Best WW2 Flight Sim Ever?

[Whirlwind]

What is/was the best WW2 flight sim ever?

And what aspects of the game decided your choice?

 

[irishserb]

My favorite is Mustangs and Messerschmitts.  Basically a dogfighting game using 1/72 scale model airplanes on three-wheeled six foot tall dollies, played on the floor.  A player typically plays a single aircraft.  It gives a truly three dimensional encounter and feels more like actually flying,  than any thing else that I’ve tried in miniature form.  It included rules for dogfighting,  bombers, ground attack, etc. and had built in scenario generators.

I particularly liked it, as it had a lot of detail, was very 3-D, was reasonably realistic while still being manageable, and included the enjoyment of building, detailing, and individualizing the model kits.

There was a published WWI version (maybe called “Tri-Plane” at one time) and a Korean era supplement for WWII M&M.  The WWI version was a little easier to play, due to the limitations on negative G maneuvers.

I started with a booklet version of the rules that I think was published in the late 1970s, then moved on to blue softcover version from 1983.  My understanding is that there is at least one more later version, that was maybe packaged in a boxed format.

The game does require the player to either build or buy aircraft stands (plans were included in the rules), and is played on the floor, requiring probably maybe a 12’x12′ or larger open area to play.

[Not Connard Sage]

Are we talking miniatures, boardgames or computer games?

Obvious contrarian and passive aggressive old prat, who is taken far too seriously by some and not seriously enough by others.

[Don Glewwe]

Aside: The poor, neglected “Air” forum gets so little love   …this could have been put there. 

[Whirlwind]

Not Connard Sage wrote:

Are we talking miniatures, boardgames or computer games?

Any and all.

 

[Thuseld]

For me it was Microsoft Combat Air Simulator 2.

Experiments here: http://inexperiencedmodelmaker.blogspot.co.uk/

Tranquil Stars updates: https://tranquilstars.wordpress.com

[Not Connard Sage]

Whirlwind wrote:

Not Connard Sage wrote:

Are we talking miniatures, boardgames or computer games?

Any and all.

 

In that case Battleline/Avalon Hill Air Force, and its expansion, Dauntless.

Another gem from the late Craig Taylor.

Obvious contrarian and passive aggressive old prat, who is taken far too seriously by some and not seriously enough by others.

[MartinR]

1942 Pacific Air War by Microprose. A bit clunky by modern flight sim standards, but where else can you get to fly carrier borne torpedo and bomber aircraft, and even better, fly a campaign as a bomber pilot. The surface warfare resolution was basically the system used in the old SSG ‘Carrier Strike’ game.

I spent hours and hours playing that, nursing a damaged plane home only to pile up into the back of the carrier:)

Red Baron was similarly engaging and immersive (and even older and more clunky). I was very puzzled for a long time why I kept tearing my wings off doing and outside loop in a biplane….

I can’t say miniature or boardgame air warfare games have ever grabbed me much, although Luftwaffe was an interesting game. Used to play Lou Zocchis ‘Air Combat’, but it was a bit silly really. Flight Sims were where it was at, I got through at least three different joystick combos before I fianlly lost interest.

 

 

 

 

"Mistakes in the initial deployment cannot be rectified" - Helmuth von Moltke

[Not Connard Sage]

And, and Ace of Aces was pretty nifty too.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ace_of_Aces_(picture_book_game)

.

Obvious contrarian and passive aggressive old prat, who is taken far too seriously by some and not seriously enough by others.

[Not Connard Sage]

MartinR wrote:

but where else can you …fly a campaign as a bomber pilot.

IL2? Which was a very good combat flight sim all round.

Obvious contrarian and passive aggressive old prat, who is taken far too seriously by some and not seriously enough by others.

[Whirlwind]

I think IL2 has been my favourite so far.  But Pacific Air War was amazing in its time and  I enjoyed European Air War too.

I played quite a lot of the Fighting Wings series of games but they were just a little too complicated. I’ve a had a couple of goes at Bag the Hun, and that shows a bit of promise.

 

[Don Glewwe]

Hey!  I just noticed…it got moved!  Thanks for the gumball, Mickey!

So…is it too early for me to derail the thread with questions about whether the OP was asking about flight* sim or fight sim?  ; )

 

*okay, this is why I was a draftsman (excuse me: draughtsman)  – the computer makes this illegible…stupid monkey

[Whirlwind]

Don Glewwe wrote:

So…is it too early for me to derail the thread with questions about whether the OP was asking about flight* sim or fight sim? ; )

I wrote “flight” too, it just doesn’t look like it…

[Don Glewwe]

I wrote “flight” too, it just doesn’t look like it…

So: Flying sim, not fighting sim?

 

They’re different things (imo), so deserve different games/sims.

 

PS – not meaning to be (too) ornery…it’s just a tender spot, so…

[Whirlwind]

I think if you make a distinction, pick two

[PatG]

On the computer:
Screaming Demons Over Europe – it had Mosquitoes and massive fan support which produced viable torpedo bombers and tons of goodies like the HE-162
Falcon on Atari and the later PC version – I played so much I could see the HUD when walking down the street.
Harpoon Ok so it’s primarily a naval sim but landing a coordinated Bear and SSGN strike on a US carrier group was very satisfying as was coordinating your AEW and air wing to defeat such a strike.

Board Game
Airforce and Dauntless
B-17 – yes for all its faults

Special mention
Ace of Aces – After giving both my powerhouse and rotary copies away many years ago, I finally scored a copy of rotary this spring.

[Author]

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