Use the camera keys especially the zoom out feature to see the whole airfield. The bomber will taxi to the main runway followed by the rest of the squadron and take up a position at the head of the take off runway. The simulation also has a Pilot Helper key (H) that can guide you in various aspects of the simulation. In take off, if you press key H you will see a large green cone take up position in front of the aircraft. This leads you to the main take off runway. Press key H to switch off Pilot Helper. Eventually when you get to the take off runway, the B-17 will stop briefly for the final checks to be carried out. It will then speed up and take off. The landing gear will retract and the other aircraft in the squadron will follow the leader. Your B-17 will circle until the other bombers in the squadron form up with it. When taking off in manual mode the Pilot Helper key (H) also comes into play here. When you hear the command Join Formation press H and you will see a white formation box appear (you might have to look for it with view keys). This box is where you should be for all the squadron to form up with you).
Game Controls You can pause the simulation at any time by pressing the Pause/ Break key (toggle). The Home key will speed up the simulation 2, 4 or 8 times. The End key will slow down the simulation (if things are happening too quickly) 2, 4, 8 times. Once in the air and in formation, the B-17 will head for the target, perform the mission to the best of the crews current ability/initiative, defend itself against any attack, and try to return home and land. If you want to skip large chunks of time when nothing important is happening, press the Return/Enter key to Time Skip. You cannot skip when there is an important game event happening (flak attack, fighter activity etc). You need not do anything if you dont want to. But the fun of this simulation is that you can jump into any position and take over manual control of that job! Similarly, you can jump into the escort and enemy fighter cockpits and dogfight with your enemy. Or, you can simply admire the views of the aircraft crossing a fully mapped Northern Europe! In this tutorial guide well jump into a variety of positions. You should still be in external view, in the B-17 squadron formation. Skip time (press Return/Enter) as much as you can to speed up the getting there procedure. If you are unable to skip time that means that a game event is happening, such as escort fighters scrambling, flak firing or enemy fighters engaging you in combat. Now lets look at the Pilot and Co-Pilot controls. Return to the Pilots Compartment view by pressing F1. You should be on the flight deck just behind the Pilot and Co-Pilot. (If you are not press key 3 and select Compartment View from the right hand pop-up menu.) Select the Pilot (if hes not already selected) by clicking on the figure on the left. All members of the crew have their own set of specific views. The Pilot has an Action view (accessed by pressing key A) which drops you into his seat looking out of the front window (and left/right in the cockpit), and an Instrument view (press key I) showing the fully functioning cockpit dials and switches/levers. All these views can also be accessed via the View Menu panel by hovering the mouse cursor on the central right edge of the screen.

In addition, some crew positions have additional instrument views that relate to their jobs. The Pilot and Co-Pilot have specific zoomed-in instrument views (F5, F6, F7, F8 and F9). Press key A to access the Pilots Action view. Look left/right in the cockpit using the joystick hat or Camera view keys. Press key I to access the Instrument view.
This is a fully functioning B-17 cockpit with dials, switches, levers etc all working. If you hover the mouse pointer on a switch or lever a tooltip will show what it does. Press F5 or F9 to see the Co-Pilots instruments. Press F6 to see the close-up engine dials. Press F7 or F8 to see the close-up Pilots dials/switches.
DO NOT OPERATE ANY OF THESE INSTRUMENTS UNTIL YOU UNDERSTAND MORE ABOUT THE B-17 SIMULATION CONTROLS (see the Training Schools later in this manual). Now lets have a tour of the different crew positions. Return to the Pilots Compartment view (key C or use the View Menu panel). Bombardier Navigation Cheek Gun Pilot Co-Pilot Engineer/Top Turret Gun Radio Ball Turret Gun Left Waist Gun Right Waist Gun Tail Gun Press keyboard key 1 and you will jump to the Nose Compartment.
All crew positions in the simulation have a pre-set keyboard key: `
This is where the Bombardier and the Navigator work. Note: Key 1 has also selected and highlighted the Navigator. If you press key ` (to the left of keyboard key 1) the Bombardier will be highlighted. Weve already seen the Pilots Compartment (see earlier) so lets continue with the tour. Press key 5. This will take you to the Engineer/Top Turret Gun compartment next to the bomb bay.
Note: Because of his position the Engineer/Top Turret gunner is obscured by the bombs and is not shown fully, but you can just see his legs highlighted. Press the Action view (key A) and you will see the Top Turret view. Press key M to take control of the top turret and rotate/fire the guns using your keyboard or joystick. Youve already seen the Radio Operators Compartment (key 6) so try pressing key 7 and note that because you were in the Top Turret Gunners Action view, you have jumped immediately into the Ball Turret Gunners Action view. Press key C or click on the second icon down on the View Menu panel to see the Compartment view.

Mission Debriefing

At the end of the mission the aircraft will be landed. Here in manual mode you could also use the Pilot Helper key (key H). This will show a cone that you should fly towards to get to your base and to the landing runway. When the B-17 has landed the green cone will help you taxi back to the hardstanding dispersal point you will be taken to the Mission Debriefing hut. Double-click on the Mission Debriefing file to view details of your recent mission performance (click on the page to turn it).
Here youll find all details of the mission analysed and you may be informed of any medals and promotions.

Saving the Game

To save the game at this point, press ESC. This will open the Options screen. Click on the Load/Save Menu (the floppy disc icon) and flip the continue switch (lower right). Select <New File> and type in a name for the file in the panel. Click on the right hand button (Save the Current Game). Return to the Options menu (flip switch lower left). Flip the switch (lower left) to resume the game.

The Training Missions

If you have completed the tutorial, you will have already been on a complete mission and had a quick taster of action. The more complex levels of the simulation however depends on your own skills and so, to improve these skills, the game provides a set of Training Missions (use of bombsight etc.). Remember to have the Reference Card to hand when attempting these missions. Select New Game. Select Choose a Training Mission (the middle panel on the right) and you will go to the mission selection screen.
Look at the panel at the top of the screen to access a training mission topic (you can scroll down the list by clicking on, holding down and dragging the right hand slider). Select the training topic you want to practice and the mission brief or set of tasks will be shown in the lower panel. Scroll this panel to read full details of what you have to do. Flip the Continue switch (lower right) to jump into a Training Mission.
You will be taken into the 3D world so that you can perform the training exercise without risk to life and limb.
Mission 1: Taxi and Take Off

Mission 4: Bombing Good Conditions
In this mission you must locate the target and release the bombs as accurately as possible. You will be the Bombardier just at the beginning of the bomb run. The Norden bombsight is already configured with altitude and speed correctly. Altitude is 8,000 feet, and airspeed 155mph (IAS). All engines are running well, gear and flaps are fully raised. The weather is good, altitude is low and there is no flak or fighter opposition to worry about.
Press key M to take control.
1. Wait for the Bombardier to indicate he is on the bombrun. Then press key A to go to Bombardiers Action View (you will be looking through the bombsight). 2. Enter Search Mode by using SHIFT + K (a light will come on). 3. Use your joystick to locate the target, place the crosshair over the target and then hit SHIFT + K to lock the target. 4. The Sight starts in DRIFT tracking mode. Moving the joystick left adjusts the angle of Drift to the left the target will begin to drift more to the right of the sight picture. Moving the joystick right will alter the angle of Drift to the right the target will begin to drift more to the left of the sight picture. 5. Press key N to enter the RATE tracking mode. Moving the joystick up makes the rate track more slowly, so the target will move towards the bottom of the sight picture. Moving the joystick down will make the rate track more quickly, hence the target will appear to move back up towards the top of the sight picture. The objective is to freeze any vertical movement of the target. 6. You should adjust DRIFT and RATE until the sight picture shows no movement at all. This is called SYNCHRONISATION, and means the bombsight is correctly allowing for speed, altitude and wind drift. 7. During your alterations, the target may have slipped out from the crosshairs. If you have time, you can enter SEARCH mode, using the SHIFT + K key combination, and place the target directly under the crosshair again. Provided that you have correctly SYNCHRONISED the sight, as described above, the crosshair will remain where you left it. 8. Watch the two markers close towards each other, when they meet the bombs will be dropped automatically by the bombsight thus ensuring a drop accurate to the millisecond. 9. Watch bombs release from bay and then press F6 to view down from inside the bomb bay and F6 again to view target from ground level (use mouse left button to zoom in and right hand button to move around target.

The Graphics Menu

The Graphics options allow you to select a suitable set-up for your machine: a Speed setting will give you the lowest and less high spec machine settings; a Detail setting will give you the highest graphic quality and a Balanced setting will give you a cross between the two. The top panel shows the current settings. Click on an option and details will appear in the lower panel. Click to select the option in the lower panel.
Object Complexity How detailed do you want your 3D game objects? Choose from Speed (the fastest but less detailed level), Balanced or Detail. Environmental Effect This gives a level for items such as Particles, Clouds and Smoke effects. Choose from Speed, Balanced or Detail. Interior Shadows Interior shadows make the flying experience more realistic. Choose from Speed (the fastest but less detailed level), Balanced or Detail. Special Effects Select a level for in-game special effects such as explosions from Speed, Balanced or Detail. Landscape Textures Choose the landscape texture detail that suit your machine spec from Speed, Balanced or Detail. Non-Player B-17s How detailed and numerous do you want the non-player B-17s to appear in-game? Choose from Speed, Balanced or Detail. Damage Modelling What grade of damage and ancillary damage do you want? Choose from Speed, Balanced or Detail. Note: This controls only the visibility of the damage; any damage inflicted will still affect the flight model.
General Quality Set a general overriding level for game 3D graphics from Speed, Balanced or Detail. Click on the lower right hand switch to accept the changes and return to the Options Screen. Click on the lower left hand switch to cancel all control changes.

The Sound Menu

Click to select a number of in-game sound options. The higher panel shows the current state. Click on an option and details will appear in the lower panel. Click to select in the lower panel.
Ambient Detail What level of ambient sound (Wind, Bird Song, Foghorns, etc.) do you want Choose from Low, Medium or High. Engine Volume Select an engine volume setting from Off, Level 1 to Level 5. Gun Volume Select a Gun volume setting from Off, Level 1 to Level 5. Speech Volume Select a Speech volume setting from Off, Level 1 to Level 5. Mechanical Volume Select a Mechanical objects volume setting from Off, Level 1 to Level 5. Bomb and Flak Volume Select Bomb and Flak volume setting from Off, Level 1 to Level 5. Overall Volume A general setting for all volume levels in the game from Off, Level 1 to Level 5. Click on the lower right hand switch to accept the changes and return to the Options Screen. Click on the lower left hand switch to cancel all control changes.

Squadron Bomber Names/Nose Art
If you are playing the Squadron Commander Campaign you will be able to name and customise each bomber in your squadron. When you have made your choice flip the Continue Switch to enter the Squadron Crew screen.

Squadron Crew Screen

The Squadron Crew screen is similar to the Bomber Crew screen (see above) but it also has an extra panel that shows all of the aircraft in your squadron formation. By clicking on the individual bombers (or the dial), you can access the entire 10-man crew for each bomber, rename them, or generate entirely new crews. When you have made your choice flip the Continue Switch to enter the HQ Corridor.

The HQ Corridor

Bomber Inspection Bomber Commanders Office Briefing Room Operations Room Squadron Commanders Office
Once you have made all your game selections, you will enter the HQ Corridor. This is the planning hub of the airbase, which will allow you access to the following areas: Bomber Inspection - the windows. The Bomber Commanders Office the furthest door on the left (for the Bomber Commander only). The Briefing Room the nearest door on the left. The Squadron Commanders Office the furthest door on the right (for the Squadron Commander only). The Operations Room the nearest door on the right (for the Squadron Commander only).

The Operations Room

The Operations Room will only be available when you have chosen to play the Squadron Commander campaign game. This is the where all mission planning takes place; where you can send out reconnaissance missions, select strategic targets, check what S2 (Intelligence) has to say about them and plan your bombing route using waypoints to avoid as much flak and enemy fighters as possible. Here you can also set mission altitude and the type of bombs to be dropped (for best target effectiveness).
The Map Planning the Mission First, lets have a look at the operations map. This will give you an idea of the area in which the Squadron will be operating and the number of strategic targets you currently have information about. Left click the map on the Ops room table to open the Operations Map screen. Map Controls You can scroll around the map by using either the mouse and/or the keyboard.
Mouse Control: Move around the map by holding down the right mouse button and moving the mouse. Tilt and rotate the map by holding down the Shift key plus the right mouse button and moving the mouse.
Numeric Keypad Controls: Use numeric keypad Ins and Del to rotate the map horizontally left and right. Use numeric keypad 9 and 3 to rotate the map vertically (from 0 to 90 degrees). Use numeric keypad 4 and 6 to move the map left and right. Use numeric keypad 8 and 2 to move the map forward and backwards. Use numeric keypad + and to Zoom In/Out. Fine-tune all the above map control movement by holding down CTRL as you press the keys.

The target will now have a small red bomb above it and the suggested mission route will be clearly shown. The route will be a blue broken line route from your airbase, via several waypoints (red arrows) at appropriate heights (gold pyramids) to the Initial Point (the last turn before the bomb run), the target, the Rally Point (the first waypoint and forming up point after the bomb run) and then back home. The Secondary Target: To assign a Secondary repeat the above procedure using the orange bomb icon on your choice of Secondary Target. Setting Waypoints: Apart from your home airbase and the assigned targets, you can adjust all other aspects of waypoints, the initial point and rally point, including ground location and waypoint/bombing height. Tooltips on the waypoint gold pyramid markers will indicate the altitude for any particular waypoint. To move a waypoint, click on the red arrow, hold down the left mouse button and drag it to its new position. To de-select a target, click on the bomb icon and drag it up away from the ground until it disappears.
This map is very similar to the Mission Briefing Map and the Navigators map on the B-17 (see Navigation below). Remember that, depending on what Navigation complexity you are playing (Historical, Easy or Flawless) you might choose to place waypoints on recognisable geographical features so that visual sightings can be made by the Navigator to confirm aircraft position. When you have finished setting waypoints, press ESC to exit the Map screen and return to the Operations Room.
Intelligence File Target Details Now youve decided on the target(s) for the bombing mission, you should check all intelligence about the target(s). Note: Intelligence is only provided for targets that have current reconnaissance information. To add a target to this file, make sure it is assigned to a reconnaissance flight (see above) and fly your next mission. When you return, the target will be included for as long as the information you have remains current. Periodic reconnaissance flights are needed to keep target information current.
Click on the Intelligence File on the right of the desk. When the file opens flip through the targets (if appropriate) by clicking on the right hand page. The page will turn and show the next target. Locate your chosen target(s) in the book and check details on: Flak Strength, Fighter Strength, Strategic Priority and Damage Already Inflicted.
The Blackboard If youve forgotten which targets you selected in the Map screen, click away from the File and click on the blackboard at the back of the Ops Room. This will give you full details. Click away from the blackboard to get back to the room and continue to study the Target Intelligence File. Outside Inspect the Bombers Before you send your entire squadron on a bombing mission you must first check the status of each bomber and their crew. It would be foolish to send out a badly damaged aircraft or one that did not have a complete crew. So in order to check each of your bombers, click on the office window to get into the jeep to take you on your tour of inspection. Bomber Clipboard The clipboard shows your squadron bomber strength. Point to one of the bomber names and left click. You will be taken into the 3D world with the selected bomber on its hardstand. Use the camera keys to look around the bomber. If this is your first mission it will have no visible damage. Now press ESC to go to the jeep bonnet.

Dial Icon Instrument View (key I) The Pilots and Co-Pilots Instrument View shows the complete Pilots instrument panel with fully working dials and switches (enabling you to fly the aircraft manually if you want to). Note: The plane is flown jointly by the Pilot and Co-Pilot and the instruments in front of each are different.
So, for example, you may be the Pilot but you will need to become the Co-Pilot to fire up the engines because they are on the Co-Pilots side. Once in Instrument View the following additional instrument views come into play: F4 Pilots Instrument View (general). F5 Co-Pilots Instrument View (general). F6 Close Up Engine Instruments. F7 Close Up Pilots Directional Instruments. F8 Close Up Pilots Fuel and Electrics Instruments. F9 Close Up Co-Pilots Engine Start Up and Cooling Instruments. Window Icon Window View (key W)
The Pilot/Co-Pilot do not have a separate Window View (see Action View above). From within the aircraft the Pilot can be accessed with key 3 and the Co-Pilot by pressing key 4.

The Navigator

The Navigator must direct your airplane from take off to the target and back again. He must know the precise position of the airplane at every moment that it is in the air. Even though his work requires accuracy and concentration he must be able to use the.50 calibre cheek-mounted machine gun sited close to his station, and must be familiar with bomber systems and learn how to operate turrets and radio equipment.
Aircraft Icon External View (key F2) Jump to the external aircraft view. Press key F1 to return. Crew Icon Compartment View (key C) Shows the nose compartment view of the Navigator (left) and Bombardier (right). Click once on either figure to select. Like all compartment views this allows you to perform various tasks by right clicking on the figure and accessing the crew management icons.
Note: This compartment has two additional positions available: Chin Turret Gunner (usually controlled by the Bombardier) and a Cheek Gun (usually controlled by the Navigator).
Sight Icon Action View (key A) The Navigators Action View accesses the Drift Meter that must be used to calculate wind drift. In the Action View you will be looking through the meter. You must try to align the dotted scale lines (using joystick left and right) so that a fixed ground point will travel along one of them for a period of time. Then you can read off the wind drift value (in degrees) from the scale to the right. You can use the drift scale value as the initial wind drift value in the bombsight. Note: When in computer control, the Navigator will set the wind drift as best he can. If you correct the drift scale for the Navigator you will be helping to improve the navigators skills for future missions. Dial Icon Instrument View (key I) The Navigators Instrument View shows the Radio Compass dial, the Navigators Map and the Drift Meter. The Radio Compass has a needle that shows the compass heading of the aircraft: 0/360 = North; 90 = East; 180 = South; 270 = West. On his table is the Navigators map. This is accessible by clicking on it and is controlled in much the same way as the as Mission Planning and Mission Briefing maps. You can also select this map by pressing the Spacebar from the Navigators Instruments view, as with every other alternate instrument view. The Navigators Map All controls and icons are the same as the Operation Room map but with the addition of a third type of target bomb icon (a green one). This allows the setting up of opportunity targets in the event of Primary, Secondary and Tertiary targets being unavailable. Click on the bomb icon and drag it over a suitable target on the map. A course will be plotted to the target, and waypoints set up for the bomb run. The map is obviously a very important tool for you to use its where you get your information of where you are and how you are progressing on the mission. It also details areas of flak concentration and areas of fighter concentration. Unless you select Flawless navigation, you will have to concentrate to keep the aircraft on track to and from the target. This means looking at the terrain and checking where you think you are on the map (for more information check out the Navigation School section).

Inertia

If your aircraft is sitting still it wants to stay that way, resisting a change to its state of motion. If it is moving in a particular direction at a particular speed, it wants to retain that speed and heading. In flight, inertia tends to make manoeuvres more difficult at higher speeds. The faster your plane is moving, the more inertia it has in the direction of movement and so the engine and control surfaces have to do more work to get the plane to change direction.
G forces are the most obvious problem caused by inertia. G is the acceleration due to gravity (any acceleration experienced by the plane and pilot). When you change direction you are subject to Gs, inertia tries to keep you moving in your original direction. Side turns cause transverse Gs pushing you sideways in the opposite direction; downward turns cause negative Gs making you feel lighter; upward turns cause positive Gs pushing you into your seat. Note: Positive Gs can cause blackouts and negative Gs can cause redouts.

Level Flight

Level flight is achieved when all the forces are in balance and the aircraft moves at a constant speed without changing altitude. Pilots make level flight easier by setting the trim of the aircraft (this is akin to calibrating a joystick). By trimming you calibrate the elevators to compensate for lift and the ailerons and rudder to compensate for roll.
Level Climb and Level Descent
To gain or lose altitude without changing the pitch of the aircraft is done by changing the amount of lift generated by the wings. So to begin a level climb, increase the throttle. Speed will increase and add more lift making the aircraft climb gradually. To lose altitude (without diving and gaining speed), simply cut back on the throttle, reducing speed and creating less lift making the plane descend gradually. Do not fly at full throttle all the time, you will use up fuel and overheat your engines. Keep to cruising speed until you need to go into combat.

Climbs and Dives

To climb, pull back on the stick, the farther you pull, the steeper the climb you get although this depends on the capabilities of your aircraft and your airspeed. The most efficient full throttle angle of climb is about 20 degrees above the horizon. To dive, push forward on the stick, the farther you push, the steeper the dive will be (and the faster your airspeed gain).

Banking

To carry out a simple turn, push the stick to either side and the aircraft will roll in that direction redirecting the wings lift, making the plane bank to that side and turn in that direction. By pulling back on the stick you can tighten the turn you are making but you will also lose speed as you turn (nose dips and altitude drops). You must add throttle and pull back on the stick.

Taxi in the same way as for take off using throttle/steering brake and try to keep the cone in the centre of your windshield view and edge slowly towards it.
The cone will move to another position, repeat this process until the cone guides you to your bomber position. It will then turn red. Slow down and stop (throttle down). Apply the Parking Brake (key P).
Once you have parked the aircraft in its correct position the mission is effectively over. You will then be taken to the Mission Debriefing.

Bombardier School

Bombardier - General Principles If you want to be the Bombardier give yourself plenty of time to get into position from whatever view or location you are in and re-familiarise yourself with the bombing controls. Remember the mission has only one aim: to drop the bombs on the correct target accurately and promptly. You must be sure of your target identification and you must set the sight correctly to hit that target. Whilst the Norden bombsight is an incredibly flexible and accurate instrument, it can be brutally punishing to inexperienced users make sure you have flown both Training Missions, and are well acquainted with the skills of displacing and synchronising. The Targets The Primary target is your main objective. If the Primary is impossible or unavailable due to weather or other unhelpful conditions, you must switch to Secondary this is usually a lower order target that is within close range of the Primary. If you have to switch to secondary you must issue the Select Secondary Target message in the radio compartment. The Pilot will fly a new heading set by the Navigator. You may also have another option of a Tertiary target. If all three mission targets are unavailable to you (for whatever reason) then you may set an Opportunity target from the Navigators Map station. Click on a green bomb icon and drag it to a likely target on the map. The waypoints will appear automatically. Remember that random, ill-directed bombing will be penalised. However, if bombs are jettisoned to preserve the safety of the crew and the bomber, there will be no penalty imposed by Bomber Group. A mission is deemed to be successful by the amount of damage done to the target. If you fail to drop the bombs on the correct target the mission will be classed as a failure.

Bombsight Panel On/Off Bomb Bay Doors Autopilot Salvo/Train Mode Rack Selector Arming

Arming

Press key M to assume manual control of the Bomb Sight Panel (BSP). Click on the switch at the top of the panel to activate the BSP.
Below the topmost switch is a bank of three switches. 1. The first on the left opens the bomb bay doors. 2. The second arms the bomb delivery system. 3. The third enables the autopilot giving the bombardier control of the aircraft. Click all of these switches to On. By clicking on the autopilot switch you will be sending a message to the pilot that you have control of the aircraft.
Below the mid bank switches are another set of four switches that select the bomb racks in the bomb bay. If you have ordnance on all four racks, arm all four by flicking the switches. Red lights will confirm all On switches. On the left of the BSP are two controls that affect the bomb release mechanism.
Salvo Switch The first is the Salvo Switch. This control switches between Salvo Mode (all the bombs drop at once) or Train Mode (bombs drop one at a time with an interval set by an Intervalometer. Intervalometer The second control is the Intervalometer. Click to set the interval between bombs dropped in train (by milliseconds) up to 1 second maximum. You have now set the bombsight and are ready to release your bombs. Switch to the Bombardier Action View by pressing key A. Make sure you have manual control set (key M).
Search Mode Crosshairs Bomb Release Indices
Enter Search Mode by using SHIFT + K (A light will come on). Use your joystick to locate the target, place the crosshair over the target and then hit SHIFT + K to lock the target. The Sight starts in DRIFT Correction mode. Moving the joystick left adjusts the angle of Drift to the left the target will begin to drift more to the right of the sight picture. Moving the joystick right will alter the angle of Drift to the right the target will begin to drift more to the left of the sight picture. Press key N to enter RATE Correction mode. Moving the joystick up makes the rate track more slowly, so the target will move towards the bottom of the sight picture. Moving the joystick down will make the rate track more quickly, hence the target will appear to move back up towards the top of the sight picture. The objective is to freeze any vertical movement of the target.
You should adjust DRIFT and RATE until the sight picture shows no movement at all. This is called SYNCHRONISATION, and means the bombsight is correctly allowing for speed, altitude and wind drift. During your alterations, the target may have slipped out from the crosshairs. If you have time, you can enter SEARCH mode, using the SHIFT + K key combination, and place the target directly under the crosshair again. Provided that you have correctly SYNCHRONISED the sight, as described above, the crosshair will remain where you left it. Watch the two markers close towards each other. When they meet, the bombs will be dropped automatically by the bombsight, thus ensuring a drop accurate to the millisecond. Watch bombs release from bay and then press F6 to view down from inside the bomb bay and F6 again to view target from ground level (use mouse left button to zoom in and right hand button to move around target.

Unjamming Machine Guns

Guns will overheat and/or jam. If this happens, return to Compartment view (C), select the gunner by clicking on him (he will be highlighted) and right-click to access the crew management Icon Rose. Right click on the centre icon until you see the Unjam icon.
Left click on the icon to unjam the gun(s). You can watch the gunner try to unjam the gun(s). The simplest way of dealing with jams is to keep your bursts short and on target. This will also maximise your efficiency as regards ammunition.
If you are playing a historical scenario, you will have a limited number of rounds available to you in any mission so do not fire needlessly. Apart from the initial test firing (usually over the Channel) save your ammo for the fighter attacks. Select Instrument View (key I) or the Dial icon in the Crew Views pop-up panel to access the gunners ammunition box. Hover the pointer over the box to see how many rounds are left. Note: Space is limited on a B-17 and once you have used up all your ammunition there is no more available to you.
Section Five: Crew/Bomber Management
MOVING CREW TO NEW POSITIONS
All the B-17 crew can be re-allocated to other positions on board. This is crucial if you are attacked, suffer injury (or panic) and are short of a key crew (such as the Navigator). If you know your crew well enough you will be able to assign a substitute who has some level of skill in that key task. Note: If a crew station is not manned that station is unavailable to you to jump to. You must send a man to takeover before you can assume manual control. The crew of the B-17 are specialists in their particular skill but have to be prepared to do each others jobs in the event of injury. You must be able to manage the crew and re-allocate them to other positions in any emergency. At the start of any mission, the 10-man crew will be in their correct compartments. You can view them in their compartments by pressing the keyboard keys ` to 0. A white highlight will appear around the selected figure. Right click on a highlighted figure to open the Crew Management Icon Rose: a circular display of all other crew positions with a command icon in the centre.
Command Icon Position Icons
To move your selected crewman to another position click on the appropriate positional icon (making sure the Move To icon order is in the middle of the display).
The selected crewmember will leave his position and make his way to the nominated location. If you have moved the crew member to a position thats still occupied, the crew member who is still occupying the position will stand aside and let his replacement take over then await orders from you. Remember that the move will take place in real time, so if you choose to relocate the Bombardier as, say a Tail Gunner, he will have to make his way to the end of the airplane (and you can follow him through all the compartments using the Compartment view pop-up menu if you so wish).

B-17 Flying Fortress "The Mighty Eighth"

Introduction

They called it The Mighty Eighth, the US Army Air Force 8th Bomber Command. The force that flew daylight missions over occupied Europe, striking at specific military targets with pinpoint accuracy. The danger was that enemy fighters and flak sites could clearly see them. The solution was massive defensive bomber formations that had to fight their way there and fight their way back. B-17 Flying Fortress The Mighty Eighth recreates that era in a Second World War simulation that gives you total control of every aspect of the strategic air war (including the opposition fighters). Youll learn to fly the legendary B-17G Flying Fortress and feel the power and grace of the massive four-engine bomber. You can also be one of the escort fighter pilots and pilot the P-38 Lightning, the P-51 Mustang, or the P-47 Thunderbolt. In addition, you can take on the role of the Luftwaffe and jump into the cockpit of the German interceptors: the Bf 109, FW 190, and the jet powered Me 262! This is the ultimate tactical crew management game, as you become an expert at all ten B-17 crew positions. Take off and land the massive bomber, shoot from all turret positions, navigate across a realistically mapped Europe, send radio messages, carry out bomb runs, release the bombs and watch them hit the target! B-17 Flying Fortress The Mighty Eighth. The complete WW2 strategic air war flight simulation
The Flying Fortress is Born!
When newspaper reporters were first shown model 299 in Boeings Seattle factory on 16th July 1935, the aircraft simply took their breath away. "A regular fortress", one of them said, "a fortress with wings!" Boeing liked the name that was used in the headlines and so decided to register Flying Fortress as a trademark. Commissioned by the US Army Air Corps (USAAC), the aircraft specifications were those for a battleship for the skies: a multiengine bomber capable of 200 to 250 mph at 10,000 feet with a cruising speed of 170 to 200mph, a range of 6 to 10 hours and a service ceiling of 25,000 feet. When thirteen Model 299s were received by USAAC they were designated YB-17s. Y stood for evaluation, B for bomber and 17 because this was the seventeenth bomber design the USAAC had accepted. This was to prove an aircraft that exceeded all specifications for speed, range, climb and load carrying performance. As it was becoming evident that the US would become involved in the war in Europe, it was not long before the first orders were placed with Boeing for the production of the turbo-equipped B-17Bs. This was another major feature of the B-17: its adaptability to further development. Thirty-nine B-17Bs were delivered when the war broke out in 1939, followed by 38 B-17Cs and 42 B-17Ds these included new improved designs that could give 323mph top speed at 25,000 feet.
Boeing eventually took note of any design faults in the early types and then produced what was in effect, a completely new bomber, the B-17E, with its distinctive large tail fin and much improved firepower. Boeing was to build 512 B-17Es before they designed the B-17F the first truly battle-ready Flying Fortress. In the summer of 1942 the first B-17F rolled off the production line, Boeing were eventually to build 3,405 of them. This was the aircraft that flew most of the unescorted raids into Europe. The B-17G was the final development of the bomber design. Allin-all 8,680 B-17Gs were built equipping 108 squadrons of the 8th Air Force, 20 squadrons of the 15th Air Force in Italy and 200 to be used by the RAF. Most of the men who had flown a B-17 knew that it was a rugged aircraft, "Shell fight her way through to the target, do the job, take anything thrown at her and then do her damndest to get you home", stated a pilot after inspecting a large hole in the planes fuselage after a successful mission. It was calculated that the average life of a B-17 flown by the US 8th Air Force was 215 days: for 119 days it was non-operational, for 49 days it was under repair and for 47 days it flew missions. Such was the fury of aerial combat in the skies over Europe that it was notable if a B-17 survived 25 missions in its first year. In total the 8th Air Force received 6,500 B-17Gs. In March 1945 it could send 2,370 of them into combat operations. By the end of the war a total of 1,301 B-17Gs had been shot down or reported missing in action.

Your First Combat Mission
Starting Off After the opening animation screens you will see the Main Menu screen.

Game Options New Game

Before you do anything else you must check the status of the Navigation realism. Navigation is an important factor in the simulation. The aircraft can fly three levels of Navigation Complexity: Historical, Easy or Flawless but for this guide you will be flying with Flawless navigation. Click on the Game Option icon (top left) a red light will switch on when selected and then click on the Continue button (bottom right). You will be taken to the Game Difficulty/Realism menu screen. Select the second icon down on the left (marked 1,2,3) and then click on the Continue switch.
Scroll down the list to Navigation Complexity and make sure this is set at Flawless and then click on the Continue switch. Click on the return to previous screen switch (bottom left) to return to the Main Menu screen. Now select to play a New Game (the icon of the B-17 lower left). Click on the icon (a red light will switch on when selected) and then click on the Continue button (bottom right). You will be taken to the Game Options screen. Select to Play a Single Bomber Commander Campaign (the single aircraft icon top left) and flip the Continue switch (lower right). You will now be taken to the Eighth Air Force Division screen. Here you can choose which Bombardment group and which Squadron in that Group you want to join. Different Bombing Groups are based at different airfields across England. Select the 401st Bombing Group from the left hand panel. Select the 612th Squadron from the right hand panel. The lower graphic panels will show the insignia of the Bombing Group and the specific Squadron you have chosen. At the bottom of the screen is a Campaign Start panel (covering the period December 1st 1943 to February 10th 1945). This is where you choose the campaign length.
Click in the panel until it shows the date March 1st 1944. Flip the Continue switch (bottom right). You will now be taken to your bomber Name and Nose Art selection screen. Click on a nose art name for your bomber (click and drag the scroll bar to view all options in the left panel). The picture will be shown on the right hand panel. Now click on the Bomber Name panel (top), delete the default name with the backspace key and type in your own choice of name for your bomber and press Return/Enter. Try to match it to the nose art you have chosen. Flip the Continue switch (bottom right). Your next stop is your Crew screen. This shows the current crew for your B-17. Remember that you are in overall charge of the tenman crew and the one bomber.

Click on the round, red button to reshuffle all the names and faces. Click on the top left portrait (the Bombardier) and the bombardiers name will appear in the central panel Click inside the name panel and delete the name using the Backspace key Type in a new name (it could be your own) in the two panels and press Return/Enter to confirm each part of your name after typing it. Flip the Continue switch (bottom right) and you will be taken to the HQ Corridor screen. bomber commanders office mission briefing
Click on the door on the far left of the HQ Corridor and you will enter your office (you must try to be a bit more tidy!). Here you will find information about your crew and your bomber. Click on the book on the left of your desk and you will open the Crew Information File. The first page will open on the Bombardier details and will show the name you inserted in the Crew screen. Clicking on the tabs along the side of the book will show details for all ten crew (coded by position: TG Tail Gunner, N Navigator etc). Click away from the pages and the book will close Click on the book on the right of the desk and the Bomber Information File will open. This shows the details of the bomber you renamed. This is a new campaign so there will not be any details of any previous missions. Click anywhere away from the book to close the file. Click on the windows to go outside to Inspect Bomber and you will be taken to your Jeep. A clipboard will show the name of your bomber
This screen gives access to various mission planning and briefing screens. If you were playing the Squadron Commander game you would be able to plan all strategic operations but you, as Bomber Commander, will NOT have access to mission planning. But you do have your own office.
Click on the B-17s name on the clipboard. This will take you to the aircraft waiting at its dispersal point in the 3D world. Inspection is particularly useful when you have returned from a mission and want to see the damage your bomber has sustained. Full camera views are available:
Numeric Keypad Plus + and Minus Arrow keys PageUp/ PageDown Home / End Ins /Delete Mouse Alternately, you can use the mouse (with the right mouse button pressed in to zoom in/out and the left mouse button pressed in to rotate view.) Press Return to return to the jeep bonnet. This contains the Crew Management File. Click on the Crew Management File. This shows a summary of the crews abilities. A cross X shows the correct job of each crew member, a slash / shows a competence in another job. Its here that you can reassign your crew and manage their abilities as the campaign begins to take its toll and injuries accumulate. To change a crewmans job, click on the slash and it will become a cross. To ground a crewmember assign him to ground duties. Note that other crew positions will be automatically adjusted to fit in with your choices. = = = = = Zoom in / Zoom out move the view left/right/forward/backward tip view up/down move camera up and down rotate view left and right.

Click on the right hand page to turn it over and you will see details of each crewmans skills. These will improve as each man gets more and more mission experience. Click away to close the book and click on the bunch of keys to return to the airbase. You will be returned to the HQ Corridor screen. Now you have examined all aspects of your crew and bomber, youd best be briefed about your first mission. Click on the passageway to the near left to enter the Briefing Room.

Film Screen

Read Mission Briefing
The Briefing Room gives you all the current information available about your target (or targets) and the routes there and back. In the centre of the stage there is a projector screen where you can view a reconnaissance over fly of your Primary Target.
Click on the film screen and watch the film carefully. In this quick guide youll be sitting in the Bombardiers seat during the bomb run so itll help if you recognise the target. When the film has finished you will return to the Mission Briefing room. Click on the Map on the right of the stage to see bomber route, the target and the route back. The Map can be controlled by using the numeric keypad keys: Plus + and Minus Arrow keys PageUp/PageDown Ins/Delete = = = = Zoom in / Zoom out move the map left/right/up/down tip map up/down rotate map left and right.
Press the Return/Enter key to leave the map and return to the Briefing Room. Youve now seen a recon film and the route to the target but youve still to read all the target details. Click on the green Mission Briefing file on the desk in front of you. This opens on the Mission Summary page that includes details on the Primary and Secondary targets, type of bomb selected, distance to travel and fighter escort details. Click on the right hand page of the Mission Briefing file and it will turn to show the Primary Target details including Flak Strength, Fighter Strength and Target Intelligence. Click again on the right-hand page to view details of the Secondary Target. When you have read about the mission targets click on the right hand page again. You will now be asked to sign that you have read and understood the target/mission details. Click on the line (marked by an X) and a signature will appear. Click away from the book to close the Mission Briefing file and return to the Mission Briefing room.
Alternately, you can use the mouse (with the right mouse button pressed in) to move the map in all directions. The map shows Waypoints, Initial Points, Primary, Secondary, Tertiary targets (if available) and Rally Points. The red arrows show the direction of travel. Place your mouse cursor on a gold waypoint pyramid marker (you might have to tip and zoom in the map view) and you will see the height the bomber formation should be flying at when it hits that particular waypoint (you might have to zoom in with numeric keypad + key).

In this brief guide well jump into a variety of positions You should still be in external view, in the B-17 squadron formation. Skip time (press Return/Enter) as much as you can to speed up the getting there procedure. If you are unable to skip time that means that a game event is happening, such as escort fighters scrambling, flak firing or enemy fighters engaging you in combat. Now lets look at the Pilot and Co-Pilot controls Return to the Pilots Compartment view by pressing F1. You should be on the flight deck just behind the Pilot and Co-Pilot. (If you are not press key 3 and select Compartment View from the right hand pop-up menu.) Select the Pilot (if hes not already selected) by clicking on the figure on the left. All members of the crew have their own set of specific views. The Pilot has an Action view (accessed by pressing key A) which drops you into his seat looking out of the front window and left/right in the virtual cockpit), and an Instrument view (press key I) showing the fully functioning cockpit dials. All these views can be also accessed via the View Menu panel by hovering the mouse cursor on the central right edge of the screen.
In addition, some crew positions have additional instrument views that relate to their jobs. The Pilot and Co-Pilot have specific close up instrument views (F5, F6, F7, F8 and F9). Press key A to access the Pilots Action view. Look left/right in the virtual cockpit using the Joystick Hat. Press key I to access the Instrument view. This is a fully functioning B-17 cockpit with dials, switches, levers etc all working. Press F5 to see the Co-Pilots instruments. Press F6 to see the close-up engine dials. Press F7 and F8 to see the close-up Pilots dials/switches. Press F9 to see the close up of the Startup and cooling instruments. Note: Do not operate any of these instruments in manual mode until you understand more about the B-17 simulation controls (see the complete manual). Now lets have a tour of the different crew positions. Return to the Pilots Compartment view (Key C or use the View Menu panel).
All stations in the simulation have a pre-set key, which can take you to the station provided a crewmember is manning it: ` Bombardier Navigator Cheekgunner Pilot Co-Pilot Engineer / Top Turret Gunner Radio Operator Ball Turret Gunner Left Waist Gunner Right Waist Gunner Tail Gunner
Press keyboard key ` and you will jump to the Nose Compartment. This is where the Bombardier and the Navigator work. Note that key ` has also selected and highlighted the Bombardier. If you press key 1 the Navigator will be highlighted. Weve already seen the Pilots compartment (see earlier) so to continue with the tour, press key 5. This will take you to the Engineer/Top Turret gunner compartment next to the bomb bay.
Note that because of his position the Engineer/Top Turret gunner is obscured by the bombs and is not shown fully, but you can just see his legs highlighted. Press the Action view (key A) and you will see the Top Turret view. Press key M to take control of the top turret and rotate/fire the guns using your joystick. Notice the realistic tracer path but do not shoot at your own aircraft! Youve already seen the Radio Operators compartment (key 6) so try pressing key 7 and note that because you were in the Top Turret Gunners Action view, you have jumped immediately into the Ball Turret Gunners Action view. Press key C or click on the second icon down on the View Menu panel to see the Compartment view. You will now see the two waist gunners with an almost obscured highlight of the Ball Turret gunners position close to the feet of the Right Waist Gunner. Now select one of the Waist Gunners (click on one of them or press key 8 or 9), and go to his Action view (key A or View Menu panel third icon down). You will be in position in front of the machine gun. Select manual control (key M) and fire the machine gun. Now return to the Compartment view by pressing key C.

The final compartment is where the Tail Gunner lives. Select keyboard key zero 0 and key A to view the Tail Gunners action view. Press key M to take over control and try firing the machine guns. Getting Around There various ways to navigate around the aircraft positions. 1. At the top of the screen is a Crew Portrait pop-up panel that allows you to jump to any member of the crew by clicking on his portrait. 2. To the left of the screen is a Crew Task pop-up panel that allows you to jump to any crew task (Navigation, Bomb Aiming/Dropping, Flying (as Pilot) etc.). 3. At the bottom of the screen is a panel that pop-up only in Compartment View that allows you to jump into the main B-17 compartments. Return to the Tail Gunners compartment view (key 0 and key C). Place the mouse cursor at the top of the screen and this will show a pop up panel with portraits of the crew in 1-10 order (see above). This allows you to left-click on the portrait to jump to and select another named crewman in his compartment.
Warning Red Text Throughout the mission you may hear speech from the crew giving headings (Navigator to Pilot) etc. This will be shown at the bottom of the screen in ordinary text. You have merely to note what is being said. However there will be times when you will be prompted to perform a task (such as during an enemy fighter attack) to man the machine guns etc in this case Red Text will appear when the message is heard. If you click on the red text you will jump immediately to the action station most associated with that message. For example, if you see red text message Bandits at 6 oclock, level and you click on the text, you will jump to the tail gunners station in action view. Either watch the tail gunner fire his gun at the enemy fighters or press M to take control and fire the gun yourself. Now lets look at where the aircraft is headed and jump to the Navigators station. Open the top panel and click on the second portrait from the left this is the Navigator. You are currently in Compartment view, so you will jump to the aircraft nose section (where the Bombardier also lives). The Navigator will be highlighted to show that he is the selected crewman. Press key I to access the Navigators Instrument view. This will show his desk and instruments: the Radio Compass, the Drift Meter (see later) and the Map. Click on the Map (on the left of the screen) and you will jump to the Map screen.
This map is very similar to the mission briefing map but it also has a track of the planes position (a green aircraft icon at the correct height and an aircraft shadow to show position across the ground) and its projected course (a broken blue line) and its actual course across the map (a broken and diminishing green line). All map controls are the same as for the map in the Briefing Room (see above). You are flying on Flawless level so the actual course flown by the aircraft will not differ from the mission briefing, but if you were to fly Easy or Historical navigation complexity you would have to adjust position by referring to the map and the outside views see the Navigator School in the complete manual. Exit the Map screen by pressing key C to go to the Compartment view. Select the Bombardier by clicking on him or pressing key (the crewman sitting right in the nose of the compartment) and he will be highlighted. Press the instrument key I to view the Norden bombsight. This is a complex piece of equipment that can locate and lock on to targets efficiently as long as it is given the correct data and used properly. For actual details of manual bombing see the Bombardier School in the complete manual, but for now lets look through the sight. Press the Action View key A. You will be looking at the ground (or the sea) through the bombsight.

The Bombardier will now move the chin turret controls over the bombsight. Press key A to access the Chin Turret Action view and you will see the chin turret sight. Press key M to get manual control of the Chin Turret and fire off a few rounds. Now, with what youve already learnt, try to make the Bombardier return to his Bombsight (note that the Norden Bombsight icon will have replaced the chin turret icon in the topmost position of the icon rose).

Returning Home

After releasing their bombs the aircraft will go to the Rally Point and then take the route marked on the mission map home (check this on the Navigators map view). Again, except in flawless Navigation complexity, your Navigator will need to check the map to the actual geography. This is a dangerous time when all gunners have to be alert; you may be attacked by fighters or flak. This is a good opportunity to try out the gunners stations and to get an understanding for the zones around the B-17 that each gunner can defend. Be careful not to shoot at your own aircraft in the formation and note that, if the guns jam, you can attempt to unjam them in the following way: Return to compartment view (Key C) Right click on the gunner figure to open his icon rose Right click on the icon in the middle until you see the Repair spanner and click on the Unjam guns icon that appears above it. Gunners will call out bandits on the Clock System with 12 oclock in front of the aircraft, six oclock behind, and nine oclock on the left etc. Level means level with the aircraft high and low are relative to the B-17s level flight. Unless something happens to the Pilot, the B-17 will be flown back to base and landed.

Mission Debriefing

At the end of the mission (when the aircraft has come to a halt) you will be taken to the Mission Debriefing hut. Click on the mission debriefing file to view details of your recent mission performance (click on the page to turn it). Here youll find all details of the mission analysed and you may be informed of any medals and promotions. You have now completed your first combat mission in a B-17.

The Training Missions

If you have completed the guide above, you will have already been on a complete mission and had a quick taster of action. The more complex levels of the simulation however depends on your own skills and so, to improve these skills, the game provides a set of Training Missions (use of bombsight etc.). Remember to have the Key Guide to hand when attempting these missions. Select New Game. Select Choose a Training Mission (the middle panel on the right) and you will go to the mission selection screen. Look at the panel at the top of the screen to access a training mission topic (you can scroll down the list by clicking on, holding down and dragging the right hand slider). Select the training topic you want to practice and the mission brief or set of tasks will be shown in the lower panel.

Scroll this panel to read full details of what you have to do. Flip the Continue switch (lower right) to jump into a Training Mission. You will be taken into the 3D world so that you can perform the training exercise without risk to life and limb.
4. Use all camera views (especially the zoom in /out functions) to see where the main runway is. 5. Steer left- right using the Rudder controls (keyboard or joystick) 6. Stop at the top of the runway, lock your tailwheel (T) 7. Throttle up full using keyboard or joystick controls 8. Ease the aircraft gently into the air and perform a shallow climb 9. Raise gear (Up Arrow) 10. Raise flaps (Key F)
Mission 1: Taxi and Take Off
Your aircraft is on its dispersal point at an airfield with engines running, wheel brakes set, tailwheel locked and flaps fully raised. This is simply an exercise in taxiing the B-17 to the main runway and then performing a take off. Its here that you will learn basic ground handling skills and take off procedures. The mission will end once you get to 1,000 feet pull in your gear and raise your flaps. Press key M to take control 1. You will not be able to see much of the runway from the pilots position (just like the real thing) so youre advised to stay in outside view when manoeuvring the B-17 to the runway (F2 with camera keys). 2. Use the Pilot Helper function (Key H), this will give you taxi waypoints to meet, and direct you to the most sensible runway. 3. Set the plane up for take off by applying half flaps (Shift + F), releasing the Parking Brake (Shift + P) and unlocking the Tail Wheel (Shift + T).
Mission 2: Approach and Landing
You are on the approach to the main runway of the airfield. All engines are running, gear and flaps are fully raised. You are in the Pilots seat behind the controls of the B-17 as it turns onto final approach. You will need to follow the correct approach and ease the bomber onto the runway. The mission ends once youve landed brought the aircraft to a complete halt. Press key M to take control 1. Use the external camera views for maximum visibility 2. Locate the main runway where you will land (it should be lined up in front of you) 3. Drop main gear (Shift + Up Arrow)

4. Ease up on the all engine throttle 5. Lower flaps (Shift + F) 6. Glide in to the runway and land all three wheels 7. Cut throttle as plane rolls 8. Once the aircraft has stopped moving put the Parking Brake on (Key P)
4. Click and move the Turbo-Supercharger and Throttle to zero for Engine 1. Number one engine should now be feathered 5. Switch to the Action view (key A) and look to the left to verify that Engine 1 has been feathered. The prop will have turned visibly, and will not be spinning as fast as the other prop. 6. Locate the fuel system switches above the pedestal and turn on the leftmost column. 7. Click on the large, round red button marked "1" 8. Set the throttle and Turbo speeds to match the other three engines. At this point the engine has started and is developing the same thrust as the others the mission is successful.
Mission 3: Feathering / Restarting an Engine
An unfeathered engine adds drag, could cause a fire or even sever the propshaft so its very important to learn how to feather an engine in flight. You are flying above the airfield at an altitude of 5,000 feet and airspeed of 155 mph (IAS). The engines are running, gear and flaps are fully raised. You must feather engine number 1 and then restart it, all while maintaining speed and altitude. If you drop below 1,000 feet you will fail this mission. Note that if you leave the plane in automatic for this mission, the AI will stop you flying into the ground whilst you are concentrating on your instrument panel. 1. Go to the Pilots Instruments view in the cockpit (Key I). 2. Click on the large, round red button marked "1" 3. Find the fuel system switches above the pedestal and turn off the left most column.
Mission 4: Bombing Good Conditions
In this mission you must locate the target and release the bombs as accurately as possible. You will be the Bombardier just at the beginning of the bomb run. The Norden bombsight is already configured with altitude and speed correctly. Altitude is 8,000 feet, and airspeed 155mph (IAS). All engines are running well, gear and flaps are fully raised. The weather is good, altitude is low and there is no flak or fighter opposition to worry about.
Press key M to take control 1. Wait for the Bombardier to report that you are "On the bombrun" 2. Press the spacebar to go to the Bomb Panel 3. Click the Bomb Indicator button ON 4. Click ON Bomb Bay Doors, Bomb Arming, Autopilot and the four rack switches 5. Press the spacebar to return to Norden bombsight view 6. Press Key A to go to Bombardiers Action View (you will be looking through the bombsight) 7. Make sure you are in Search Mode (The yellow light should be lit) 8. Use your joystick or keyboard keys control to locate the target and click joystick button to lock on the target 9. Adjust by unlocking target and readjusting control then lock again. 10. Watch the two markers close towards each other 11. When they meet press the Bomb Release button 12. Watch the bombs drop from the bay and then press F6 to view the target from above and F6 again to view target from ground level (use mouse left button to zoom in and right hand button to move around target.

Mission 5: Bombing Poor Conditions
In this mission you must fly a mission to a target and bomb it. The weather is more overcast and more like normal European cloud cover. The altitude is 18,000 feet, which is average for a run on a defended target, but there is no flak or fighter opposition. The bomber mission starts just before the Initial Point of the bomb run so you must carry out the full calibration of the bombsight. Press key M to take control 1. Wait for the Bombardier to report that you are "On the bombrun" 2. Press the spacebar to go to the Bomb Panel 3. Click Bomb Indicator button ON 4. Click ON Bomb Bay Doors, Bomb Arming, Autopilot and the four rack switches. 5. Press spacebar to return to Norden bombsight view 6. Press key 1 to jump to Navigator and press on Action view Key A 7. Press key M to take control (of the Navigator) 8. Check Drift meter a point on the ground must travel consistently along one of the drift meter lines. Read off the Drift in Degrees (e.g. -26) 9. Press Key I, then press key ` to return to the Bombardier
Press key M to take control (of the Bombardier) 10. Enter the value on the Drift Meter dial of the Norden Bombsight by clicking and dragging the needle 11. Use your joystick or keyboard keys control to locate the target and click the joystick button to lock on target 12. Adjust by unlocking target and readjusting control then lock again. 13. Watch the two markers close towards each other 14. Watch the bombs release from bay and then press F6 to view target from above and F6 again to view target from ground level (use mouse left button to zoom in and right hand button to move around target.
You will begin in the Chin Turret position in the Bombardiers gun station. Press key M to take control (of the Top Turret Gunner) 1. Wait for the target B-17 to appear 2. Aim and fire. When 50 hits are recorded you will not be able to fire anymore and have to move on. 3. Press F2 to get an outside view of the B-17 4. Press the ] key to select the target B-17 and use the Camera keys to look at the colourful damage 5. Press [ to select your B-17 and press F1 to return to Chin Turret station 6. Repeat the above for all gun positions in this order: (Dont forget you can use the positions toolbar on the left of the screen to swap more quickly between the manned stations!) Chin Turret, Cheek Gun, Ball Turret, Left Waist Gun, Right Waist Gun and Tail Gun. 7. When you have succeeded in hitting the B-17 with all guns the mission will end. All Training Missions will be debriefed. You will be told in the Debriefing File if you have achieved the required competence.

Mission 6: Gunnery

You are in the air above the airbase at an altitude of 12,000 feet and at an airspeed of 150mph IAS. The Navigator is in his alternative position on the Cheek gun. You must shoot at a target B-17. It will come up alongside you in various positions to cover all gun positions. You should experiment with leading a target and the effects of range on bullet arcs. You must hit the bomber with 50 rounds from each position but dont worry about doing any damage all guns are loaded with special paint rounds.

The Fighter Escorts

The task of the fighter escort squadrons is to give the heavy bombers maximum protection to and from their target. This means that the fighters have to stay with the bombing force as long as possible. Each fighter squadron has three or four flights stepped down behind the lead flight so that all can keep an eye on the leader. Flights are kept 150 feet apart with individual aircraft 40 feet from each other. As soon as they achieve formation, P-38 Lightnings and the P-47 Thunderbolts immediately turn on their long distance drop tanks, while the P-51 Mustang uses up about 30 gallons from its main tanks to maintain balance before turning to wing drop tanks. Pilots have to avoid any supplementary combat activity because this will mean that the long distance drop tanks have to be jettisoned and the bomber fleet abandoned. On rendezvous with the bombers three fighter squadrons are allocated to each combat wing. One squadron is divided and positioned ahead and above the bombers; another squadron also splits and takes up position above and about a mile away on either side of the formation. The last squadron climbs 4000 feet directly above the force and ten miles into the sun, trying to anticipate the standard enemy fighter strategy of diving out of the suns glare. The escort fighters weave or orbit so that they can stay in touch with the slower bombers.
The main fighter combat tactic used by both sides is to use the suns glare to achieve surprise in diving attacks, turning into an enemy, tightening a turn to get behind him, rolling away and diving to escape a dangerous situation. But as in all things, the tactics depends on the individual aircrafts performance.

P-38 Lightning

Built by: Aircraft Type: Dimensions: Engines: Max Speed: Cruise Speed: Ceiling:
Lockheed Long range fighter /bomber/single-seater 37 10" Length; 52 0" Span 2 Allison V-1710s-89/414 mph* mph* 40 44,000 feet*

P-51 Mustang

Built by: Aircraft Type: Dimensions: Engine: Max Speed: Cruise Speed: Ceiling: Combat Radius: Fixed Weapons: * Models B to D
North American Aviation Fighter / Single-seater 32 3" Length; 37 0" Span Packard Rolls-Royce Merlin V-1650-3/7* mph* 210 - 320 mph* 42,000 feet 450 miles (750 miles on drop tanks) 4 6* wing-mounted.50 calibre Browning machine guns
Considered by many to be the best fighter of the war, the Mustang began life with an Allison engine as an underpowered, low-altitude attack aircraft. But when it had the Rolls-Royce Merlin 61 engine installed it was transformed into an excellent high altitude escort fighter. With a pair of drop tanks, the Mustang could escort from England to anywhere in Germany. Entering service in 1944 this was an aircraft that became the vital lifeline for US bomber crews throughout the rest of the war. With its vast range, great manoeuvrability and a speed no other fighter can beat, the P-51 is the shining star of the USAAF, taking more kills than any other plane. The Merlin engine gives you the power for quick, steep climbs and the Mustang has the firepower to take care of any situation, plus its accurate and stable in a dive. Beware that the P-51s guns can jam during tight turns (the ammo belts cause the gun breech to block). Its also very vulnerable to enemy ground fire due to an easily punctured cooling system.
Germany entered with a decided edge in technology and aerial combat skills. The Germans did not build warplanes in the 1920s but they did organise the personnel and facilities that would slot in when they did. Civilian aircraft models were designed that could easily be converted into a military function. In 1935, the German government announced the formation of a new air force, the Luftwaffe, and began full-scale production of warplanes. State of the art innovations such as beacons and radio stations were developed to help night flights and the Spanish Civil War was used as a proving ground to test out the new planes and strategies. When the war began Germany was the most advanced power in aviation in the world.

FW 190

The Luftwaffe

From the earliest days of combat flight, Germany has always been a leader in military aviation technology and during the 1920s and 1930s the country was consumed with a passion for flight. State funded flying and gliding clubs (military aviation was banned under the Treaty of Versailles at the end of WW1) were to be a fertile source of many future pilots and, on the advent of war in 1939,
Built by: Aircraft Type: Dimensions:
Focke-Wulf Flugzeugbau Fighter / Single-seater 8.8m 10.24m* (290"- 33 5"*) Length; 10.5m (34 5") Span Engine: BMW 801D / Jumo 213A* Max Speed: 654 km/h 685 km/h* (mph*) Cruise Speed: 480 km/h 518 km/h* (298 - 321 mph*) Ceiling: 11,400m 12,000m (37,403 39,372)* Combat Radius: 266km 282km (miles)* Fixed Weapons: 2 cowling mounted 13mm MG131 cannon 2 wing-mounted (inner) 20mm Mauser MG151 cannon (A8 only) 2 wing-mounted (outer) 20mm Mauser MG151 cannon * Models A8 - D9 The Focke-Wulf 190 is thought to be Germanys best fighter of the war. When the first version entered service in 1941, it showed marked superiority to its opponents in almost every aspect. The FW 190 could out run, out turn and out climb anything it encountered. However the later models were mainly intended for bomber interception and so carried more firepower and armour making them considerably heavier and less manoeuvrable. Heavily armed with four 20mm cannons and two machine guns this proved to be the Allied bombers most feared adversary.
The FW-190 is a great fighter to fly, giving excellent visibility, an unequalled rate of roll and easy take offs and landings. In flight, it reacts quickly to the slightest command and can climb and dive with ease. The improved turning of the D models, impressive armament, compact shape and superior handling make this an excellent fighter for medium altitudes. Against the US heavy bombers you must employ a frontal assault strategy by flying high and fast to gain position ahead and above, then turning and diving towards the approaching targets and levelling out at the last minute. Timed right youll get about 15 seconds to fire before you are forced to dive away. If you are attacked in a turn you can use your superior rate of roll to flick over into a dive.

Bf-109 (Me-109)

Messerschmitt Fighter / Single-seater 8.8m 9.05m* (284"- 29 8")* Length; 9.9m 9.92m* (32 4"- 32 7") Span Engine: Daimler-Benz DB 601N Max Speed: 570 km/h 727 km/h* (mph)* Cruise Speed: 483 km/h 590 km/h* (300 - 366 mph)* Ceiling: 11,000m 12,500m (36,100 41,000)* Combat Radius: 200km 240km (miles)* Fixed Weapons: (E4) 2 wing-mounted 20mm Mauser MG151 cannon 2 cowling mounted 7.92mm Solothurn machine guns (G6) 1 engine-mounted 20mm Mauser MG151 cannon 2 cowling-mounted 13mm MG131 cannon (K4) 1 engine-mounted 30mm Mauser MG151 cannon 2 cowling-mounted 13mm MG131 cannon *Models E4 G6 K4