. .... ....... .. .... .... ................. 145
Special Tactics .. ..... .. ... ... ... .... .... .. ... .. .... .... .... ........ ..... .............. ....... .. .. 147
15. Weapons & Ordnance .... .... .............. ..... ... ...... ..... .. ...... ... ... ... ... ........ .. ...... . 149
16. Vehicles .... ....... ..... ..... ..... ... ...... .... ..... ..... ... ..... ... ....... ... ... ...... ...... .. ...... .... .. 154
17. Ships ......... ..... ............ .. .. ....... .......... .. .......... ................ ... ... .... ... ... ..... ..... .. . 158
18. Decorations & Medals ...... .. ....... .... ...... ... ..... .... ... ... ......... ... ... ...... ......... ..... 160
III GAMEPIAY
19. Quick Run-through ... .. .. .. ..... ...... .... ..... ..... ... .... ..... ..... .. ...... ...... .. ... .. ......... . 164
20. Fly Single Mission .. ......... .... .... ................ ... .. ... .... ... ... .. .......... .... ............ ... 166
21. Preflight Instructions .. ..... ..... ... ..... ..... .. ................... .............. .................... 169
22. Flight Instructions ....... .. ... ... .... .............. ............. .... ... ... ....... ... .......... ........ 17 1
23. Postflight .... .... ...... ........ ...................... .... .. .. ... .... .... ... .. ..... .. ... ................... 186
24. Mission Recorder ... ............ .... .... .. ... .. ........... ..... ... ....... ..... ... ... ............. .. ... 188
25 . Enlisting in a Career .... ............ ...... .. ... .... .... .. ....... ..... .. ...... .. ...... ....... ... ...... 193
IV APPENDIX
Technical Support ... ......... ... ... ... ........... ... .... .... ....... .. ...... .... ....... .................. .... 202
Customer Support ........... ......... ... ..... ..... .... ....... ............... .......... .... .... ............ .. 210
Selected Bibliography .. .... ... .... .... ... ...... ...... ..... ...... .... .... ..... ..... ....... .... .. ..... ....... . 212
Glossary ....... ...... ...... .... ...... .... ..... .... .. ...... .... ... .... ....... .. .. ..... ........... .... .. ... ........ 214
Credits ......... .. ... ... .... .... ....... ............ .... ..... ........... .... ... ... .. .......... ..... .. .... ....... . 216
IV
INSTALLING AND LOADING
ACES OVER EUROPE
Copying Aces
Over Europe to a
Hard Drive
The following examples
assume that you are using
floppy drive A: and hard
drive C:. If not, please
substitute all references with
the appropriate drive labels.
1. After booting, insert
Aces Over Europe disk
#1 in Drive A:. Courtesy National Air & Space Museum, Smithson ian lnstimtion
2. Type A: [EnterJ.
0 Hawker T empest.
3. Type INSTALL [Enter].
4. Select which drive you wish to install to.
5. Follow the on-screen instructions.
VI
Courtesy Nacional Air & Space Museum, Smithsonian l nstiunion
4
1. The Early Years
The Germans realized they had co control the skies over the
English C hannel if any attempt to invade the island nation
was to succeed. Goering's Lufrwaffe now faced its greatest
challenge: the defeat of the Royal Air Force. Throughouc the
summer of 1940, swarms ofMesserschmiccs, Heinkels and
Spitfires dueled for control ofthe sky above Southern England.
5
llli
- Germans were systematically destroying the pre-war Fighter
Command airfields.
6
1. The Early Years
this setback, turned east and ordered his army to destroy the
Soviet U nion.
a meeting in 1944, custody and put on trial for People's Court for
Rommel confronted Hitler crimes against Germany. treason, or he could
point-blank and demanded commit suicide. Rommel
to hear the dictator's plan to A month later, on July 17, chose the trial. Dismayed
win the war. an Allied plane strafed at his choice, his visitors
Rommel's staffcar, killing reminded him that
In June, after the Allies his driver. Rommel suffered should he be found
landed at Normandy, a fractured skull in the guilty, his wife and son
Rommel pleaded for ensuing crash. Three days would suffer the
replacements for the later, the attempted consequences as well.
tremendous losses his units assassination and coup Reluctantly, Rommel
had suffered. When only a against Hitler failed, and chose to commit suicide
trickle arrived, he asked the Gestapo started to save his family. Later
Hitler repeatedly for rounding up the that afternoon, he
permission to withdraw to conspirators. During the swallowed a cyanide
the Rhine. The Fuhrer torture ofanother officer, capsule and died
ordered him to hold to the the man implicated instantly. The cause of
last man, an order which Rommel in the plot. The death was officially listed
the Desert Fox thought Desert Fox was doomed. as a brain seizure.
totally ridiculous.
On October 14, 1944, two Hitler gave Rommel a
As his despair over Hitler's generals with an SS escort state funeral and sent his
actions grew, Rommel arrived at Rommel's home wife a flattering eulogy of
began to get involved in the near Ulm, where he had her husband. The full
plot to depose him. Though been recovering from his truth ofthe death ofthe
he did not want to see wounds. The generals gave Desert Fox did not come
Hitler assassinated, he did Rommel a choice: he could out until many years
want to see him taken into either stand trial before the after the war.
7
ILli
- THEAIR WAR IN THE WEST
For the next three years, the RAF and Luftwaffe fought an
aerial battle of attrition. Each side sent out daylight pinprick
raids across the Channel, doing what damage they could to
keep the pressure on the enemy. As soon as the sun dipped
under the horizon, the bombers would come. Sometimes
over a thousand British Halifaxes, Lan casters and Wellingtons
waded through the night skies to burn Germany's cities with
their deadly incendiary loads. Bomber Command, led by Air
Marshal Sir Arthur Harris, would spend the next four years
trying to prove valid the theories of Giulio Douhet.
Over There
For years these American Co" " "Y N,,;oo.I A;, & Sp'" M""""' Sm i<hwn;,o Jn.,;u.. ;oo
apostles ofpinpoint bombing
had claimed that by destroyi ng an enemy's industrial O Ira Eaker, perhaps the greatest
of th e USAAF's bomber
infrastructure, the war could be won by airpower alone. generals.
During the 1920s and 30s, the Army Air Corps, as it was then
9
illi
- called, defined itself almost
exclusively on this premise.
As tactical doctrine began to
be developed, the Air Corps'
equipment needs soon
became clear. To survive
missions deep into enemy
territory, a bomber had to be
capable of defending itself
Some argued that fighters
should escort bombers to
their targets and back; but,
since no single-engine plane
of the day was capable of
Courresy National Air & Space Museum, Smithsonian lnstirntion
flying the distances required,
that idea was dropped. Rather than focusing on building a
0 An airman exami ning a bullet
hole in his plane. long-range fighter, the Air Corps spent its energies working
on the ulrimate daylight bomber.
ofinflictingserious damage
to the Germans.
12
2. The Air War in the West
13
lili
- He was soon sent back to the States, there, at age 25, he died
of a heart attack.
The summer of 1943 opened with the largest 8th Air Force
raids to date. The bombers singled-out aircraft factories and
ball bearing plants as their
primary targets. Deep
penetration raids were made,
some as far into Germany as
Muenster, Schweinfurt and
Bremen. Each morning, the
bombers would form into
tight formations over the
rolling English countryside,
only to return in straggling,
ragged driblets, engines out,
crewmen wounded, morale
cracked.
15
lili
- For the moment, the crews stood down. The bombers just
could not get through. So much for pre-war doctrine. Ir was
time to head back to the drawing board.
Adolf Galland walked away from the Aighr line with a huge
grin etched on his face. H e had just spent the better part of an
hour knifing through the sky
in the Luftwaffe's latest
experi mental fi ghter, the
Messerschmirr262. Powered
by twin Junkers J umo
turbojet engines, the aircraft
could maintain speeds one
hundred mil es an hour
faster than any other aircraft
in the air. This was the plane
that would smash the
American bomber stream Courtesy National Air & Space Museum, Smid1so11ian l ns1itution
and win back air superiority
for the embattled Luftwaffe. Galland's fighter pilots needed 0 A Messerschmitt 262 pilot
the Me 262 right away, and in vast numbers. H e left the buzzes his airdrome.
airfield that day resolved to do whatever it rook to get the jet
into large scale production.
17
llli
- The Messerschmitt 262
was, for its designers, a walk
down a darkened lane. The
new aircraft exp lored
uncharted territory. Its top
speed of 540 miles an hour
was faster than anything
they had previously
Courtesy Narional Air & Space Museum, Smithsonian lns1itution
experienced, and the effects
of such speed on the
0 A squadron of Me 262s airframe were unknown and needed to be researched. T he
preparing for cake-off. prototype that Adolf Galland flew suffered from a myriad
of design and technical bugs that prevented it from going
into serious production. It would take some time to iron
out the kinks in such a technically advanced plane.
18
2. The Air War in the West
19
l.lti
- THE DAM BURSTS
20
3. The Dam Bursts
21
lili
- slashing, paralyzing turning
movements regularly tore
into the British 8th Army. In
the end, however, his chaotic
supply situation proved his
undoing and the combined
might of the British and
Americans crushed his once-
m ighty Afrika Korps by
Courtesy National Air & Space Museum, Smithsonian lnsrimrion
February 1943.
0 A lion cub explores the wing Hitler then ordered Rommel to take over the defenses
of a Bf 109. along the French coast. What Rommel saw when he arrived
chilled his blood. The "Atlantic Wall" was nothing more than
an elaborate ruse created by Goebbel' s master propaganda
machine. He stormed through his command areas on sudden
inspection trips, blasting his men out of their lethargy and
into furious action. Up until Rommel's arrival, assignment to
the French coast had been one of the few easy postings in the
German Army. The luxuries of wartime France had made
many Wehrmacht units degenerate into flabby, soft
occupational troops. Rommel demanded lean, honed
combat-ready regiments andhe got them. For the next half
year, he drove his men into a frenzy of mine laying, ditch
digging and concrete pouring. They laid a million mines a
month through the first half of 1944. The troops strung
barbed wire, built anti-landing craft defenses, reinforced
trenches, cleared fields of fire, and flooded fields that
could be used by airborne assault troops.
The men loved their new birds. For months, they trained in
Oregon with ragged, beat-up P-39 Airacobras that wheezed
and coughed like patients from a TB ward. Now, at last, they
received a thoroughbred. The planes were American, but
built to British specifications. Powered at first by a whiny,
under-powered Allison engine, someone decided to mate the
airframe to a British Merlin. The hybrid worked beautifully
and the graceful, speedy plane was christened Mustang II by
the British. To the Americans, the laminar-fl ow winged beast
was simply called P-51.
The men of the 354th Fighter Group were the first to receive
the Merlin-engined version. While the new planes still
suffered from teething troubles, the pilots cared lictle. For
them, it was love at first sight. Soon, they could be seen flat-
hatting their new birds over the lush countryside around the
base at Salem. Then, all too suddenly, their commander told
them to pack their gear. They were shipping out.
The 354th Fighter Group became the first unit to fly the
P- 51 B in the European Theater. In honor of this, the group
was christened the Pioneer Mustangs.Assigned to the 9th Air
Force, a newly formed tactical organization, the group spent
most of the winter flying escort missions for the 8th AF's
bombers. The Germans received a rude shock when the long-
legged fighters appeared deep over Germany, strafing airfields
and shielding the B-l 7s from Luftwaffe interceptors.
More P-51 groups would follow in the 354th's footsteps,
changing the nature of the war over Germany.
24
4. The Air War Continues: Big Week to Berlin
25
llli
-
~
""
-.. ,I
-,
ni
..
., .,,
a J>
;
. ,,.. '
.
,,;
,~
;
.. .....
Big W eek was the first step to wresting control of the air
away from the Luftwaffe.
26
4. The Air War Continues: Big Week to Berlin
'1t has become very silent in the crew room. Jonny Fest and I
sit there alone in our two armchairs untilfar into the night.
We do not speak much. The pile ofcigarette butts in the
29
lili
- ashtray grows steadi!J as we extinguish one cigarette after
another. Jonny keeps staring in a distraught way at the
pictures on the wall. To me, it seems as ifwe might expect to
see the faces move and hear thefamiliar voices ofour late
comrades break the silence in the room ... "
The Terrible position, took on the lead plowed his Mustang into
role, while the other fell the ground. The 4th 's
Twins behind to protect his C. 0., Colonel Blakeslee,
partner's tail. exploded when he saw
Captains Don Gentile Gentiles flat-hatting
and John T Godfrey First flying P-47 screw-up. Within a few
flew with a bunch that Thunderbolts with the 4th, days, he sent Gentile
Hermann Goering called later switching to the P-51 back to the States far
the "Debden Gangsters, " Mustang, the Gentile- good. Godfrey also went
an allusion to their Godfrey combination was home, but managed to
English base. Between so effective that Goering is finagle a new tour. He
them, they racked up said to have sworn he'd give returned to England and
nearly 40 combat kills. up two squadrons far their flew several missions
capture. During a March until he was accidentally
The two pilots played 1944 mission over Berlin, shot down by his
tag-team against the the team broke up an attack wingman while strafing
Luftwaffe, using tactics on a B-17 formation, and a runway. He spent
that American Vietnam- downed six planes between several months in a
era pilots would emulate them. On the flight home, POW camp, but escaped
years later. Flying with they personally escorted a just before the war
the vaunted 4th Fighter crippled Fortress safely ended. After the war,
Group, Gentile and home. Gentile died in a jet
Godfrey practiced aerial crash and Godfrey died
combat a bit differently In mid-1944, the duo was ofa muscle disease in the
from their peers. split up. Gentile, after late 1950s.
Whoever first spotted the buzzing a collection of
target and was in the best newspapermen, accidentally
30
5. Enter TacAir
ENTER TAcA!R
31
lili
- up. Command of the air over France had to be established so
the vulnerable invasion fleet could be free from air attack. It
was a monumental task to do in just a few mo nths and the
unpleasant assignment fell largely to the American 9th and
the British 2nd Tactical Air Forces.
Barries raged within the Allied camp over how best to employ
the formidable ai r power arrayed agai nst Germany. The
strategic bomber leaders, Harris and Spaatz, wanted to keep
the pressure on the Reich by continuing deep penetration
raids. They felt that the tactical units alone could achieve
what the ground commanders expected.
32
5. Enter TacAir
33
'' I 11
0 Low level recon over a from hedge-top level, the RAF fighters suffered serious losses
damaged French village. in the face of heavy, accurate anti-aircraft fire. One such
attackagai nst a V-1 site was described by ace Pierre Closrerman:
34
5. Enter TacAir
In early May, American fighters from the 8th and 9th Air
Forces were thrown into the campaign in France. Spaatz and
General Brereton, the 9th's commander, divided France into
zones ofoperation. The long-legged Mustangs and Lightnings
were given the task of smashing the French rail network east
of Paris, while the region directly behind the invasion beaches
became the hunting gro und of the Thunderbolt squadrons.
Sweeping across the French countryside, theAmerican fighters
laid waste to locomotives, rolling stock and rail bridges in a
series of attacks christened Operation Chattanooga Choo-
C hoo. By the end of May, over 500 locomotives had been
damaged. Thousands of passenger cars, box cars and flat cars
were destroyed as well. Rail traffic in France dropped to 35
percent of its March capacity.
0 Strafing a German train. yards rhar needed prorecrion. On June 3, a German reporr
detailed the damage:
36
5. Enter TacAir
37
lili
- OPERATION OVERLORD
~
I
~
I'
capture vital bridges, road crossings and gun em placements
that otherwise could be used by the Wehrmacht to
organize a counterattack against the men on the beaches.
The assault would take place at night. It was a very
dangerous maneuver, but deemed necessary by SHAEF's
planners. After landing in France, the paratroops were to
hold their objectives throughout the night and morning
until troops from the beachhead arrived to relieve them.
40
6. Operation Overlord
Councsy Narional Air & Space Museum, Smit hso nian lns1ionio11
43
lili
-
"Come and join the Air Force and get your flying pay
Airpower and D-Day
You never have to work at all, just fly around all day
While others toil and study hard and soon grow old and blind
We'll take to the air without a care and you will never mind!"
"You 're flying over the ocean, you hear your engine spit
You see the prop come to a stop, the goddamn engines quit
The ship won't float, you cannot swim, the shore is miles behind
Oh what a dish for the crabs and fish, but you will never mind. "
- Come and join the Air Corps, period squadron song
0 Rescue at sea.
I twas their third mission of the day and the pilots sat slumped
in their cockpits, utterly exhausted. The 4th had been strafing
ground targets in Normandy since first light and now, with
the sun setting, they had been called on for one more mission.
Blue Flight lifted from the field at Debden and winged
eastward, toward the growing battle in France. Soon after
reaching their patrol station near Rouen, one of the pilots
caught sight of about 20 German vehicles plodding down a
shaded French lane. Blue Flight rolled over and raced to
attack them. Their .50-caliber machine guns were just
chopping into the Wehrmacht trucks when the P-51s
44
6. Operation Overlord
45
lili
-Wolf Pack vs.
Abbeville Boys
Hundreds ofindividual
air units distinguished
themselves during World
War fl but two seem to
stand out. The USAAF's
56th Fighter Group,
nicknamed the "Wolf
Pack," tallied the most Courtesy Nadonal Air & SpaceMu~um, Smithsonian lnnirucion
air-to-air kills ofany
0 Gun camera footage
American fighter group
of a P-47 and a
in Europe, ending the Messerschmicr 110.
war with 671.5 victories.
The WolfPack arrived
in Europe with a fresh Zemke all served with the Addi Glunz, flew at one
batch ofRepublic P-47 WolfPack during their time or another with the
Thunderbolts, and a tours. Abbeville Boys.
fresh group ofpilots just
out offlight school. Their Facing the 56th from across The Wolf Pack and
first few missions in the the English Channel was ]G-26 saw much ofeach
spring of1943 served as perhaps the most famous other during the summer
a dose ofreality for the and feared Luftwaffe andfoll of1944. They
young American ]agdgeschwader, ]G-26. traded blows, took their
aviators. Each time they Called the "Abbeville Boys" losses, and continued to
encountered the veteran or "The Yellow Nosed fight on, neither scoring a
Luftwaffe, the 56th came Bastards" after their French knock-out punch. The
away with a bloody nose. airbase and their jaunty two sides gained
Gradually, however, the yellow cowlings, ]G-26 considerable respect for
Wolf Pack developed into claimed more than 2,700 one another, so much so
a potent force, and soort Allied aircraft destroyed in fact that at one point
some ofthe top American during its five years of all new pilots in the Wolf
aces emerged from the combat. Some ofthe Pack had orders to break
group. Dave Schilling, Luftwaffe's most famous for home if the dreaded
Francis Gabreski, Robert aces, including Adolf yellow-nosed Focke-Wulfs
S. Johnson and Hub Galland, Pips Priller and appeared on the scene.
46
6. Operation Overlord
0 All ied airpower wro ught later, he and his wingman raced down the runway, climbing
complete havoc with German
motori zed columns.
into the morning sky. The two Fockeshugged the hedgerows
and treetops hoping to evade the gaggles ofAllied fighters over
the area.As they approached the invasion beach, they climbed
into a thick, dark cloud. When they em erged, they were
confronted with an awesome sight. T he sea below was filled
with thousands ofships stretching to the horizon and beyond.
The beach was covered with tanks, trucks, soldiers and stacks
ofequipment. Prillerchose to strafe the beach, rather than risk
the massed AA fire from the ships offshore. H e and his
wingman, H einz W odarzyk, shot across Sword beach , throttles
firewalled , guns flaming. One pass and they broke up and into
the clouds, their duty done.
49
~
I I' BREAKOUT!
50
7. Breakout!
balance. In one such battle, a single German tank crew wiped o B-26s Aying through Aak.
out over 20 British and American tanks.
51
lili
- The first air arrack failed. The B-17s dropped many of their
bombs on their American comrades by accident. Bur later
attacks virtually annihilated the Panzer Lehr Division, paving
the way for a massive American breakout. Lehr' s commander
later described the horrific bombing attack:
Then, in a fr e nzy of
desperation, Hitler made a
decisive error. H e ordered
the best surviving panzer
divisions to assault the
Americans at Mortain and
Avaranches, hoping to pinch
the American breakout offat
its base. The arrack drew the
creamofthe5thPanzerArmy
into a huge trap. By early
August, with the panzer
assault blunted , the
Americans swept behind the
Courtesy National Air & Space Museum, Smithsonian lnstimtion Germans and threatened to
surround them entirely.
0 Sherman tank.
What followed became known as the Battle for the Falaise
Pocket. The Germans tried frantically to extricate themselves,
throwing their units into a storm of Allied firepower to keep
their escape route open. Thousands of vehicles jammed the
roads, all headed north for freedom. Allied fighter-bombers
swirled over the congested roads, using bombs and rockets to
52
7. Breakout!
obliterating the remainder of the German army. The o Ameri ca n G ls and civilians ar
Wehrmacht Aed to the Frontier, seeking sanctuary in the old Metz, France.
fortifications along the German border. Safely behind these,
the high command planned to rum and fight to the end to
keep the Allies from crossing the Rhine.
53
lili
- The End of
Luftflotte 3
54
7. Breakout!
55
lili
- Airborne Army in a massive
paratroop drop . Three
bridgeheads would be
established; th e first at
Eindhoven by the 101st
Airborne, the second at
Nijmegen by the 82nd
Airborne, and rhe last at
Arnhem which would secure
the Rhine bridges. The last
task, by far the most difficult,
would be carried out by
Britain 's 1st Airborne
Division and a Polish
Courtesy National Air & Space: Museum , Srn i1hsonian lnstiruiion
paratroop brigade.
0 T he pontoon bridge over [he To support the paratroops, an entire British armored corps
Elbe where Russian and would push northeastward along a single, narrow road,
American troops linked up
linking up with each bridgehead. Montgomery anticipated
cowards the end of the war.
that the area would be lightly defended and the Germans
caught flat-footed. With a bridge over the Rhine captured
intact, Montgomery argued that Germanywould be doomed.
56
7. Breakout!
They held out for seven days against terrible odds. But no help
came. The British tank columns that were supposed to relieve
them were stalled on the south bank of the Rhine, themselves
battling for their lives against elite German troops. On
September 24, Frost's men hoisted a white flag. The battered,
shell-shocked paras had held out against daunting odds, but
their fate was sealed. Slowly, they rrudged east, hands held
high, to be herded into POW camps for the duration of the
war.
57
'' I I'
A Mixed Bag
The 1944 Gennan Army
on the Western Front
looked vastly different
than the one that
marched victoriously
through Paris only four
years earlier. Back then,
the German Army was
flt, well-trained and
superbly equipped. After
France's surrender
though, a posting to that
country meant a soft and
easy life for the average
German soldier,
especially in light ofthe
later horrors on the
Eastern Front. Since
other theaters took (:(luru:$y National Air & Sp2ce Mu.scum, Smithsonian lnstirution
priority over the Atlantic
coast, the divisions in captured Russian, British 0 A long line of German POWs
Normandy received poor thread their way through
and American trucks that
Aachen .
equipment and low had been refurbished and
quality recruits. By repaired in Germany. Only
1944, the panzer a few lucky units received
divisions were composed first rate equipment fresh The quality ofsome
ofa bewildering variety from the factories in infantry units was often
oftanks and armored Germany. Some ofthe suspect as well. A few of
vehicles. Some ofthe Waffen SS formations, for the German divisions
Wehrmacht regiments example, were fortunate to were actually fleshed out
went into battle driving receive powerful Tigers and with captured Russian
1940 vintage captured Panthers as their main soldiers who elected to
French tanks, like the armored weapons. fight for Germany rather
S-35. Others drove than waste away in some
58
7. Breakout!
POW camp. Most ofthe the Normandy landings. 0 Captured Germans smile
for the camera ar Aachen in
infantry divisions had no The 352nd Infantry
October 1944.
trucks or means of Division protected the
transportation, farcing approaches .from Omaha
them to rely solely on the Beach was one ofthese
French rail net far their outstanding formations. sprinkling ofveteran
mobility. This proved to be They fought like wildcats, units using the latest and
a serious handicap, as the despite a lack ofsupport, most potent weapons
men were farced to reach supplies and air cover. available to the Reich.
the .front lines on foot power Despite the inconsistency,
alone. All in all, the German the Wehrmacht fought
armies in France were a fiercely, delaying the
On the other end ofthe patchwork quilt of Allied advance out ofthe
spectrum, were some crack improvised equipment and Normandy Beachhead
infantry units that caused bottom ofthe barrel far two and a half
the Allies great griefduring recruits, meshed with a months.
59
llli
- GERMANY BESIEGED
The effect was immediate and decisive. By the end ofJ uly, the
heavies had knocked out 98 percent of Germany's aviation
fuel production. At summer's end, the Reich could barely
turn out 120 tons of avgas, nowhere near the bare minimum
requirements. The Luftwaffe, fresh from their disas ter in
France, now faced complete fuel starvation. Sorties
decreased as the geschwaders ran out of juice. Some
squadrons scrounged the countrys ide for fuel, often stealing
60
8. Germany Besieged
Ardennes Christmas
Bodenplatte
AfewhoursbeforedawnonNewYear'sDay, 1945,Luftwaffe
airfields all over Western Germany sprang to life. Pilots,
many of whom had been drinking heavily the previous
evening, were roused from their cots and told to report for
duty. Maps were passed around as short briefings sketched
the day's mission. For many staffeln, only the commanders
knew what was going on. As pilots strapped into their birds,
commanders sprinted down the flight lines shouting, "Just
form up and follow me!" Without a clue to their destination
or purpose, the men of Luftflotte Reich embarked on the
greatest fighter-bomber raid of the war.
John Meyer, one of the top aces in the 8th Air Force, warmed
up his Mustang on his group's new airfield outside of Asch,
Belgium. He had convinced his superiors to allow his men to
63
lili
- getin someextracombattime
and he was just about to lead
a dawn patrol over the Rhine.
Suddenly, a throng of
Messersch mitts tore over the
field, flames spitting from
their noses as they strafed
the grounded Americans.
Meyer reacted quickly to
the unexpected threar. He
taxied his P-51 to the
runway , s lammed the
throttle to the copper coil
Courtlsy National Air & Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution and clawed into the air. T he
sky around him swarmed
0 Lr. Col. John C. Meyer. with targets. Messerschmitts and Focke-Wulfs arched past
his silver fighter. Before he even raised his gear, two of the
iron-crossed crates had fallen to his guns. Another would
succumb to his fire a few minutes later.
64
8. Germany Besieged
the 109s and l 90s would be airborne again, facing the awe-
inspiring might of the American bomber stream. The
inexperienced, under-trained Germans could not hope to
dent the rock-steady B-17 formations and, when they tried,
the 109s were slaughtered.
I
Still, they fought on for pride and to protect their families
who endured the rain of bombs the B-17s unleashed over
their cities.
0 The remains of the Remagen When Hider learned that the Americans had crossed into
Bridge, as seen just after the war.
Germany proper, he flew into a rage. He ordered all available
men, tanks and planes thrown at the bridgehead. The
Americans could not be allowed to exploit their success.
For the next two months, the Allied armored fingers spread
through Germany, crushing all opposition in their way. The
Allies achieved success in the east as well. The Russians rook
Vienna, then moved to surround Berlin. On April 22, the
Russians reached the German capital. The fighting raged
from house to house. Old men and teenage boys were thrown
66
8. Germany Besieged
67
lili
- ALooKBAcK
It rook the world fifty years to recover from the Second World
War. What lessons can be learned?
68
9. A Look Back
69
lili
- of the summer, the Reich's
legions were doomed to grind
to a halt from fuel starvation.
The old maxim "A great
general studies logistics" rang
all coo true and Carl Spaatz
deserves considerable credit
for exploiting this German
logistical weakness. In some
areas of fuel refining, the
bombers destroyed al most
98 percent of the Reich's
production abilities. Without
gas to fl y their planes, train
Courresy National Air & Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution their pilots and move their
tanks, the German military
0 A G I gazes into the water
machine collapsed. To most historians, this is the greatest
from a railroad bridge destroyed
by tactical bombing. contribution the 8th Air Force made during the war.
But the air war was not limited to the strategic battles over
Germany. By 1944, the Americans and British had learned to
appreciate the power of battlefield air superiority. With their
awesome resources, they amassed two complete tactical air
forces in time for the D-Day landings. Their role in the
ultimate success of the French campaign and the drive into
Germany cannot be underestimated. The Wehrmacht in
1944 possessed better equipment, well-trained combat
veterans, and an excellent officer corps. The Allies, especially
the Americans, landed in N ormandywith thousands ofgreen
troops fighting with outdated tanks and armored vehicles.
T he brutal fighting that began in the Normandy hedgerows
could have turned ugly for the Allies if they had not possessed
the skies over France.
And what of the Germans? Courtesy Narional Air & Space Museum. Smithsonian lns1imrion
The Luftwaffe learned that it could not win a defensive war 0 A bridge reduced ro rubble.
in the air. There would be no aerial Verdun, just a slow and
widening hemorrhage in the heart of the German air force.
The interceptor force, overwhelmed as it was with the
fighting over the Reich, was called upon to fight the tactical
warover F ranee as well. The dual role they were forced to play
in the summer of 1944 stretched them beyond the limit of
endurance. That they continued to fight on, occasionally
winning small victories, is a testament to the resiliency of the
Luftwaffe. But by 1945, the Germans were out of tricks.
With no fuel, half-trained pilots, and faced with odds of
10 to 1 whenever they took flight, the Luftwaffe's fighter
corps snapped under the strain.
71
lili
- THE NATURE OF AIR COMBAT
TACTICS OVER EUROPE
M ax was too busy to turn his heater off and in the warmer,
low-al titude air his cockpit began to feel like an incinerator.
Sweat poured from his brow, dripped aro und his goggles and
cascaded down his cheeks. This German was the best he had
ever faced. With the rest of his unit miles away escorting
bombers, he knew he would get no help.
Soon, both planes were on the verge ofstalJ ing. The Mustang
stalled first, briefl y giving the German the upper hand. H e
73
lili
- rolled into a tight turn and
headed for Lamb's fighter.
Before he could open fire,
the P-51 dodged our of the
way.
76
I 0. The Nature ofAir Combat Tactics Over Europe
T earn work, emerging at the Counesy National Air & Space Museum, Smithsonian lnstitmion
78
10. The Nature ofAir Combat Tactics Over Europe
at hedgetop level.
0 Don Beerbower, one of the
To keep the Germans off guard, several fighter groups hottest P-51 pilots in rhe ETO ,
poses for the camera. He was
would range along the flanks of the bomber streams
shot down during a strafing run
searching out Luftwaffe units. These sweeps often caught in rh e Spring of 1944.
the interceptors in the middle of forming up for massed
attacks on the bombers. The Americans would wade into
the confused German staffeln and thoroughly disrupt
their attacks. The results were immediate and impressive.
Bomber losses went down , Luftwaffe losses went up.
Then, the 8th added one more twist. Once released from
escort duty, the fighter pilots were ordered to head for the
deck and strafe any German airfield they could find. To
encourage the pilots, planes caught on the ground were
counted as kills. Soon the Luftwaffe had no place to hide.
Even their training units came under attack. More than
once, a squadron of Mustangs stumbled into a gaggle of
circling biplane trainers deep in Germany. The ensuing
carnage created many Allied aces.
British Fighter
Doctrine
With the RAF conducting
strategic bombi ng at night,
the British had no need for a
daylight long-range eSCQ [[ Courtesy Nation;i.l Air & Spaa Museum, Srni1hsonian Jns1imrion
fighter. Consequently, the Spitfires, Tempests and Typhoons o A Spitfire and a P-38.
served as a tactical battlefield force, a role fo r which they were
well suited. Spitfires conducted sweeps and patrols over
France uncil the invasion of N ormandy in June. T hereafter,
they would range behind thefrontlines, intercepting German
ai rcraft assigned to bomb Allied positions, or tangling with
standing German patrols. In many ways, this type offi ghting
looked a great deal like the patrols over the front during
W orld W ar I.
0 Spi tfires on a fl ight line.
Wh en the M esserschmitt
262 entered service in the
fal l of 1944, British units on
t he Co ntin ent h ad n o
counter fo r the high speed
planes. T he jets would race
over the frontier, cross the
front, and pummel an airfield
or troop concentration with
tho usand-po und bombs.
Befo re the RA F could
intercept, the jetswoulddash
back to safety in Germany.
T hese hit and run raids Courtesy N:uional Air & Sp;,icc MuS<'um. Srni1hsonian lns1itution
81
iili
- annoyed the RAF to no end,
though they did little serious
damage. Much energy was
invested in countering the
jets and a new approach was
gradually developed.
Luftwaffe Fighter
0 Jo hnnie Johnson.
Doctrine
Wehrmacht mortar rounds with a small rocket engine 0 The sighc dreaded by all Sch
attached. Two could be mounted under the wings of an Air Force bomber crews: a
Fw 190 or Bf 109 in heavy, cumbersome launch tubes. Focke-Wulf 190A.
The Gr. 21 was a failure for several reasons. The tubes were
so bulky that they severely reduced the performance of the
109s and l 90s. Dogfighting while equipped with the rocket
tubes was practically suicide, so, the interceptors, themselves,
had to be escorted to keep Allied fighters off their backs. In
addition, the Gr. 21 proved almost impossible to aim. The
pilocs had to fire them ac an upward angle so they would drop
down into a bomber formation. Hits were so infrequent that
the jagdgeschwaders started phasing out che weapon in 1944.
Scill, if even one of the rockets landed amidst a B-17
formation, it could cause considerable damage as one rocket
could cake down three or four bombers.
the Luftwaffe was all but driven from the skies with Russian
0 Guncher Rall.
troops approaching Berlin by the time the rockets reached
operational scatus.
0 The Junkers 188 was an Front and could not be spared for action in France. Thus,
evolution of the Ju 88. the Messerschmitts and Focke-Wulfs from Lufrflotte
Reich were ordered to take up the slack. The pilots had
not been trained in ground attack tactics, so their
performance in this unfamiliar role left much to be
desired. Most often the Jagdgeschwaders failed eve n to
reach the ass igned targets, claiming the Allied defenses
were too strong to penetrate.
86
10. The Nature ofAir Combat Tactics Over Europe
The Arado 234 entered Councsy N:uional Air & Space: Museum. Smithsonian lns1in11ion
service as a light bomber in
December 1944. Originally, the plane was supposed robe o Me 262.
used as a level bombing platform. A bombsightwas mounted
in the Arado's nose, burro get to it, the pilot had to wrench
the control yoke ro the right, climb out of his seat and curl up
in the nose. Since no one else was in the plane to fly it, the
setup invited disaster. The bombsighr was probably never
used in combat. Instead, pilors would reverse rhe periscope
and pur the crosshairs on their rarger. If the plane was in a
87
lili
a shallow dive, the periscope sight proved fairly accurate. The
shallow, high-speed dive from above 10,000 feet became one
of the most widely used tactics by Arado 234 squadrons.
11. Aircraft
12. Flight
13. FlightManeuvers
14. Air Combat Tactics
15. weapons & Ordnance
16. Vehicles
17. Ships
18. Medals & Decorations
Courtesy National Air and Spac::c Museum. Smithsonian l rmicution
0 A formation of B- I 7Fs
over Germany, probably
during the summer of 1943.
~
I I'
92
11. Aircraft
P-38} l ightning
II
93
~
I I'
REPUBLIC P-47D THUNDERBOLT
USAAF Fighter Bomber
The P-47 was perhaps the most rugged single seat fighter of WWII. While it could nor climb very steeply or
quickly, it could dive like a brick. Some Thunderbolt pilots claim to have nearly reached Mach one in dives from
above 25,000 feet. In high speed
stalls, the P-47 had a tendency to
flip and needed over 1,000 feet to
recover. Though not as nimble a
fighter as its prime opponents, the
Fw 190 and the Bf 109, it could
out-dive anything in the air with
the possible exception of the P-38.
Later, when more maneuverable
fighters became available, the P-47
was increasingly used as a ground
attack fighter a role to which the
plane was well suited.
94
11. Aircraft
P-47D Thunderbolt
II
95
--
~
I I'
~
96
11. Aircraft
P-51D Mustang
II
97
!iii
-
B OEING B-17G FLYING FORTRESS
USAAF Bomber
The B-I 7G served as rhe standard USAAF bomber during World War II in the skies over Europe. Jes so lid
construction and wide wing area gave it the abi li ty ro absorb huge amounts of battle damage and still get
its crew home. Its large wing also
made it a very stable bombing
platform from above 20,000 feet.
This allowed for great accuracy,
and fac ilitated the close for mation
flyin g the American tacti cs
necessitated. The G model was
the first ro introduce a chin turret
eq uipped with two .50-caliber
machine guns. This additional
turret was des ign ed ro give the
Flying Fortress better protection
against head-on attacks.
98
11. Aircraft
B- I 7G Flying Fortress
II
99
lilt
-
B -24 LIBERATOR
USAAF and RAF Bomber
Whi le not as durabl e or man euverable as the B-1 7, the B-24 co uld ca rry a larger bomb load over a longer
distance at a higher altitude. It was sa id that ch e wings on th e Liberato r we re so chin that in fli ght th ey bowed
sli ghtly from th e we igh t of the fu sel age .
By early 1944, the B-24J had repl aced most of th e earli er variants of the Liberator. The new versio n carried
a powe r turret in th e nose that held two fifty ca liber machine guns. The added firepower made head-o n
attacks by Luftwaffe fighters
mu ch more dangero us. The B-
24 remain ed in se rvice with
several 8 th Air Force bomb
groups until the end of the war.
JOO
11. Aircraft
B-24] Liberator
II
101
lili
-
N ORTH AMERICAN B-25 MITCHELL
RAF Bomber
Over France, the B-25 was used exclusively by the RAF form ations. The standard USAAF medium bom ber
used by the 9th Air Force was the B-26 Maraud er. Th e B-25 was a durable, man euverable bomber with a
powerful defensive armament.
The RAF used the B-25 to bomb
bridges , rail ya rds and o ther
tacti cal targets fro m an altitude
of I 0- 15,000 feet.
102
11. Aircraft
B-25B M itchell
II
103
llli
-
M ARTIN B-26 MARAUDER
USMF Bomber
The B-26 Marauder was rh e standard 9rh Air Force medium bomber deployed in Europe during rhe war.
l rs tr icky handlin g characrerisri cs and hi gh srall speed ea rn ed ir a repurarion as a pilot ki ller ea rly o n in irs
ca reer. Pilots lookin g upo n its short, stubby wings and sleek fu selage for th e first rime christened th e bomber
the Flying Prostitute sin ce it had
no vis ibl e mea ns of support! Fast
and heavil y ar med , the B-26 was
a formid abl e adversary in che skies
abov e Fran ce a nd ch e Low
Co un tr ies.
104
11. Aircraft
B-26 Marauder
II
105
lili
-
H AWKER TYPHOON
RAF Fighter Bomber
T he H awker Typh oon served as rhe RAF's principle ground attack fighrer from lace 1943 uncil ch e end of
che wa r. Fasr, heav ily armed and capabl e of infliccing massive damage ro vehicle columns, rh e T yphoon
be ca m e th e sco ur ge o f th e
Ge rm an a rmi es in F ra nce by
D - D ay. Th o ug h it was a n
excellent attack aircraft , it did
not se rve effectively as an ai r
superi o rity fi ghter, as the Bf I 09
and th e Fw 19 0 co uld bo th
outm aneuver it. le did possess a
sli ght speed ad va ntage whi ch
helped ir escape fro m dange rous
situati ons.
106
11. Aircraft
Typhoon Mk. l B
II
lili
-
H AWKER TEMPEST
RAF Fighter Bomber
T he Hawker Tempest was a furth er development of the Typhoon model. The primary d ifference berwee n the
two aircraft was that the Tempest employed a slightly different wing. Though not as maneuverable as many of
the Lufrwaffe fi ghters it faced, the
Tempest ranks as one of the fastest
and best fighters of the wa r.
Counc~y N:uion;i) 1\ir and Sp.m. Museum. Srni 1hwni~n lns1inu io11
0 Tempest V.
108
11. Aircraft
Tempest Mk. V
II
lili
-
SUPERMARINE SPITFIRE
RAF Fighter
Th e Spitfire was on e of rh e rrue cl ass ic fi ghter d es igns to see actio n in World Wa r fl. Powe red by rhe hi gh
perfo rm ance Merlin , rhen lace r G riffo n liquid -coo led engin es, larer vari ants co uld reach speeds well ove r
400m ph. Few aircraft could o utrun a Spitfire in leve l fli ghr. Th e newer models used during rh e lase year
of rhe wa r retain ed all o f rhe Spitfire's legenda ry ma neuve rability, and in credib le rare of cl imb . T he Mark
XJV es pecially possessed excellent
climbing characrerisrics , a decenr
ro ll rare, and rhe abi li ty to ca rry
rockers. W irho ur a do ubt, rhis
was o ne of rhe bes r fi ghte rs of th e
wa r in Europe.
110
11. Aircraft
Spitfire Mk.XIV
II
111
iili
-
D EllA VILAND MOSQUITO
RAF Fighter Bomber
T he Mosquito V I se rved as the RAF 's primary pinpo int fi ghter bomber from its o rigin al deployment in
1943 until the end of th e wa r. The Luftwaffe soo n discovered ch ar the M osqui to was nea rly impossible to
in tercept since it possessed a top speed of 425 mph . This asset meant rh e RAF plane co uld speed into
occu pied Europe, hi t its target and run away befo re th e Ge rmans had rime to respo nd . W hile it was nor as
maneuve rabl e as che Lufcwaffe' s
day fi ghters, che M ark VI could
usually run away fro m a fi ght if
need be. W ith its excellent bomb
load and heavy armament, the
M os qui to pr ove d t o be a
devas tating weapo n.
112
11. Aircraft
Mosquito Mk.IV
II
113
lili
-
M ESSERSCHMITT
Luftwaffe Fighter
J 09
The Bf 109 was c:he standard Luftwaffe day fighter chroughouc most of 1944 -45 . le was inferio r co the Fw 190
in many ways, particularly in terms of its armament. Although the plane had a very limited ground attack
capabili ry, ir was pressed into chat role in France on occasion. The Bf I 09 was a nimble, fragile aircrafr chat was
outclassed by the P-5 1Din most areas. T he Mustang, in particular, could cum inside the Bf I 09 , and outrun c:he
G model. T he Bf I 09K proved co be a liccle fasrer than the more rugged Mustang. The I 09 stayed in service long
past irs prime simply because chere was no replacemenr available for che Luftwaffe Jagdgeschwader.
As a bomber interceptor, the Bf 109 was a fa ilure. lrs light armament made ic difficult to shoot B-1 7s down ,
especially in a head-o n pass. The Bf 109s fragi le co nstruction also made ic vulnerable co the massed firepower of
the American bomber formations.
Srill, wicl1 litcle else co rely on, the
Ge rmans pressed their Bf I 09
groups in to acti on against Al lied
bomb e rs. To beef-up their
firepower, I 09soccasionallycarried
exrernal gun packs, usually 20mm
or 30mm cannon , in wing gondolas.
These ext ra guns helped
considerably against bo mbers, bur
degraded the perfo rmance of rhe
plane so serio usly that they were
easy prey for escortin g Allied
Mustangs and T hunderbolts.Turn
radius, speed and roll race were all
impacted severely by che underwing
Councsy National Air and Sp;icc Museum, Smi 1hson i~n l11s1i11.uion
packs. I 09s also carried the G r. 2 I
rocket mortar, but again che cubes
carried under che wings impacted
0 A mechanic refuels a
performance.
Messerschmicc I 09.
114
11. Aircraft
Bf 109 G-6
II
115
iili
-
M ESSERSCHMITT 262 SCHWALBE
Luftwaffe Fighter Bomber
Theworld 's firsro perational jet fi ghter, theM esserschmitt 262 was deployed in thesummerof 1944. lt wasagood ,
capable aircraft bur its effectiveness was dampened by a myriad of troubles, most of which were never solved. Irs
first combat ro le consisted of high and medium level bombing so rries over the Allied beachhead ar No rmandy.
W itho ut a bo mbsight, however, these attacks were wasted effo rt, as the bombs never h it rheir intended rargers.
As glide bombing tactics were lacer developed , rhe plane becam e a more effecrive ground attack pl atfo rm. The
262 bega n use as a fi ghter in Autumn of 1944 and proved robe a superb weapon. Due ro its incredible speed,
ir co uld avo id Allied fi ghters and devastate bomber formations. Despite its speed advantage, however, it in itially
ach ieved o nly moderate success in ai r combat. Due, in part, ro rh e slow rate of fire of its cannons.
The Messerschmitt 262 was a fa irly maneuverable plane for a twin-engined fi ghter, but could not turn inside any
Allied fi ghter, relying instead on hit and run tactics. W hen go ing after American heavy bombers, 262s almost
never used head-o n passes si nce the closure rare often couched 700 mph. Instead, they approached from beh ind
and above che form atio n, di ving down ro the bombers alticude, then closing in , flying level and directly beh ind
the format io n. W hen in range, they would fire their rockets and fini sh thei r pass with cannon fire. If the
opportunity ava iled itself, they wo uld make another run then dive for home.
The 262 could have bee n an outstanding fi ghter had it not been for its unreliable Junkers J umo turbojet engines.
T he pilot had robe very ca reful, lest
he cause o ne to flam e out, or catch
fire and exp lode. Any heavy-
handedness, such as shov ing the
throttles too quickly open o r closed
could destroy the engines. Thus,
the 262 was a fast aircraft, but took
a very long time to throttle up to ics
top speed and proved especially
sluggish at speeds under 300 mph.
Above that speed, its acceleration
Courtesy National Ai r and Sp.ice Museu m, Smithsonian lrminnion was a li ttle better.
116
11. Aircraft
M e 262 A -1
II
117
!iii
-
FocKE- WuLF 190
Luftwaffe Fighter
Th e Fw 190 entered se rvice in th e summ er of 194 I with a sq uadron in JG -26. It qui ckl y esta blished an
exce llenr repurarion amongsr irs pilots for bein g an easy plane to Ay. RAF and later USAAF avia tors g rew
co fear che snub-nosed fi ghter, as it ca rri ed a heavy ca nn o n and machin e gun arm amenr rhac co uld devastate
eve n the mos t durable Allied bomber. Fast, maneuvera bl e and in credibly res ponsive , ch e Fw 190 beca me
che best fighter deployed in numbers by th e Luftwaffe durin g th e war. In rhe front lines, ic proved robe a
very Aexible aircraft, as its airframe co uld be modified fo r different co mbat duties. T he 190F model, for
instance , was a dedicated gro und
attack and bom ber interce pror
versio n th at car ri ed extra arm o r
placing co protect the pilot and
the engin e. The 190 0, che lase
majo r model of rh e 190 series,
was pure air superiority fi ghter,
oneofche bes cofrh ewa r. lc's roll
race and qui ck acce lerati o n made
it a formidable op po nent, eve n
for the vaunted Spitfire.
118
11. Aircraft
Fw 190 D-9
II
~ ~
I 11
ARA.Do 234B BLITZ
Luftwaffe Light Bomber! Reconnaissance Aircraft
Th e Arado 234B was th e first jet bomber ever produced for co mbat. fts revo lution ary turboj et engin es gave
it remarkable speed, enabling it to escape fro m any Allied pi sto n-engin ed fi gh te r it faced. It was a relatively
easy pl ane co fl y, with docile ha ndling character istics. Pro bl ems with t he rudder, howeve r, made its
direct io nal stability rat her poor. The Arado 234 wo uld spin in most stall s, but usually for o nl y o ne or two
revo lu tion s. Sca li speed with fl aps fu lly do w n averaged abo ut 110 mil es an ho ur. W ithout flaps, che seal!
speed in creased co a liccl e over 150.
Th e Arado was initially deployed co reconnaissa nce units in the summer of 1944 . Towa rds the end of the
yea r KG-76 received th e B mod el a nd began fl yin g pinpo int bomb raids with th e new craft. T he 234 saw
se rvice at ch e Baccle of th e Bulge,
throug ho ut t he earl y m onths of
1945, an d fina lly ac che Rem agen
bridge. Escorted by Messerschmicc
262s, the Arados from KG-76
repeated ly tried to destroy che vical
bridge over the Rhine, but to no
ava il. After March , co nditions
within Ge rman y became so bad
chat few missio ns could be fl own.
Toda y, o nl y o ne Arad o 234
survives. le is on display at the Paul
E. Ga rber Faci li ty in Suicland ,
Maryland.
0 T he Arado 234. Note the
periscope on top of ch e canopy.
le was a mod ifi ed tank perisco pe
used by the pilots to check their
tails and d rop their bombs.
120
11. Aircraft
Ar. 234 B
II
12 1
~
I 11
jUNKERS88
Luftwaffe Bomber
The Ju 885 was o ne of the final bomber versio ns constructed in Germany during the war. Shortly afte r
product ion co mmenced, the Luftwaffe dec ided to co ncent rate its efforts on building fighters, and most
bomber factories were co nverted. The Ju 885 was a lightl y armed and arm ored bomber wirh speed as its
greatest asse t. With a nitrous
oxide inj ect ion , rhe plan e co uld
reach nearly 400 mph. Such
speeds made it extremely difficul t
ro inrerce pr.
0 A Junkers 88 on a snowy
runway.
122
11. Aircraft
ju BBA-14
II
123
--
;&.
'I' FLIGHT
124
12. Flight
125
lili
D
Physics ofFlight
There are four basic forces that act upon an aircraft in flight:
lift, thrust, gravity and drag. While gravity is a constant that
the pilot cannot control or alter, he can affect the other three
forces.
Lift
Lift is achieved through the
design of the wing. As an
aircraft moves, air flows over
the surfaces of the wing.
Wings have a special shape
that forces the air to move
faster over the top of the
Drag
0 Gravity
Thrust wing than the bottom. This
creates a low pressure region
above the wing. The pressure
difference pushes up on the
pressure differen ce causes life bottomofthewing,andliftis
faster air ...... Lift
(lower pressure)
generated.
- airflow
._ - airflow
As this angle (known as the
~ angle of attack) increases,
more lift is created. However,
if the angle of attack is too
great, the air flowing above
t t t t t t
slower air
the wing will be disrupted,
causing a sudden decrease in
(higher pressure) lift. This condition, known
wing cross-section with airflow as a stall, occurs when the
aircraft is either flying too
slowly, or flying at too steep
Angle of an angle. When an aircraft
Attack stalls, the sudden loss of lift
will force it into a dive. This
is especially dangerous if the
flight path
aircraft is at a low altitude.
126
12. Flight
Thrust
Thrust is generated by the rotation of the propeller. Propeller
blades are shaped in a manner similar to the wings. However,
instead of lijtbeing generated (a movement upward), thrust
(a movement forward) is created. To create more thrust,
increase your throttle. Generally more throttle will increase
your airspeed.
Drag
Drag is the friction caused by the aircrafr's surfaces
II
moving through the air. The more streamlined an aircraft,
the less drag produced. Obviously, extended landing gear,
and lowered flaps will increase the amount of drag.
Consequently, to achieve more efficient flight, a pilot will
raise the landing gear and flaps after take-off.
Altitude
As a plane climbs to higher altitudes, the air thins out. This
will affect the top speed the airplane can achieve. In the
thinner air, the propellers cannot generate as much thrust.
Also, the thinner air is lower in oxygen, and this will reduce
the power output of the engine. These two factors decrease
the overall thrust that the plane can generate. However the
thinner air has one benefit, it will reduce the amount of drag
on the airplane.
121
*'
I I'
At some altitude, the thrust generated is not sufficient to
generate any additional lift. This altitude is known as the
ceiling of the airplane. The airplane is simply not capable of
sustaining flight above its ceiling.
G Force
Gstandsfortheforceofgravity. OneG is the force experienced
by a person standing on the Earth. When an airplane changes
its orientation rapidly (as in a tight turn, loop, or other violent
maneuver), it will experience additional G forces.
Compressibility
When ap proaching the speed of sound, some airplanes will
undergo an effect known as compressibility. Depending on
128
12. Flight
Takeoff
To begin your takeoff, pur your flaps halfway down and
release the wheel brakes if they' re on. Throttle up to about
90% of full . When the airp lane has gathered enough speed,
the tail will come up off the gro und. When your speed reaches
95 mph, gently pull back on the stick. Your airplane will lift
off the ground. Don't climb too steeply or yo ur aircraft will
stall, with no room for recovery. Once you've climbed to
about I 00 feet, retract your landing gear and raise your flaps.
Climbing
Tostartaclimb, increaseyourthrottle. You wi ll begin gaining
al ti rude gradually. To climb rapidly, increase the th rottle and
pull back on the stick to bring the nose of the aircraft up. The
resulting increase in the angle ofattack will generate more lift.
Don't bring the nose up too far or your aircraft will stall. To
129
~
I I'
achieve the best sustained climb rate use full throttle with
your aircraft's nose about 20 degrees above the horizon.
Turning
Bank your aircraft with the ailerons by moving the stick to the
left or right. The more you bank, the greaterthe turn rateand
the righter the tum radius.
You must also increase the
throttle, as turning will bleed
offspeed. In tight turns, your
airplane will lose more
altitude, so you'll need to
increase throttle more and
keep the airplane's nose above
the horizon. With the
standard or expert flight
model selected, you should
also apply a little rudder and
some back pressure (by
pulling back on the stick) to
maintain a well-coordinated
turn.
130
12. Flight
Landing on an Airfield
First, line up with the runway. Position yourselfabout 3 miles
out from tl1e runway at an altitude of500 feet. Reduce your
throttle to about 70% of full. Lower yo ur landing gear and
drop yo ur flaps all the way. With the flaps lowered your stall
speed is reduced and you can approach at a lower speed and
a steeper angle. Now, nose your airplane into a gen tie descent.
Reduce your throttle until you are flying at 10 mph greater
than the stall speed. When you are over the runway and 25
feet up, cut your throttle and pull yo ur nose up. If you've
properly executed everything up to this point, yo u will gently
settle down onto the runway. The best landing is a three-
point landing, when the wing wheels and rail wheel all touch
the ground simultaneously.
13 1
- '- I I'
132
13. FughtA.faneuvers
FLIGHT MANEUVERS
Break
A break is a very tight turn
at a high angle of bank,
ass isted by th e elevators.
Simply bank hard to one
side by moving the stick to
the right or left. Once the
pl ane has rolled 4 5-70
degrees, pull back on the
stick to sharpen the turn. If Break Turn
yo u should start to lose top view
altitude, increasing back
p ress ure on the stick or II
reducing yo ur bank angle
should raise yo ur nose. A break is useful when you want to
quickly change direction. It can be used when yo u see
bandits that you wish to attack, or as an evasive maneuver.
Barrel Roll
When performing a barrel roll, yo ur plane will cut a
corkscrew path across the sky. To execute a barrel roll ,
bank sharply in one direction while pulling back slightly to
maintai n rotation about the roll axis . Maintain this bank
as your plane inverts (at top of the roll) and continues along
the roll until returning to level flight (at the bottom of the
roll). A barrel roll can be used as a defensive maneuver
when the enemy is on yo ur tail. A perfect barrel roll can be
performed without a loss of altitude, but it is very difficult.
Most pilots will lose altitude in a barrel roll.
Barrel Roll
133
lili
-
Immelmann
Immelmann
An lmmelmann is a climbing half loop combined with a
half ro ll. T he result is reversed direction at a higher
altitude. Ac che beginning of the maneuver, yo ur plane
should be fl ying level at a high speed. Begin by increasing
your chrocde and pulling back o n che stick. As che pl ane
reaches the top of the halfloop, ic will be inverted. Push the
stick co the righc o r lefc so chat the plane will roll co o ne side,
and mainrain che roll unril yo ur plane is right side up.
U po n compl eti on of an Immelmann , yo u plane sho uld be
at a higher altitude and travelling in the opposite direction
from yo ur initial compass heading. T he lmmelmann can
be a useful pursuit maneuver when yo u pass beneath an
enemy travelling in the opposite di rectio n.
Loop
A loop is a full 360 degree rotatio n in pitch. G ain plen ty
of speed before beginning a
loo p (a loo p is ofte n
Loop preceded bya clive). Increase
the chro ccl e co full and pull
back o n the stick co nose
up . T he plane should be
upside down ac che co p of
che loop. M ainrain back
press ure on th e stick and
complete the loop, flying
leve l at che e nd of t he
134
13. FughtA1aneuvers
Split-S
Split-S II
A split-S combines half roll with back pressure on the stick
to perform a half loop. First, roll aircraft 180 degrees so
that the plane is upside down. Then stop the roll and pull
back on stick to execute a halfloop, returning the ai rcraft
to level flight. This maneuver reverses the planes direction
while losing altitude. Although it can be used to engage an
enemy flying beneath you in the opposite direction, the
Split-S will greatly increase your speed. This makes the
maneuver ill-suited to planes that easily suffer from
compressibility problems (most notably the P-38
Lightning).
135
lili
- its nose is pointing down in the opposite direction of the
climb. This is a tricky maneuver, bur it is useful after a
diving arrack, allowing a quick return for a second pass.
Skid
A skid appears as a lateral slide with a gradual loss of
altitude. While dipping one wing, apply opposite rudder
to prevent yaw (your compass heading shouldn 't change
significantly). The plane will skid in the direction of the
dipped wing as altitude is lost. A skid can be used to lose
altitude without incurring a large increase in speed or a
drastic change in heading. U.S . pilots would use an extreme
form ofskidding to throw off the aim of an attacker. When
the American plane starred to skid to one side, the attacker
would turn (rather than skid) to pursue, causing their guns
to drift off rarger.
Chandelle
A chandelle is a slow-climbing turn through 180 degrees.
Beginning from level flight, move the stick to the right or
left and gently pull back to increase elevation. Don't bank
too steeply or you will perform a break turn (and lose
altitude). Maintain this rising turn until you have turned
180 degrees. When you have
completed this maneuver,
yo u have reversed your
direction and gained
altitude.
Chandelle
top view
136
14. Air Combat Tactics
II
Deflection Shooting
If an enemy plane is moving directly toward (head-on) or
away from you, you must close in to the distance necessary for
your weapon to be effective, take aim and fire. This situation
is known as a direct, or zero deflection shot. It is the rare
instance when the forward movement of the target does not
affect where you aim. More often, you are forced to fire your
shot from an angle, rather than from directly in front of or
behind the enemy craft. In this instance you must take the
enemy's forward movement into account, aimingat the point
where he will be by the time your bullets reach his craft.
"Leading" with your aim to place your bullets in a place that
the enemy will be is known as deflection shooting.
137
lili
-
Deflection Table
During che war, few fighter
pilots could hit anything
when a high deflection shot
was required.To remedy this,
new gunsights arrived late in
the war chat calculated lead
and deflection for the pilot.
These were of limited use,
however, and the better pilots
often preferred che standard
reflector sights.To minimize
deflection , a ttacks were
preferably made from head-
on or dead-astern. T he mark
ofanoutstandingfighterpilot
no deAection was che ability to hit targets
target.
in high deflection gunnery
runs.
Gunnery Tactics
Like all combat maneuvers, finding che optimal shot requires
that the pilot be acutely aware of his plane's capabilities, his
surroundings and che capabilities of che enemy.
A stern attack, like the head-on pass, also sets you up for a zero
deflection shot. However, since che enemy is not closing on
you (or moving away at an angle), you will have ample time
to set-up your shot. This is assuming that you can keep on che
enemy's tail and that he doesn't have a rear turret. Stern
attacks on aircraft equipped wich rear defenses are extremely
dangerous. You may have a near zero deflection shot on the
enemy, but the enemy will have the same on you. The best
138
14. Air Combat Tactics
The range at which you open fire is vital. Firing at long range
is a waste of ammunition, and may alert an unsuspecting
enemy to your presence. A good pilot will restrain himself
from firing until he's in close range. Veteran pilots of the war
observed the following-don't fire on an enemy plane until
you are close enough for his plane to fill the view within your
sight.
Cour[esy National Air & Sp;1ce Museum,
Smid1sonian lrmicution
Detection
The first phase of combat engagement is known as
detection, the instance when the enemy sees you or you
see the enemy. As a combat pilot, it is this initial phase of an
encounter that will determine if you will be on the offensive
or defensive . If you spot the enemy first, you will have the
opportw1ity to secure advantages such as height and position
before choosing if and when to engage the enemy.
139
--
I
~
I'
The sear and fuselage on
many aircraft creare a blind
spor behind rhe pilor. For
rhis reason, ir is easy for a
flighr ro be surprised from
behind by a bandir. Some
aircrafr have a bubble
canopy, affording visibiliry
ro rhe rear. Even in rhese
planes, however , rhe
inconvenience of consranrly
rubber-necking and looking
ro rhe rear has caused more
Counesy National Air & Spac~ Museum, Smithsonian lrmitution
rhan one pilor ro relax his
0 Dick T urner. guard , only robe bounced from behind and shor down by
an unseen enemy. Consequenrly, iris an essenrial discipline
for pilors ro look back frequenrly - also known as
"clearing your rail" or "checking your six. "
140
14. Air Combat Tactics
Closing
Ifyou've gained first sighting
of the enemy, the next move
ofcombat is in your hands. If
you are undetected, you
should secure all available
advantages before engaging
theenemy. Theseadvantages
are:
Attack
When you have analyzed the situation and begin closing on
the enemy, you must decide on the style ofattack you will use.
Stern Attack
142
14. Air Combat Tactics
The most effective of the side attacks is the High Side Pass,
which is initiated from a position 1,200 to 1,500 feet
above the target. The speed gained from a high side pass is
sufficient to zoom-climb after the attack, therefore allowing
the pilot to reposition for another run. The Low Side attack
is not as effective for repositioning the attacker after the
initial run, but requires only a 400-600 foot altitude
advantage. Both forms of side attacks will place you into
firing position without risking attack from the enemy's rear
gunners. Due to angle and speed of attack, defensive
gunners are faced with a rapidly changing rate of deflection
and will find it difficult to pin you down.
143
lili
- Overhead Pass
T he overhead pass is the most demanding of the anti-bomber
tactics. It was not widely used by WWII pilots, due co its great
difficulty. It requires an altitude advantage of at least 2,000
feet, a starting position well ahead ofthe enemy and 2,000 feet
of airspace below the enemy co allow for recovery and pull-up.
It is an extremely difficult move, requiring a great deal of
practice to perform smoothly. When properly executed it can
be deadly, positioning you for blows on the enemy's engine
and fuel tanks and baffling the opposing gunners with a quick
moving target.
Head-On Pass
Head-on Pass
By 1943, most German home defense squadrons
discovered that the Achilles heel of the American bomber
formations lay in the weak nose armament carried by the II
Forts and Liberators. To exploit this weakness, the
Germans would fly above and ahead of a bomber
formation , then execute a 180 degree turn and dive
towards the approaching Fortresses. The Germans would
spray the bombers with cannon fire, aiming for the
engines and cockpit. They would then roll on their backs,
dive through the formation and split-S to make their
escape. Such tactics proved highly successful if given the
time to set up the attack runs properly.
Defensive Tactics
The best defense is a good offense! This describes one of the
fundamental rules of air combat-detect the enemy first.
There can be no substitute for a careful and vigilant watch
that gives you first sight on the enemy. However, if first
detection is lost, you'll find yourself on the receiving end of
gunfire and must go on the defensive.
Evasive Tactics
If the wingman is too far away to offer assistance or if the
attacker has already opened fire, evasive action is called for.
The most common evasive tactic is to break-- perform a
rapid, elevator assisted, turn. This will increase the deflection
angle for the attacker, making his shot on you more difficult.
145
illi
-Turning Toward
an Attacker
In this situation the
Always break toward the attacker! While breaking away may
seem the logical move, it positions you as an easier target for
the attacker (see illustration). Breaking is most effective when
the enemy is attacking from the side.
defender has correctly
chosen to turn toward the
attacker. Although he will
Other evasive maneuvers include the Split-S, Immelmann,
pass through the line of Loop and Barrel Roll. Climbing or diving out of combat can
fire of the attacker, it will also be employed, depending upon the strengths of your
only be for an instant. The airplane. In general, each plane type has maneuvers that are
attacker will not be able to
follow the defender
best suited to it. The P-47, with its great power and weight,
through his turn . could dive and gather speed like no other fighter in WWII.
Hence, diving was a preferred evasive tactic by P-47 pilots.
Turning Away These tips can be useful but keep in mind that there is no
better teacher than personal experience. Let this guide you in
.from an Attacker
discoveringwhich maneuvers you prefer to use with individual
The defender has chosen to
go with his natural instinct aircraft.
- to turn away from the
attacker. The end result is
that the attacker ends up
s
The Wingman Role and the 2-Plane Element
on the tail of the defender The role of wingman is vital in both Allied and Luftwaffe
with a relatively easy shot. combat tactics. Operating with a flight leader, the wingman
completes a mutually protective unit, with the wingman
watching a flight's six so that the flightleader can concentrate
on the skies ahead. The two planes also serve as protection for
each other, a readily available defensive partner in the event
the flight is jumped.
146
14. Air Combat Tactics
Special Tactics Courtesy National Air & Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution II
0 A B-26 crew pose in front of
Glide-bombing their plane.
In a glide-bombing run, the attack is made in a 20 degree dive.
The move is much less accurate than dive-bombing, but
easier to perform. It was a tactic widely used by inexperienced
dive-bomber pilots and fighter-bombers.
Skip Bombing
This type of attack method was used on occasion in Europe
to strike tanks and other ground targets. The Germans fai led
to develop an effective aerial anti-tank rocket before war's
end, and the Luftwaffe Jabos found themselves forced ro
improvise. Some pilots preferred to dive down to absolute
tree-top level, no higher than 20-30 feet where they released
a delayed-fused bomb as they perpendicularly approached an
enemy tank. The bomb would strike the ground, then skip
like a stone across a pond, right into the side of the tank. The
delayed fuse ensured that the pilot would not be destroyed in
the ensuing blast. Skip bombing also was used against
shipping, though not nearly as frequently as in the Pacific
theater.
Strafing
There are rwo basic techniques employed for strafing. In
practice, frequent combinations of these rwo styles are
147
lili
- . employed. The first begins
with a high altitude approach
near 10,000 feet. When the
target is spotted, you
implement a steep dive with
the enemy in your sights.
When you are within
weapons range, fire on the
enemy and then pull up and
around. The speed from the
dive will allow you to climb
backimoposition for another
attack. The second technique
relies upon the speed of your
Courtesy National Air & Space Museum, Smithsonian lns1itution craft and the element of
surprise. Closing upon the
0 A P-47 strafing an airstrip . target from an extremely low altitude, begin firing on the
enemywhen you are within range. Walk the rudder (alternately
depress the left and right rudder pedals) as you fire to spray
your shots in an arc.
Rocket Attacks
A rocker attack against a ground target uses the same basic
approach as the glide-bomb arrack. From a target distance of
1,000 feet or less, fire the rocket with the target in your sights
and quickly pull up. In the European theater, rockets were
used against ships, ground targets, and vehicles.
148
15. Weapons & Ordnance
II
USAAF
RAF
Luftwaffe
7.9 mm Machine Gun- Roughly equivalent to the British
.303, the 7.9mm machine gun lacked range and hitting
power. It was possible to spray a target thoroughly with chis
weapon without inflicting any critical damage. In time, most
7.9s in Luftwaffe aircraft were replaced with 13mm, or even
15mm guns.
II
Bom bs
Rockets
Luftwaffe
152
15. Weapons & Ordnance
R4M - In the lase months Councsy Narional Ai r & Space Museum, Smithsonian lnstimtion
of the war, the Luftwaffe
developed and deployed chis air-co-air rocket. These pencil- 0 Collecting the junk of war -
chin projectiles were launched from wooden underwing rails Damaged arri llery shel ls are
stacked like cordwood in a rail
mounted on Messerschmicc 262s in salvoes of up to 24 . They yard.
saw limited combat use, but impressed the pilots who used
chem with both their accuracy and their destructive power.
Allied
153
lili
- VEHICLES
American Vehicles
M 4A 1 Sherman Tank
The Sherman saw service in both the U.S. and British
armies during the war. From 1943 onward , it became the
mainstay of Allied armor form ations. Tough, dependable
and fast, th e Sherman was hamstrung by thi n armor and
an ineffective gun.
M3 Half Track
Every American mechanized division counted on the M3
half-track for its mobility. Though incapable of stopping
anything larger than a machine gun round, the half-track
sold iered on until the end of the war. Like most American
vehicles, ic was solidly built, dependabl e and fast.
154
16 Vehicles
Duck
The Duck was a versatile amphibious truck that was used
to haul troops and supplies ashore during the Normandy
campaign. le had no armor, no weapons, and was highly
vulnerable to air attack.
British Vehicles
Churchill II
The C hurchill infantry tank was perhaps the best British
tank to see wide-spread service during the war. T hough
slow, and lacking an adequate cannon, it was heavily
armored and difficult to destroy.
0 Street fighting in Europe: a
Sherman rank rumbles down a
ruined city's street.
155
iili
m
Panther
The Panther was considered the best medium tank of the
war. It balanced speed, armor and firepower beautifully,
making it a dangerous opponent.
Panzer!VH
The Panzer IV was a pre-war design the Germans were
fo rced to modify and keep in production until 1945. Its
low silhouette made ir difficult to detect and destroy,
nevertheless, it was an obsolete design by 1944.
156
16. Vehicles
]agdpanzer IV
The standard German tank destroyer used in Normandy,
the Jagdpanzer IV was essentially a Panzer IV without a
turret. With heavy armor and a decent gun, it was a match
for any Allied tank.
Whirlwind
The Whirlwind was one of many flak tanks the Germans
produced during the war. They were deployed with
advancing panzer divisions to provide anti-aircraft support.
SDK-251
This half-track saw service throughout the war in
Wehrmacht panzer divisions. Fast and versatile, the 251 II
was modified repeatedly for different ground roles.
Truck
The Germans used trucks to carry supplies and troops
behind the front lin es. Unarmed and unarmored, they
were easy targets for Allied fighter-bombers.
0 Tiger hunt! Two dreaded
Tiger tan ks lay shattered after an
air attack.
157
'
1
1
1
SHIPS
Z-Class Destroyers
Heavi ly armed with 5.9-inch guns, the Z-Class series
proved formidab le adversaries when pitted against Allied
escort vessels. By 1944, most of the surviving ships in this
class had been assigned to convoy duty between
Scandinavia and the Continent.
E-Boat
E-Boats were German fast attack craft used in the English
Channel to interdict Allied shipping lanes. They were
extremely fast, but relatively defenseless against air attacks.
Allied
158
17. Ships
Northhampton Class
Cruiser
Cruisers were used during
the Normandy operation
as fire support vessels and
anti-aircraft screen vessels.
Fletcher Class
Destroyers Courtesy National Air & Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution
II
These ubiquitous Allied 0 The end of the German Navy.
destroyers served as ASW ships, protecting the flanks of
vital convoys. During 0-Day, some destroyers were used
as fire support ships off Omaha beach.
LST
One of the larger landing ships used by the Allies, the LST
could carry tanks, men, supplies and vehicles right to the
beach.
LC!
The Landing Craft Infantry was a troop-carrying
amphibious warfare ship.
LCM
The Landing Craft Mechanized functioned as an inshore
boat designed to haul one vehicle or up to 25 tons of
supplies between the larger cargo ships and the beachhead.
159
lili
- DECORATIONS efr MEDALS
American
In 1782 George Washington established the first military decorations: the
Badge for Military Merit and Honorary Badges of Distinction for soldiers.
This quote from Geo rge Washington, referring to the Badge of Military
Merit (Purple H eart), clearly describes the role of American military
decorations. 'The General , ever desirous to cherish a virtuous ambition in
his soldiers, as well as to foste r and encourage every species of military
merit, directs that whenever any singularly meritorious action is performed,
theauthorofitshall be permitted to wear on his facings, over his left breast,
the fi gure of a heart in purple cloth, or silk, edged with narrow lace or
binding. Not only instances ofunusual gallantry, but also ofexrrao rdinary
fideliry and essential service in any way shall meet with due reward. "
British
The Victoria C ross was Britain 's highesraward for gallantry in combat, but
was won by few aviators during the Seco nd Wo rld War. More common
awards included the Distinguished Flying Cross, which officers received
for extrao rdinary service in air co mbat. Different medals existed foroffice rs
than for enlisted men; a reflection of the caste system prevalent in British
society at the ti me.
0 Army Co ngress ional Medal of
Honor
German
The Third Reich placed a heavy
emphasis on milirary awa rds and
ceremon ies during Wo rld War II.
Many ofthe medals given to combat
vetera ns durin g the wa r were
c rea tions of the Naz i regi me.
Others, such as the Iron Cross First
an d Secon d C lass, were more
traditional awards that had been
given out during World War !.
The highest award a Luftwaffe
aviator could win was the Knights
C ross with oak leaves, swo rds and
diamo nds.
160
Councsy National Air & Space Museum, Smilhsonian lnslirn1ion
.. ...... ~ -
2. Once the tide sequence has begun, press the Esc key
or Spacebar to view the Main Menu. Select Fly A
Single Mission .
SPECIAL NOTE: 4. You will be asked what service you wish to fly for. Press
The Game Play section Accept to fly this mission as a USAAF pilot.
explains the menus and
controls used to play Aces 5. The Training Mission screen will inform you that you'll
Over Europ e. For be flying gunnery practice in a P-51 Mustang. Press the
information on broader Start button to begin your mission. You will start the
topics such as tactics, mission airborne in the cockpit of your Mustang.
maneuvers, & historical
background, refer to the You will have unlimited ammunition and plenry of drone
Contents page for the aircraft to shoot at. To pause the action, press P. Scan the
appropriate section. Quick Reference Card for keyboard functions, or refer to this
chapter for more detailed game play information.
164
19. Quick Run-through
Main Menu
Career Menu
Enlistasapilorforthe United
States Army Air Force, the
Royal Air Force, or the
Luftwaffe.
View Vehicles
See close-ups and descriptions of the airplanes, ground
vehicles, and ships of the war.
Other Options
Ser preferences, Realism Panel, view credits and demos.
Mission Recorder
View and edit taped recordings of your missions.
III
0 Planning rhe nex r mission .
Exit to DOS
Return to the MS-DOS
prompt.
165
.Jili
- FLY SINGLE MISSION
Fly Single M ission is a fast,
easy way to play Aces Over
Europe. It also gives you
complete contro l of the
mission' ssetup. First you pick
a mission type, then you
determine the conditions of
the mission. Once you've
made these choices, you're
ready to fly. Upon
completion of your mission,
your performance will be
evaluated , and a score
assigned. This score is based
upon the difficulty level of the conditions you chose for the
mission, how many targets were destroyed, and whether or
not you achieved the mission's objective.
Mission Types
Training Mission
Learn flight basics with these Novice level missions. Choose
the training mission type that teaches the skill you wish to
improve. For tips, see the appropriate Reference Section.
Aerial Gunnery-Try to shoot drone aircraft as they fly
a constant pattern. This is a good way to practice
deflection shooting.
Antishipping -Attack a derelict ship convoy.
Intercept Bombers - Shoot down a drone bomber
squadron. Beware of their defensive fire as you approach.
Ground Attack - Attack drone ground vehicles.
Landing - Land your aircraft at your airbase.
Dogfight a Squadron
Your flight struggles against an enemy flight in deadly combat.
Councsy N :uional Air & Sp2cc Museum,
Smithsonian lnsrimcion
Fighter Sweep
Clear the skies of all fighters over enemy territory. 0 Walker "Bud" Mahurin .
Scramble
Get airborne and survive the enemy attack!
Escort Bombers
Protect your bombers as they complete their strike mission.
Intercept Bombers
Prevent enemy bombers from striking their target. III
Anti-Shipping Strike
Try to sink enemy shipping.
Close Support
Assist ground forces by destroying enemy ground targets.
Interdiction
Disrupt enemy supply lines and communication by striking
airfields, radar installations, trains, truck convoys and bridges.
Crossbow
Destroy Vl launch sites and radar installations.
Best Missions
Lists the highest recorded mission scores.
167
lili
- Mission Conaitions
Once a mission type has been
selected, you will be asked to
choose a service to fly for.
Depending on the type of
mission selected, you may
also choose some or all of the
following:
PREFLIGHT INSTRUCTIONS
Briefing
For most mission types, yo u
wi ll rece ive a mi ss io n
briefing (the exceptions are
D ogfi gh t an Ace a nd
T raining missions). T his
bri efi n g gives yo u th e
information yo u need to
complete yo ur assignment.
For furth er m1 ss 1o n
info rmation and options
press the Preflight Options
button.
Preflight Options
Configuration
Plane Type - Lists the
plane you are flying on
this mission.
Armament - Lists
any guns or cannons III
your plane carries and
the number of rounds
in each. T he armament
listed is standard fo r
each plane and may be
supp I em en t e d by Courtesy National Air & Space Museum. Smithsonian lnstitu1ion
169
llli
-
Other Buttons:
Decline Mission - can be pressed if you do nor wish ro
fly this mission.
Realism Panel - lers you adjust Realism serrings before
starring rhe mission.
Flight Map - Displays a map of rhe region and your
flight parh (See Navigation and rhe Fl ight Map on page
175 for a description).
Begin Mission - puts yo u in rhe cockpit.
170
22. Flight Instructions
FLIGHT INSTRUCTIONS
The Preferences panel lets you specify the method of control
for three aspects of flight: Flight Stick control (moving
ailerons and elevators), Rudder control and Throttle control.
Pressing any of these three buttons produces a menu of
controller options.
171
lili
- Rudder Control
The rudder indicator found in the cockpit shows your
rudder's orientation. If the tick mark is centered, then your
rudder is centered.
Keyboard only- Use the< and > keys to apply left and right
rudder. Release the key to re-center the rudder.
Throttle Control
Keyboard only (from any view)- Use the numeric keys
1-9 to go from idle to safe maximum throttl e. Pressing the
Fu ll +key increases the throttle and pressing the - key decreases
I th e throttle. Pressing the * key provides full (100%)
throttle (note: maintaining full throttle for an extended
time will burn out the engine).
D ecrease Increase
@ # s % & (
~\ +
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Joystick2 -
Ifyou use a second joystick, pushing it forward and back will
increase and decrease the throttle Re-centering the joystick
(note: maintaining full throttle will damage your engine).
113
lili
- Flight Plan
Pressing the Flight Plan button produces a step-by-step
description of your flight path. Pressing the Spacebar speeds
the display of the Flight Plan. Once the Flight Plan has been
drawn, the Flight Plan button switches to a Clear Plan
button. Pressing the Clear Plan button removes the flight
path from the map. Press Esc to remove a Flight Plan that is
partially displayed.
Exit or~ Closes your You are to fly to the map points shown on your flight plan
map in the order they appear. During the simulation, if you
wish to travel to a point other than the next point on your
flight path , pressing the D key will select the current
cursor location as your autopilot destination . Nore that if
you skip a point on your path, the Autopilot will bring
you back to the point you skipped.
Autopilot
A Activate autopilot Engage the Autopilot to travel automatically to the next
designated point on your fligh t plan (see above). Autopilot
cuts the action until you reach your destination or need to
be given an alert (enemies spotted, low on fuel, etc.).
Droptanks
On some aircraft, droptanks provide an additional fuel D Releases (drops)
reserve to extend the plane's flight range. Carrying drop tanks the external fuel
reduces maneuverability, so if you get into a dogfight, release tank
them immediately.
Altimeter
The altimeter indicates the altitude of your plane. The long
needle indicates tens of feet, and the short needle indicates
hundreds of feet. The two-digit readout indicates thousands
of feet.
Airspeed Indicator
Airspeed is measured in miles per hour.
Bank Indicator
Use the bank indicator to keep track of your aircraft's bank
(position relative to horizon).
Compass
Tachometer
The tachometer displays your engine's rpm' s. Note: Twin
engine aircraft will have two tachometers, temperature
gauges and oil pressure warning lights.
176
Oil Pressure Warning Light
If the oil lines are damaged, pressure will drop, raising the
engine temperature.
22. Flight Instructions
Ammunition Counters
For each set of guns, this display shows the number of
remaining rounds. Most planes have two counters: one for
primary guns, and another for secondary guns.
Fuel Gauge
Monitor the aircraft fuel supply by using this gauge's two
needles. The left needle indicates fuel in your main fuel tank,
the right needle shows fuel remaining in your plane's external
tank (external fuel is automatically used before main tank
fuel). If the Fuel Warning Light is lit, your main fuel tank is
dangerously low on fuel.
Flap Indicator
Flaps may be fully up, halfway up or down as shown by the
flap indicator.
Landing Gear
I III
Rudder Gauge
The rudder gauge shows the rudder orientation. When the
tick mark is centered, the rudder is centered.
177
Ill!
-
View Control
Controlling viewpoint with the keyboard.
Switch between cockpit and external view.
Special views
Chase plane view
Weapon view follows launched weapon (bomb, rocket).
creates a 320x200 LBM screen shot of the current graphical display. A
snapshot can be taken at any point while running Aces Over Europe. Note that
if you exit to DOS and reenter the game, the snapshot sequential naming
convention will begin again, overwriting any previously taken snapshots.
~ T creates a 640x400 screen shot of the simulation when it is run in tall res mode.
B removes menus obscuring full screen background arr in the shell.
178
22. Flight Instructions
Change
!Anding viewpoinc or
If necessary, you can land anywhere, burlanding at your own pan view
airbase is ideal. Landing in enemy territory will result in III
capture, putting an end to your mission and your career.
179
~
I 11
Bailing Out
Bail out Ifdamage is too great, you may opt to bail out. Make sure you
have enough altitude (approximately 1,000-2,000 feet) .
Bailing our over enemy territory will result in capture. Bailing
out is very risky; use it only as a last resort.
180
22. Flight Instructions
CH FlightStick Pro
Button 1 (Trigger) - Fires curren dy selected guns.
Button 2 - Changes your view between external
and cockpit.
Button 3 - Drops bombs.
Button 4 - Changes the currendy selected guns.
Hat - Same as Flight Control System above.
Wheel - Throtde control.
Throttle control
Move the WCS throttle forward to increase the throttle, back
to decrease it. Pushing the throttle forward into the first
detent delivers fu ll safe throttle. The seco nd deten t delivers
maximum throttle. III
Weapons Control
Each button on the FCS has a function:
Button I Send radio message
Button 2 Unjam guns
Button 3 Engage autopilot
Button 4 View map
Button 5 Drop external fuel tank
Button 6 Dive brakes
Toggle 7a Moves flap through up,
halfway, a nd down
positions.
Toggle 7b Neutral position
Toggle 7c Moves landing gear up and
down
181
lili
- 10 Access the
Preferences panel
Preferences
The Preferences panel allows you to tailor some of the
technical aspects of Aces Over Europe to your own tastes and
computer configuration. Changes to the Preferences panel
are saved to disk. After you change your Preferences settings,
Accept or Esc will save your changes.
Flight Controls
Aces Over Europe supports all major flight peripherals. With
the Flight, Throttle, and Rudder Control Preferences, you
can tailor the simulation to your equipment.
Flight Control-Choose from Keyboard only, Joystick
Note: Not all flight control 1, Yoke, ThrustMaster FCS, or Mouse.
(flight, rudder, throttle) Rudder Control-Choose from Keyboard only,Joystick
combinations are valid. You 2, or rudder pedals.
will only be offered valid Throttle Control - Choose from Keyboard only,
combinations. Joystick 2, Joystick slider, or ThrustMaster WCS.
Menu Controls
Choose which controllers will move the menu cursor.
Joystick On/Off- Turn this on if you wish to use your
joystick controller on menus. You can always disable
your joystick by pressing Alt-].
Mouse On/Off- Turn this on if yo u wish to use
----------------~ your mouse on menus. You
can always disabl e yo ur
mouse by pressing Alt-D .
Calibrate - Re-calibrates
your joystick for use on menu
screens.
Music on/off
Toggles music on/off.
182
22. Flight Instructions
Calibrate
Youcanchoosewhichdevice
to calib rate. Fo llow the
prompts given.
Detail Leve/.s
The smoothness of
animation play is dependent
on the speed of your computer and the amount of graphic
detail displayed. While the speed of your computer cannot
be changed, yo u can control the smoothness of the
ani mation by adjusti ng the amou nt of grap hic detail
displayed. You may adjust the balance between smoother
animation and more detailed graphics according to your
taste. When you first install Aces Over Europe, the detail sliders
will be set according to the speed of your computer.
World Detail - Control the amount of ground detail
shown.
III
Aircraft Detail -Adjust the amount of aircraft detail
shown. Note that Gouraud shading only appears in
higher derail settings.
T ime Scale - Adjust the pace of the actio n by
allowi ng the game to rake large r or smaller "steps." If
the simulation feels difficult to contro l, try reducing
the rime scale. If it feels slow even with reduced
graphic detail, try increasing the rime scale.
Ground on/off during combat - Reduce ground
derail during combat.
Tall Resolution on/off - T he Aces over Europe
simulation is normally seen in 320x200 resolution.
When rail resolution is on, the simulation is shown in Note: Since no music is played
320x400 mode. duringmissions, theMusicOn/
Offoption is not offered
183
lili
- Realism Patrel
The Realism panel lets you
turn parts of the flight
simulation on or off. Press
Accept or Esc to confirm
your changes and exit. Press
Restore to cancel any
changes.
Combat
Easy- Enemy planes are easy to hit and shoot down.
Your plane is hard to hit and can sustain more damage
than enemy planes. Flak won't damage your plane.
Standard - You are still more likely to hit and shoot
down the enemy but your advantage is reduced.
Hard- You have no advantage in your chance to hit or
shoot down the enemy.
Grace Period
Once the mission begins,
there is a 30 second grace
period to change Realism
settings.
185
~
1
1
PosTFLIGHT
Ending the Mi.ssi.on
End Mission You may end a mission at any time by pressing rhe Esc key.
You will receive more points for landing at your base at rhe
Exit to DOS
end ofyour mission. A message will be displayed asking ifyou
Exit to DOS want to stop or continue flying. Ifyou quit when your plane
is severely damaged, it will result in a crash. If you stop
before the mission is complete, you'll leave any friendly
aircraft and ships at risk and your mission is considered a
Note: Ifyou exit to DOS, the
failure, resulting in a mission score of zero.
status of the current mission
and current settings on the
Preferences andRealism panels Other Possib/,e Endings
will not be saved Prison - If you land or crash (and survive) in enemy
territory, you will end up in an enemy prisoner of war
camp.
Crash-Ifyou survive, it's likely you will be hospitalized
until you recover from your injuries.
Killed in Action - Ifyou take too many hits or crash too
severely, you may be KJA.
Bail Out - Bail out of a damaged aircraft by pressing
Ctrl-B. Be advised that bailing out is very dangerous;
you'll be lucky to walk away from rhe experience.
Debriefing
When a mission is over, a debriefing recaps the mission's
results.
186
23. Postjlight
Score
Scoring in Aces Over Europe
is based upon a number of
different factors:
Successful completion
of your mission.
Shooting down enemy
aircraft, destroying ships
and ground targets.
Deducted points for
aircraft in your flight
chat were shoe down.
Bonus points for
landing at your own base
upon completion of your mission.
Your score is multiplied by the score factor, specified in
the Realism panel.
Board ofInquiry
If you desrroy any friendly
forces during a career, you'll
come before the Board of
Inquiry. If you come before
the Board three times, you'll
be snipped of your wings
and grounded permanencly.
187
~
I 1
1
MISSION RECORDER
Use the Mission Recorder to record an entire mission, save it
to disk and then replay it. The Mission Recorder even allows
you to change the saved mission. You can alter the views,
watch the action from nearly any angle (including from
behind ocher planes) and enterthe simulation again from any
point in playback. The changes you make can then be saved,
played back and modified even further. You essentially
become actor, producer and director of your own WWII
dogfights. To spread the news of your talent, transfer your
recorded missions by modem, or on disk, to your friends who
have Aces Over Europe. They can then load the files and
admire your handiwork.
188
24. Mission Recorder
189
~
I I'
Mission Playback Window
Playback Current
Controls View
Location
Counter
Location
Slider
EXIT TAPES ENTER
Movement
ro Main Menu SIMULATION
Controls
Menu command
Hayback Controls
The Playback Controls operate like everyday VCR
controls. Playback Co ntrols include: Fast-Forward,
Rewind, Stop, Play and Single Frame Advance. Note:
Whi le Fast-Forward advances incrementally, Rewind
will always rewind the tape to the begi nning.
Location Counter
Operating just like a VCR counter, the Location Counter
keeps a running mark of yo ur playback position.
Location Slider
The Location Slider operates in two ways. First, it acts as a
visual marker to display movement through the playing tape.
Second, it acts as a visual fast-forward slider, allowing you to
pick the location you wish to fast-forward to. To use the
Location Slider to fast-forward, move the slider bar to the
desired distance into the tape. When you release the slider bar,
the Mission Recorder will display an on-screen countdown as
it fast-fo1wards to the specified point.
190
24. Mission Recorder
191
llli
- Tapes
Pressing the Tapes button will bring up the Tapes control
panel.
Load New Tape- Displays the tape menu for loading
tapes.
Save Current Tape - Displays the menu for saving
tapes.
Delete Tape(s) - Displays the menu, allowing you to
delete recorded missions. Selecting a mission and pressing
Delete will delete the mission from the TAPES
subdirectory.
Done - Closes the Tapes control panel.
Enter Simu/,ation
Pressing the Enter Simulation button at any point during
playback will place you back into the simulation. You can
replay the mission, making whatever changes you desire.
When the mission is over, you will have the option to see a
Mission Review based upon the changes made or to return to
the Mission Recorder.
Exit
Quits the Mission Recorder, returning you to the Main
menu. Ifyou have made changes that haven't been saved, you
will be asked to save or discard your modifications.
Editing Tips
s Start/stop When tape playback is stopped, you can fine tune the view.
playback. When you have the desired camera view, resume playback.
Save this new version of the tape and view changes will be
+ Frame advance.
instantaneous upon playback.
192
25. Enlisting in a Career
ENLISTING IN A CAREER
Whenyouelecttoflyacareer,
you not only fly a pilot's
missions, you live a pilot's
life. Your career will be
composed of a series of
campaigns, duringwhich you
will fly for one of the actual
squadrons that took part in
that historic struggle. Each
campaign has unique
challenges and strategies, and
includes pivotal battles chat
shaped the war's outcome.
Courtesy National Air & Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution
Ifyour flying days last until the end of the war, your career will
end in retirement. You will be shown your pilot record, as well
193
!iii
- as your pilot standing in comparison co your fellow aviarors.
If you are credited with more air vicrories than any friendly
ace earned hisrorically, you will be proclaimed "Ace ofAces."
Career Menu
Start a Career
You will be asked co select your service and to enter the name
of your pilot. If the career roster is full , you will be asked to
delete an existing pilot from the roster.
Continue a Career
Select which pilot you wish
ro continue with. Pressing
View will displa y the
selected pilot's record.
Return to Main
C loses the Career menu,
returns co the Main menu.
194
25. Enlisting in a Career
Campaigns
Ar the beginning of a career, yo u will be asked to select an
historic campaign. Each campaign recreates a key conflict.
The squadrons, warships,
and maps are based on the
actual historical conflict.
Campaign Select
Displays a campaign DEC 2, '44
briefing sheet. Use the Next
and Previous keys to scan Whon 1110 woolf\Qr ;,.prov $1 w oro
going to Cr"oss tr\ Rhin ond strilic for
othercampaigns. Press Select ec::~lin TrlC~ RAF will ~on t.nVQ ro intc::rd1ct
GtrMon fl'!ilifOl"'!:j fr"Offic, bOf"IO airbo$ s,
ro begin the displayed roil i1oras ond tho 1;kQ to wookon 1110
troops of 1110 froni .
mtSSIOn.
Squadron Select
Information on a squadron
is displayed, including plane
type flown, pilot quality and any aces of the squadron. Ifyou
have more than one squadron ro choose from, pressing Next
and Previous will let you review them. Press Select to join rhe
squadron currently displayed. Once a squadron is selected,
you can begin the campaign. III
0 An airman kisses che ground
after a rough flight.
Map ofEurope
Displays a map of Europe so
you can locate where your
squadron is stationed. Using
the cursor, press the arrow
buttons on the screen to scroll
the map. You can locate other
places of interest by moving
the cursorover cl1e map. Click
on any map icon and the
name of each locale wi ll
appear. Press Exit to close
the map.
195
lili
- Airbase Menu
Squadron Info
This screen displays the
same information you
reviewed while selecting
your squadron: plane type
flown, pilot quality, where
you are stationed, and aces
of the squadron.
View aircraft
Inspectyouraircraft. Use the
arrow buttons tochangeyour
viewpoint.
Backup Career
If you are doing very well,
youmaywantto backup your
current status. After pressing
Backup Career, enter
comments which describe your career's current stams. If the
career roster is full, you will be prompted to delete another
pilot or to cancel. This backup career may be restored from
the Continue A Career option in the Career Menu.
196
25. Enlisting in a Career
Return to Main
Pressing Return to Main will save your current pilot status
and return you to the Main menu. You may later restore this
career by pressing Continue A Career from the Career menu
and selecting the pilot on the Career Roster.
Squadron Movements
You will be notified if your squadron is relocated.
Rumors
While waiting for your next mission, you may run into a
squad mechanic with a juicy piece of gossip. Such rumors
may pertain to enemy actions, useful tactics, or the latest from
the home front. You may benefit from the words of your
chatty friend, but remember: you cannot always believe
everything you hear.
RAF
Luftwaffe
Knight's Cross with oak leaves, swords,
di amonds
Knight's Cross with oak leaves, swo rds
USAAF
Congress ional Medal of
Hono r
Distinguished Flying Cross
Victo ria Cross
Croix de Guerre (French) Knight's Cross Legion of Merit
Distinguished Flying C ross German Cross in gold Si lver Star
Distinguished Service Order Iron Cross, Ist cl ass Air Medal
Iron Cross, 2nd class Purple Heare
Wlzr Resolution
Ifyou are fortunate and skilled enough to survive, you will see
the war's end. At the close of your career, your final ace status
will be ranked with all other pilots. Ifyour performance places
0 Celebrating VE-Day in from
yo u among the ten best careers recorded, your name will be
of a P-6 l Black Widow.
placed on the Best Careers screen.
198
Courtesy N:uional Air & Space Museum, Smithsonian lrmitution
202
Technical Support
Setting Preferences
The install program wi ll make che besc possible cho ices in determining che rype of co mputer eq uipment you
have, buc yo u may w ish to try o cher configu ratio ns. To modi fy che install program preferences, fo llow these
steps:
I. Go to che Aces Over Europe directory o n yo ur hard dri ve by ryping C: [Enter], then
CD\OYNAMIX\AOE [Enter] . (Note: chis assumes yo u have installed Aces Over Europe to the default
locacio n o n che C: drive. Please subscicuce che ap propri ate dri ve lecter and directory name if yo u have
changed chese.)
2. Type INSTALL [Enter].
3. From che Installation C hoices menu , yo u may select an y option yo u w ish to change.
4. Follow the o n-screen instructions.
System Requirements
To run Aces Over Europe, che followin g hardware and software is required:
An IBM-co mpatible computer wich ac lease an 80386 (25 MHz clockspeed or better recommended)
T wo megabytes (MB) of RAM
MS-DOS version 5.0 or lacer
A hard disk
A VGA graphics card and VGA color monitor
An 1. 44 MB 3.5" fl oppy disk drive
Memory Requirements
Because of the co mplexity of Aces Over Europe, yo ur compucer must have ac lease 2 MB of RAM. Also, you
muse have GOOK (6 14,400 byres) of free co nventional memory and I MB of free expanded memory (EMS) .
You wi ll need an expanded memo ry manager (EMM) such as EMM 386 which comes with MS-DOS 5.0 or
higher, or QEM M -386'" by Quarterdeck.
Make sure chat yo ur computer is noc already using upper memo ry for system hardware o r Shadow RAM.
C onsult yo ur MS- DOS and computer system manuals for in fo rmatio n about the upper memory area and
how ic is co nfigured .
No ce: To d etermin e che a mount of avai lab le co n ven tiona l and expa nded memo ry yo u have, use t he
MS-DOS co mm an d: MEM (Enter].
If yo u have trouble co nfi guring yo ur system to provide the necessa ry memory, yo u may want to use the
install program to create a boot disk. In most cases, a boot d isk wi ll co nfigure your system with enough free JV
memory to run Aces Over Europe.
IMPORTANT!! After you have created a boot disk, you must reboot your computer. Place the boot disk in
drive A: then press [Ctrl]-[Alt]-[Del] (you must press all three keys at the same time). Your computer will
now reboot, with A: as the default drive.
If yo u created th e boot disk from th e INSTALL program located in the Aces Over Europe sub-directo ry,
th e program will automatically run. If yo u created th e boot disk from the INSTALL program located
on the Startup/Disk 1 program disk, run the game by typing AOE [Enter] from the C:\DYNAMIX\AOE
directory on yo ur hard drive.
Substitute the appropriate drive
letter or sub-directory name if
yo u have changed chem from
th e defau lt locations.
Creating a Boot
Disk Manually
Courtesy National Air & Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution Please Note: Use the format
command with care co avoid
0 A scene from the continent. Forward airfields were usually erasing all stored information on
primitive affairs. your hard disk. Follow the
instructions below exactly.
Formatting
From a Hard Disk
1. Insert a blank disk into drive A:
2. Ac che C: prompt type: FORMAT A:/S [Enter]
If your A: drive is a 3.5" high density dcive and you are using a low density disk, type:
FORMAT A:/S/T:80/N:9 [Enter]
If your A: drive is a 5.25" high density drive and you are using a low density disk, type:
FORMAT A:/S/T:40/N:9 [Enter]
3. Fo llow the MS-DOS prompts.
Mouse Drivers
If you will be using a mouse to play the Aces Over Europe game, you must copy your mouse driver onro your
boot disk. There are two types of mouse drivers ava ilabl e: MOUSE.SYS and MOUSE.COM. The fo llowing
are step by step instructions ro locate and load rhe mouse driver in either the CONFJG .SYS o r
AUTOEXEC.BAT fil es.
This command will allow you ro search all sub direcrories for a file called mouse. If the system locates a file
called mouse, it will display the path where the fil e(s) are located.
Example: If the MOUSE.SYS file is located in a C:IMOUSE direcrory, the system will display a message like
the following:
Direcroty ofC:\MOUSE
MOUSE SYS 55160 03- 10-923:10a
MOUSE COM 56408 03- 10-93 6:00a
If the system does nor locate a mouse, your mouse driver may have a differenr name or may nor be currently
installed on the system. Some other common names for mouse drivers are !MOUSE, GMO USE, and
HPMOUSE. The mouse driver fil es may also be cop ied directly from rhe floppy disk packaged wirh your
mouse. For information on rhe proper name of your mouse driver, check rhe owners manual which came
wirh your mouse.
Example: To copy the MOUSE.SYS file to the boor disk, rype rhe following at the C:I prompt:
COPY C:IMOUSE\MOUSE.* A: [Enter]
Please substitute rhe appropriate path and file name for your mouse driver in rhe command line above. You
should rhen see a message indicating that one or more fil es were copied.
Examples: THE CONFIG .SYS FILE: (If MOUSE.SYS was copied ro rhe boot disk) Type:
DEVICEHIGH=MOUSE.SYS
THE AUTOEXEC.BAT FILE: (If MOUSE.COM was copied to the boot disk) Type: LH MOUSE
Refer ro your mouse manual for further information on how to install your mouse driver. You may also call
or fax Sierra Technical Support for assistance.
US. Tel: (209) 683-8989 Fax: (209) 683-3633
UK Tel: (44)734 303171 Fax: \44)734 303201
205
lili
-
Creating a Config.sys File
For 386 or 486 Co mputers (MS-DOS 5.0 and above)
l. Inserra formatted blank disk inro Drive A:
2. Type: A: [Enter]
3. Type: COPY CON CONFIG.SYS [Enter]
4. Type: DEVICE=C:IDOSIHIMEM.SYS [Enter]
5. Type: DEVTCE=C:IDOS\EMM386.EXE RAM 1024 [Enter]
6. Type: DOS=HIGH,UMB [Enter]
7. Type: FILE5=30 [Enter]
8. Type: BUFFERS=20 [Enter]
9. If you are using the MOUSE.SYS fi le to load your mouse, add the following line to the CONFTG .SYS:
DEVICEHIGH=MOUSE.SYS [Enter]
10. IMPORTANT NOTE: If you are using MS-DOS 6.0 with Doublespace disk compression, please add
the com mand below to the CONF IG.SYS. (Jf you are not currently using Doublespace, skip the
comma nd below and continue with step 11.) DEVICEHIGH=C:\DOS\DBLSPACE.SYS [Enter]
l l. Press the [F6] key (a "AZ" should appear), then press [Enter]. You should see the message:
l Fil e(s) copied.
Next create an AUTOEXEC.BAT fi le for your boot disk.
Troubleshooting
Problem: Joysrick behavior is
erratic, and rudd er pedals don 't
see m co center co rrec tl y.
Re-ce nterin g the joystick
does n't seem to help.
Possible solution : If you are
using the joystick port on a
sound card, or a multi-JO card,
the problem may be that the card
is not in sync with your
Courtesy National Air & Space Museum, Smithsonian lns1itutio11
computer. This problem is
particularly noticeable on fast 0 Arm y nurses served in dozens of forwa rd combat hospitals.
systems. We recommend that
you disable the joystick port on your current controller and/or sound card and use a dedicated, speed-
adjusrable joystick card for optim al performance.
Problem: I have instal led AOE o n a compressed dri ve, and it does n't run .
Possible solution: The most common problem encountered when instal ling AOE on compressed drives is
lack of disk space. T he amount of space that MS-DOS reports to you as being available is based on an
expected compressio n ratio. Since many of the AOE files will be co mpressed very li ttle, if at all, you will need
mo re disk space to install AOE properl y, even though MS-DOS says you have enough space free. Since
AOE requires 8 MB of free hard drive space to install, you shoLLld have at least 16 MB of free hard drive
space when LLsing disk compression. Nore that the 16 MB d ri ve space figure is based on a rypical co mpression
ratio of 2: 1. If your compression ratio is set to a higher rate, you wi ll need to free up an ap propriate amount
of disk space.
Problem: After upgrading to MS-DOS 6.0, I can no longer run AOE. l keep getting an "Our of Memory"
error.
Possible solution : If you have installed MS-DOS 6.0 and run th e MemMaker utility, it may have
configured your co mputer's memory so that there is no lo nger sufficient conventio nal memory to run AOE.
See the section on Freeing Conventional Memory in Chapte r 6 of yo ur MS- DOS 6.0 Upgrade manual or use
the Boor Disk Creator option in the A OE I NSTALL program. (For instructions, see the Make Boorable
Flo ppy D isk, page 203.) JV
Problem: My computer has at least 2 megabytes of memory, but I receive a message saying that I don 't have
enough conventional or expanded memory to run Aces Over Europe.
Possible Solution: Aces Over Europe req uires GOOK (6 14,400 byres) of free conventional memory and I MB
of expanded memory (EMS). So me of yo ur co mputer's co nventional memory may be used for device drivers,
LAN drivers, and/or for TSR programs. Furthermore your co mputer may not be co nfigured to provide
eno ugh expanded memory. Some of your co mputer's memory will need to be freed up, either by altering
your start-up files or by creating a boot disk with the install program. To determine how much free memory
you have, use the MS-DOSco mmand: MEM [Enter].
207
illi
- Problem: My computer has at
lease 2 megabytes of memory, but
even after creaci ng a boot disk, I
still receive a message sayi ng that
l don't have enough memory to
run Aces Over Europe.
Possible Solution: You r
computer may be configured co
use the upper memory area for
system hardware or Shadow
RAM and not fo r expanded
memory. If chis is the case, you
may need to alter your
com puter's CMOS setup.
Co nsult your computer system
manual for information on how
to do chis or refer to your
compucer system manufacturer
for ass istance.
Problem : My program hesitates or locks up during game play. 1 am using a Sound Blaster or compatible
sound card.
Possible Solution: Run the install procedure fro m the game sub-directory and select "PC Intern al Speaker"
for the sound optio n. If the program operates properl y, there may be a configuration problem with your
sound card . Call T echnical Support at Sierra O n-Line o r yo ur sound ca rd manufacturer for assistance in
configuring your sound card for proper operation.
Problem: The joystick is not responding properly in the si mulation, or the cursor skips thro ugh the menu
options on its own.
Possible Solution: Your fli ght controls selections from the Preferences Panel may be inconsistent with the
devices installed in your computer, or your fli ght controls may need calibrating. Select the calibrate option
from che Preferences Panel, o r disable the joystick with the Alt-J com mand. For fast computer systems, or for
208
Technical Support
Co11n csy Natio nal 1\ir & Space Museum , Smi1hson ian lnstitu1ion
Error Messages
If you receive an error message 0 Co mbac engineers laying
when playing or installing a Marscen Maccing.
Dynamix game, refer to the
fo llowing explanacions and solucions.
C RC ERROR - This means you have a bad disk. le stands for Cyclic Red undancy C heck, a way to check
for disk errors. (See Replacemenc Diskecres, page 2 1 I.)
DATA ERROR READING DRIVE A or B - T his means you have a bad d isk. (See Replacemenc
Diskecces, page 2 I I.)
GENERAL FAJLURE READING DRlVE A or B - This co uld indicace yo u are crying co read high
density disks wich an inco mpatible low density dri ve.
YOU NEED " _ " MORE BYTES OF FREE MEMORY AVAJLABLE TO RUN THIS GAME -
T here is nor enough free memory co successfully run che program. You may need co booc yo ur syscem wich a
boor disk. (For instructions, see Creacing a Booe Disk Manually, page 204 .)
SECTO R NOT FOUND READING DRlVE A - T his means you have a bad disk. (See Replacemenc
Diskecces, page 21 1.)
There is no aucomaced voice response system in che U.K. ac chis rime., bur answers co many cechni cal
questions are available on che Sierra U.K. BBS ac (44) 734 304227. To speak to an actual Technical Supporc
Representative call (44) 734 303 17 I Monday ch rough Friday, 9a.m. to Sp.m.
209
lili
- CUSTOMER SUPPORT
T he besr customer service in rhe in the U.S. or (44) 734 30320 1 Orders
industry - "You don't just buy in che U.K., or by mail. If yo u
Order games, hint books or
our games, you buy the support choose to write or fax us wich
hardware, redeem coupons, use
of rhe whole company." your request, please give us
special discounts, or gee a list of
derailed in formation on your
software dealers in your area
Sierra On-Li ne is dedicated ro compurer system and che nature
where you can purchase Sierra
helping yo u with each and every of your problem. In addition,
games by cal ling
questio n or problem. Whether please in clude your address and
1-800-326-6654.
it's memory shortages, software telephone number should we
compatibility, or any ocher issue need further information.
U.S.
affecting our produces, we
Sierra On-Line
guarantee yo ur satisfactio n. U.S.
Sales Dept.
Sierra On-Line
P.O. Box 978
P.O. Box 800
Oakh urst, CA 93644-0978
Coarsegold, CA 936 14-0800
Customer Service Attentio n: T echnical Suppo rt
For direct orders:
Contact the C ustomer Service
Call 1-800-326-6654
Department, 1-800-S IERRA-5 , Monday-F riday
Fax (209) 683-4297
for issues pertain ing to returned 8: 15 a.m. - 4:45 p.m.
merchand ise, back o rders, Call (209) 683-8989
EUROPE (U. K ) orders:
defective merchandise, an d Fax (209) 683-3633
Call (44) 734 303 17 1
general game information .
Fax (44) 734 303201
EUROPE (U. K )
U.S. Sierra On-Li ne Limited
Sierra On-Line Attention: Technical Su pport
C ustomer Support Un it 2, Technology Centre Patch Disks
P.O. Box 600 Station Road If you have spoken to a Sierra
Coarsegold , CA 936 14-0600 T hea.le, Berksh ire RG7 4AA Technical Support Representative
United Kingdom or have read about an available
1-800-S IERRA-5 patch (repair) disk in o ur
( 1-800-743-7725) Mo nday-Friday lnterAction Magazine, please send
9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. in your req uest to the address
EUROPE (U. K ) Cal l (44) 734 303 17 1 below. Let us know the game,
Sierra On-Line Limi ted Fax (44) 734 30320 I version number (VER# on the
Unit 2, Tech nology Centre front of your game disks), and
Station Road Sierra Technical Support is also disk size you are havi ng problems
Theale, Berkshire RG7 4M available through: with.
United Kingdom Sierra BBS: U.S. (209)683-4463
or U.K. (44) 734 304227 Sierra On- Line
CompuServe-GAMAPUB, Patch Disks
Technical Support Section 11 (Technical Support Dept. 10
ID - 76004,2 143) P.O. Box 485,
Direct questions o n hardware
Prodigy Coarsego ld, CA 936 14-0485
and software co mpatibility to rhe
(for Sierra: Technical Support
Techni cal Support Department.
ID- WBWW55A)
Call (209) 683-8989 in che U.S.
(for Dyna.mix: Technical Sup port
or (44) 734 303 17 1 in che U.K.
ID- WBWW55B)
for convenient, perso n-to-person
America Online
techn ical assistance. If you prefer,
GEnie-Ga mes Round Tabl e
you may co ntact Technical
(page 805, category 22) o r
Support by Fax (209) 683-3633
private e- mail to SIERRA.SU P
210
Customer Support
U.S.
The Sierra Limited Sierra On-Line
IV
211
lili
- SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY
Document Sources:
50th Fighter Group After Action Reports I 943-45.
55th Fighter Group After Action Reports I 943-45.
!Och Fighter Squadron After Action Reports: 1943-45.
I I ch Fighter Squadron After Action Reporrs: 1943-45
Books:
Anderson, Bud. To Fly and Fight, Memoirs ofa Triple Ace. Sr. Marci n's Press, New Yo rk, I 990.
Bishop, Edward. Mosquito, The Wooden Wonder. Smithsoni an Press, Washington D.C., 1990.
Boehme, Manfred. JG-7: The World's First jet Fighter Unit, 1944-45. Schi ffer Pub lishing, Atglen, PA,
1992.
Breuer, Wi ll iam. Death ofa Nazi Army: The Falaise Pocket. Stein and Day, New York, 1985.
Bruning, John . The Target for Today ... American Bomber Crews and Their Experiences During the Strategic
Bombing Campaign Over Germany. U niversity of Oregon , Eugene, Oregon , November, I 99 I.
Caldwell , Donald . JG-26 Top Guns of the Luftwaffe. Orion Books, New York, 199 I.
C loste rm an, Pierre. The Big Show. Ballantine Books, New York, 195 I .
Freeman, Roger. B-11 Flying Fortress. Mocorbooks Inc., Osceo la, WJ, I 990.
Freeman, Roger. Fighters ofthe Mighty Eighth. Mocorbooks Inc, O sceola, WJ, I 99 I.
Freeman, Roger. The Mighty Eighth. Motorbooks lnr., Osceola, WJ, I 99 I .
Freeman, Roger. The Mighty Eighth War Diary. Mocorbooks Inc, O sceola, W I, I 99 I.
Freeman, Roger. The Mighty Eighth War Manual. Mocorbooks Inc, Osceola, WJ, I 991.
Fry, Garry. Escort To Berlin. The 4th Fighter Group in World War If Asco Publishers, New York, 1980.
G irbig, Werner. Six Months to Oblivion. The Defeat ofthe Luftwaffe Fighter Force Over the Western Front,
1944. Schiffer Press, West C hester, PA ., I 99 1.
Green, W illiam. Warplanes ofthe Third Reich. Galahad Books, New Yo rk, 1986.
H awkin s, Ian. B-17s Over Berlin. Personal Stories From The 95th Bomb Group (HJ. Brassey's U.S., McLean,
Va. 1990.
Hawkins, Ian. The Munster Raid: Bloody Skies Over Germany. Aero Press, Blue Ridge Summit, PA, 1990.
212
Selected Bibliography
213
llli
- GLOSSARY
Dive-brakes: Air brakes
equipped o n di ve bo mbers used
to keep them from gathering too
much speed in a steep dive
during the attack run .
Division: Two sections-four
planes . Also known as a Flight.
Dogfight: A twisti ng, turning
engagement where moves are
met by counter-moves as each
pilot attempts to put his guns on
the enemy. Indicative of the
combat style used in WWJ.
Loosely used it means any air
combat engagement.
Drag: T he amount of ai r
res istan ce a plane experiences.
The less drag on a plane, the
faster it can fl y.
0 Gls and engineers having a meal
Elevators: T he movable surfaces
on their airfield 's Marsten Matting.
on an aircraft 's cail assembly that
control pitch.
Abschuss: German eq ui valent of Break!: A term used to tel l
Flak: Antiaircraft fire.
"Kill " or "Victory." another figh ter pilot that he is
Flamed: Shot down a plane.
Abwehr: German intelligence being attacked and should
Flaps: Co ntrol surfaces on the
service quickly take evasive action, as in:
inner part of the wings. They are
Ace: A pilot who has been "Bandits on your six! Break left!"
used during take-off and landing
credited with at least fi ve ae rial A break is also a fast, tight turn.
to increase lift.
victori es . C heck Six: To loo k behind your
Flat-Hatting: Tree-rop level ,
Ailerons: The movable surfaces plane. The rear of any ai rcraft is
high speed fl ying. To be caught
on an aircra ft's w ings that known as the "Six O 'clock
fl at-hatting in th e U.S.
control its bank. Pos ition ," which is rhe most
gua ranteed serious punishment.
Altitude: Another term for the favorab le place to attack. "Check
Flightleader: The term for the
pitch of an ai rcraft. your six" advises you to look
leader of a division.
Ami: Luftwaffe slang for behind yo ur plan e to ensure that
Furniture Van: Luftwaffe slang
Americans no enemy fi ghters have crept up
for American heavy bombers.
Angels: The altitude of a from beh ind.
Geschwader: German unit
particular group of aircraft. C lobber College: When yo ung
expression roughly translated to
Angels 12 means 12, 000 feet. pi lots reported to their co mbat
Wing. There can be fighter,
Bandit: An enemy fighter. outfits, the old hands would tell
bomber o r ground attack wings.
Bank: The rotatio n of an aircraft them the best tactics to use in
G-Force: A measure of
about its longitudinal axis (the order to surv ive in co mbat. This
acceleratio n. One G is equal to
axis running from the tail to the period of indoctrination was
the force of gravity. In steep
nose.) known by so me as C lobber
turns, a plane and pil ot will
Bogey: An unidentified aircraft. College.
experi ence add itional G 's . The
Bounce: To surprise an enemy Deflection Angle: The angle a
human body will lose
fli ght , usually from behind. target is in relatio n to the aircraft
consciousness between 8 and
shooting at it.
10 G's.
Dicke Autos: Ge rman slang fo r
Group: Several squadrons,
Al lied heavy bombers. " Fat Ca rs"
usually 3-4.
is the direct translation.
214
Glossary
215
lili
-
Simulation Credits
Director and Designer ... ... ... ... ... ...... ... ...... ... ...... ............. ........................... Damon Slye
Lead Simulati on Programmer ............... ... ... ... ... ......................... ......... ...... Lincoln Hunon
Arc Director ... .... ..... ....... ..... .. .... ...... ... ......... ................... ............ .... ......... .. Mark Peasley
Sim ulatio n Programmer ... ...... ............... ............ ........................ ............. ... Ryan Hinke
Lead Shell Programmer ............... ... ............ ......... ......... ......... .......... ......... . C hristo pher Reese
Simulation, Al Programmer ... ... ...... ... ... ... ... ...................... ........................ Paul Bowman
Shel l Graphics Programmer ...... ... ..... .... ... ... ...... .... .. ...... ... ........ .................. D arek Lukaszuk
Lead Arc Production, Cockpits .. ... .. ..... ... ... ...... ......... ............. ........ ........... Jarren Jester
Art Production ... ... ...... .... .. ... ... ... ...... ... ... ...... ...... ... ............. ....................... Tiro Pagan
3D Graphic Artists ... ... ... ...... ... ... .... .. ... ... ... ... ... ....... .. ... ... ......... ... ......... .... .. Damon Mitchell , Vance Naegle
Texture Maps ..................... ......................... ......... .............. ....... ...... ... ... .. .. Peter Lewis
Director of the 3D Deparcmem ....................................... .... .. .... ......... ... ... . Cyrus Ka.nga
Histo rical Research, Original Historical Co ncept ............ ...... ............ ... .. .. .. Jo hn Bruning
Design, Assistant Director ......................................................................... C hristopher Shen
Q ual ity Engineers .. ... ... ...................................................................... .. .. ... . Tucker H atfield, Lloyd Madden
Music .. ..... ....... ... ... ... .. ... ....... .. ........ .... ... ........ .......... ... .. .. .... .. ... . ...... ... .. ... . C hristopher Stevens, Timothy
C larke
Sound Effects .... .. ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...... ... ... ...... ... . ....... ...... ......... ... . ......... .. .. .. C hristopher Stevens
Research .... ... ... ... .. .... .. ... ...... ... ... .... .. ... .... .. ... ... ...... ... ... ... ... .. .... .. ...... .. ... .. .... Josie Haley Reese
Miss ion Scripting ... ..... .. ........ ... ......... ... ...... .... ... ..... .... .. ...... ... ... ... .... .... ... ... C hristopher Hum
Photography .............................. ................................. .................. ............ Dale Tendick
Theatrical Coo rd inato r .......................................... ............ ... ... .. ..... .... .. .... Sher Al ltucker
Actors ... ...... ... ... .. ..... ....... .. ... ..... ... ..... .. .......... .... .... .... ... ........ .. .... ........ .. .. .. John Bruning, Kurtis Engle,
Jarren Jester, Damon Mitchell ,
T ito Pagan , David Sandgathe
Q ual ity Assurance Ma nager ... ....... ... ......... ... ......... ... ......... . .... ....... ... ... ... Fo rrest Walker
Testers ........... ........................... .......... .............. ........ ... ..... .... ... ... ...... .. .. .. Dan Hinds, C hris Hum
216
Credits
Manual Credits
Editor ....... ... .. ...... ...... ... .... .. ... .. ....... ........ ... ......... ... ..... ............. .... .. ........ .. Barbara Ray
M anual Design ........ ........ .. ... .. .... ..... ...... ....... .. ... .... .. .... ..... ... .. ... ..... ...... ..... Sue Roberrs
Package Design & Illustration ...... ........... ........................ .. ...... .. .... ..... .. .... . Roger Smith
Writing ... .. .... .. .. .... .......... ... ... ... .... .. ... . .... ... ...... ... .... .. ... ... ......... .... ... ... . John Bruning, C hristo pher Shen,
G regg Keizer
Proo freader .......... .... .. ........ ......................................... .. .... ........ .. .... .. .. .... Betry Mannin g
Fl ight lllusrrarions ................... ...... .. ... ... .... ... ..... ... ...... .... ... .. .......... ...... ... ... Shawn Bird
Special Thanks
Pio tr Lukaszuk, Doug Johnson , Bob Lindstro m, D ee D ee Brenn eman .
John Bruning Sr., Histo rical C onsul ta nt.
The Air Force Historical Research Agency, M axwell AF B, Al.
Dave Menard at rhe U.S. Air Force Museum .
G rumman Aircraft Corp., T echnical Advice.
Dewey Ray, T echnical Consultant.
Tim C ronan at the Smithsonian lnstirurio n.
Mike Barrs, Vince Alonso , Roy Erickso n, Jam es Johnson, Gary Morgan , D av id Ro thman, Ario n H arris.
Planes
H erschel Whittingto n, The Con federate Air Force, Midland , Texas.
Dick Milan, Aerospace America, O aklaho ma C ity Air Show.
Robert Leipold , National Aeronautics and Space lnsrirurion. IV
Jack Erickson and T ed Ryder of Erickson Air C rane Inc., Central Point.
Bi ll Lamon of Eugene and his bea utiful H arvard T -6.
Research & Props
D avid Robinson - Collector of C ivil W ar to Vi emam , P.O . Box 3664, Federal Way, Washington.
George Go mm , Portland , Oregon .
Warner Brothers M ens Wa rdrobe. T han ks to David , John and Mark.
Photographs & Artwork
Bob Lawson Photograph y
Pi erluigi Pinto for color illusrrarions, Gabriell a Piombo ni - Agent.
D . Brent Burkert.
217
IT IS ILLEGAL TO MAKE
UNAUTHORIZED COPIES
OF THIS SOFTWARE
This software is protected under federal copyright law. Ir is illegal to make or distribute
copies of this software except to make a backup copy for archival purposes only.
Duplication of this software for any other reason including for sale, loan, rental or gift is
a federal crime. Penalties include fines as high as $50,000 and jail terms of up to five years.
Copyright Notice
This manual, and the software described in this manual, are copyrighted. All rights are
reserved. No part of this manual or the described software may be copied, reproduced,
translated or reduced to any electronic medium or machine-readable form without the
prior written consent ofDynamix, Inc., P.O. Box 485, Coarsegold, CA 93614.
and indicate trademarks of, or licensed to, Dynamix, Inc. 1993 Dynamix, Inc. All rights reserved.
Printed in the U.S.A.
Dynamix is a registered trademark of Dynamix, Inc. 1992 Dynamix, In c. All rights reserved. Printed in
the U.S.A.
Sierra, Sierra On-Line and Sierra On-Line Limited are registered trademarks of Sierra On -Line, Inc. IBM is a
registered trademark of International Business Machines Corp. ThrustMaster W C S is a registered trademark
ofThrustMaster. Sound Blaster is a registered trademark of C reative Labs, In c. Ad Lib is a registered
trademark of Ad Lib , Inc. Quarterdeck and QEMM -386 are registered trademarks of Quarterdeck Office
Systems. MS-DOS is a registered trademark of Mi croso~ Corpo ration.
Genera/Key Views using the Joystick Views using the Keyboard
Enter Swiech between cockpit and
Commands From within the cockpit: external view.
Hold down joystick button 2, then
FlO Preferences Panel
move the joystick to look left, right, From within the cockpit:
Alt-R Realism Panel ahead, and back.
F1 Look forward
B Display full screen background
arr in the shell. Note: With the joystick centered, pressing F2 Look back
and releasing button 2 will switch ftom F3 Lookleft
Alt-J Joysti ck on/off the cockpit to the outside rear view.
Alt-S Sound on/off F4 Look right
\ look ahead F5 Look up and forward
'~
Alt-M Music on/off
Alt-D Mouse on/off look left look right
From outside your aircraft:
p Pause Game ~ Fl Front of yo ur aircraft
QUICK Esc
Alt-X
End Mission (ex it menu)
Exit ro DOS
F2 Rear of your aircraft
F3 Left side of yo ur aircraft
re-center auromarically j
1
If you have a joystick or yoke with a
devices ro fun cti o n properly in th e Weapons
simulation.
after each movemen r. throttle slider, you can use it to control Spacebar Fi re the selected guns.
your engine speed.
Controller
Button l Fire the selected guns.
ThrustMaster Weapons Control System CH FlightStick Pro"' Backspace Release bombs.
Button l Send radio message
Flight Control System Mark I Button l Fire currently selected gun
Button 2 U njam guns R Fire a salvo of rockers.
Button l Fire currently selected gun Button 2 Change view between
Button 3 Engage autopilot
Button 2 Change view between cockpit and external
Button 4 View map
cockpit and external Button 3 D rop bombs
Button 5 Drop external fu el rank G C hange the currently selected guns
Button 3 Drop bombs Button 4 Change selected guns
Button 6 Dive brakes (primary, secondary/external or all).
Button 4 Change selected guns Hat Change your view within
Toggle 7a Flaps U Unj am G un - Try to clear jammed
Hat Change your view within the cockpit
Toggle 7b Neutral position guns by repeatedly pressing U.
the cockpit; rotate your Wheel T hrottle control
Toggle 7c Landing gear
view outside the cockpit
Th rusrMasrer is a registered trademark ofThrustMastet. CH Fligh rStick Pro'~ is a tradema rk of CH.