SEE PAGE 18

Exc lus ive! Inter

view with Da

redevi l

Air Pirate N

ATHAN ZACH

ARY

SEE PAGE 4

Secret Photos!

Inside the C

abin of a

PIRATE Zeppe

lin! SEE PAGE

8

A Pilot’s Dr

eam Come T

rue!

The Latest C

ockpit Instr

uments

SEE PAGE 18

Exc lus ive! Inter

view with Da

redevi l

Air Pirate N

ATHAN ZACH

ARY

SEE PAGE 4

Secret Photos!

Inside the C

abin of a

PIRATE Zeppe

lin! SEE PAGE

8

A Pilot’s Dr

eam Come T

rue!

The Latest C

ockpit Instr

uments

North Americas #1 Publication Covering Topics Important to Aviators and Aviation.

No.1

ES, DC, PC 45 cents ~ NW, TX, DX 35 cents December 10, 1937

MAGAZINEReg. Empire State Patent Office — Printed in Canada

THE FLAGSHIP ALOFT! Zachary’s “PANDORA” and her Escorts Photo by T. Lubsen / Location Pilot V. Bonilla

3Vol.12

UNIVERSE

Sharpen your dogfighting with ...

INSTALLING

Insert the Crimson Skies CD into the CD-ROMdrive, and follow the directions on the screen. IfSetup does not begin automatically, refer to theReadme file on the Crimson Skies CD.

STARTING

Click Start, point to Programs, Microsoft Games, and Crimson Skies,and then click Crimson Skies.

On the Crimson Skies main menu, choose one of the following.

Campaign

Start or continue a campaign or replay a previous mission. Games aresaved automatically at the end of each mission. To replay a previousmission, see “A Pirate’s Memoirs,” this issue, page 11.

Instant Action

Jump straight into a dogfight! Select from an assortment of missions ordesign your own. For details, see “Instant Action,” this issue, page 27.

Multiplayer

Configure multiplayer games between you and your friends over a LAN,a modem, or the Internet. For more details, see Dr. Fassenbiender’sinterview in this issue of AAW, page 28.

Preferences

Adjust the game, audio, video, and control settingsof Crimson Skies.

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Handy paperclips are included to attachMission Objectives and ReconnaissancePhotos to the map. Also included—free—is a smudge-proof red wax pencilto circle your objectives on the map.

Press ESC to examine themap during any mission.

ATLAS MISSION MAP

Self-orienting compass: No need to turnthe map sideways or upside down!

Resume Mission

Click here to close the map andreturn to the mission.

Restart Mission

Click here to restart your currentmission.

Preferences

Click here to change the game,audio, video, and control settings of

Crimson Skies.

Quit Mission

Click here to exit the mission andreturn to the cabin.

North America’s #1 Publication Covering Topics Important to Aviators and Aviation

TABLE OF CONTENTSRegistered with the Empire State Patent Office – Printed in Canada

Air Action Weekly—theauthority on the pilots,planes, and events in theskies of North America since1928—has reason to beespecially excited about thisissue. Our featured pilot isthat daredevil ace, debonairman of the world (some saybloodthirsty pirate), NathanZachary.

Mr. Zachary’s name hasbeen splashed acrossheadlines from the Nation ofHollywood to the EmpireState—but until now, noofficial biography of thisman of mystery has everbeen published.

Our ace reporters havesurreptitiously snappedphotographs of Zachary’sbase of air operations, thePandora. Ever wonderwhat’s inside a pirate zep?You’ll get a look in thisissue.

We also have articles on thelatest aviation controls andflight tips from our experts.

This issue is bursting at theseams, Reader!

— Nero MacLeonSenior EditorAir Action Weekly Press

Dr. Fassenbiender’s Crimson SkiesLearn more about this wondrous product. Install,start, and load combat missions. .................................... inside front cover

Atlas Mission MapLost? Need a familiar landmark? Atlas’s special water-resistantfolding map will guide you through any mission. ..................................... 1

The Tall Tales & Many Lives of Nathan ZacharyOur featured pilot tells of his early career and how he turned topirating. Is he a ruthless cutthroat or a pirate with a heartof gold? You decide! ....................................................................................... 4

The Rise of Air Piracy and the Fall of the United StatesAn historical retrospective of how the blue skies over NorthAmerica turned crimson with bloodthirsty acts. ........................................ 6

A Pirate’s HomeInvestigative reporter Patricia Clark snaps exclusive photosof the Pandora, aerial base of operations for Nathan Zachary. ................ 8

A Pirate’s MemoirsExclusive bonus photos of Nathan Zachary’s secret privatescrapbook. View the exploits of his past adventures! ............................... 10

Blueprint Blues: Plane Construction BasicsFrom start to finish, now you can build the aircraft of your dreams! ...... 12

Prelude to Mayhem: A Pirate BriefingOur fly-on-the-wall reporter sits in on one of Nathan Zachary’sbriefings and finds out how he chooses and arms his planes! ................ 14

Flight BasicsA reprint of one of our most popular articles. Learn the basicsof how to get your plane into the air—and keep it there! ......................... 16

Only the Best! Flight InstrumentationOur engineers lay out the state-of-the-art cockpit instrumentationand instruct you on how to use it. ............................................................... 18

.................................................................................. 31

P

Go to pg. 27to start flying

right away.

Fly Now!

No Delay!

Fireman’s Combat TipsOur weekly pointers for beginners and aces alike. ................................... 21

Crosshairs: The Experts Set Their Sights on Targeting!Learn how to sight faster, shoot straighter, and smoke every piratethat crosses your path. And we introduce the spyglass! .......................... 22

Eyes Wide Open: ViewsMake sure you’re aware of everything in the air! Find out how to lookabove, below, and even behind you without losing your bearings. ....... 24

Stunts—How to Gain Fame & Glory!Fly your plane through the eye of a needle, and get peopleto notice you! .................................................................................................. 26

Instant ActionFill out our story questionnaire—choose when and where and whatyou’ll fly—and launch into a quick showdown in the clouds. .................. 27

Multiplayer Games: An Exclusive Interview with Dr. FassenbienderDr. Fassenbiender explains how to fly and fight with yourfriends—or enemies—in a multiplayer game. .............................................. 28

Bona Fide Advertising!

Information in this document, including URL and other Internet Web site references, is subject tochange without notice. Unless otherwise noted, the example companies, organizations, products,people and events depicted herein are fictitious and no association with any real company, organi-zation, product, person or event is intended or should be inferred. Complying with all applicablecopyright laws is the responsibility of the user. Without limiting the rights under copyright, no partof this document may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted inany form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise), or for anypurpose, without the express written permission of Microsoft Corporation.

Microsoft may have patents, patent applications, trademarks, copyrights, or other intellectualproperty rights covering subject matter in this document. Except as expressly provided in any writ-ten license agreement from Microsoft, the furnishing of this document does not give you any licenseto these patents, trademarks, copyrights, or other intellectual property.

© & 2000 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

Microsoft, MS-DOS, Windows, Windows NT, Crimson Skies, DirectDraw, DirectPlay, DirectSound,DirectX and MSN are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in theUnited States and/or other countries/regions.

The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of theirrespective owners.

4

The TALL TALES & MANY LIVES ofNATHAN ZACHARY

I ’VE ALWAYS BEEN SURROUNDED BY wide-open spaces. My folks told me I was born on a mesa undera full moon. They said I tried to reach up and touch it.I don’t know if that’s true, but that image has alwaysfascinated me. I’ve always tried to grab the biggest,brightest prize in the sky.

We were Gypsies, wandering what had been theAmerican Southwest, doing odd jobs and somehowscraping by. My folks were often accused of stealing.They weren’t thieves, but theywere poor and lacked thestature and eloquent words todefend their honor.

When I was sixteen, I liedabout my age and joined theArmy Air Corps. Six weekslater I was steaming towardEurope to fight in the GreatWar. Eddie Rickenbacker tookme on as his wingman andtaught me how to fly and fight.I collected a half dozen med-als that first year.

But my career as a warhero ended when I met theGerman ace Wilhelm Kisler.He showed me I wasn’t invin-cible, downing my plane inthe Alps where I was capturedand stuck in a POW camp.

I rotted in that camp for a year before a couple ofofficers and I escaped—running smack into the Rus-sian Front. We did the only thing we could: joined theRusskies and flew their junk biplanes. We called oursquadron the Gypsies, and despite the long odds weheld our own against the Germans.

When the Great War ended, the fighting in Russiaunfortunately continued. The Bolsheviks overthrew theCzar. I was caught in the middle and had to choose

sides. It wasn’t easy becauseI had fought alongside Russianfarmers, and officers, and waseven decorated by Nicolas I—but in the end, I supported thePeople’s Army.

The Russians that I knew,however, changed. I watchedthe Red Army as they commit-ted the same atrocities thathad been inflicted upon them.I figured I had to somehoweven the score, so I started fly-ing the old noble familiesacross the border to safety.While that eased my con-science, it also made me en-emy number one of the Rus-sian State.

I fled to England and at-tended Oxford University, re-turning in 1923 to the United

IMAGINE OUR SURPRISE when Air Action Weekly received atelegram from Nathan Zachary asking if we’d like to interviewhim. Would we! Ace reporter Patricia Clark met with Mr. ZacharyDecember 21, 1936, on Hilton Beach, Hawaii. Here, in his ownwords, is the story of one of today’s most controversial pilots ...

5

States (it was still the United States then) with a lawdegree and a fat bankroll.

Having seen how the rich and privileged hadabused their power, I had a notion to beat them attheir own game. I entered the stock market. By 1929 Iwas rubbing elbows with the likes of Rockefeller, Ford,and other young upstarts like Howard Hughes. I livedin a mansion on Long Island with expensive cars andservants ... and I was never more miserable in my life.

You see, I hadn’t become any better than these ty-coons. I had become one of them, stepping on littleguys and not giving a damn about anyone but myself.

It was a relief when the stock market crashed andtook it all away.

When the United States split, I started hearing ofpirates in the air. That inspired me to return to a life

that promised no future but delivered a present worthliving in.

Today, the world is out of balance. Maybe I can tipthe scales. I attack the rich and powerful of any nationand take what they treasure most—their money. Indoing so I may bring them down a notch and showthem they are not untouchable.

Let me end with a quote from a sixteenth-centuryEnglish pirate that sums up my philosophy: “We willlive life to the fullest, spit in the eye of those that wouldhold us down, and will surely hang because of it.”

Come

ZONE

to

The

For an interview with thecreator of the multiplayergame himself, see“MULTIPLAYERGAMES: AN EXCLU-SIVE INTERVIEW WITHDR. FASSENBIENDER,”this issue, page 28.

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6

1 Pacifica2 Disputed Western

Territories3 Lakota Territory4 People’s Collective5 Industrial States of

America

6 Protectorate ofOntario

7 République de Québec8 Maritime Provinces9 Atlantic Coalition10 Empire State11 Columbia

12

3

19

5

67

8

9

11

13

14

17

1815

16

4

The RISE of AIR PIRACYand the FALL of the UNITED STATES

2021

22

23

THE SKIES OF NORTH AMERICA are a dangerous place, but theyweren’t always that way. Once upon a time America was united andstable. And not too long ago, automobiles, railroads, and steamers werethe best way to travel, while airplanes were only a curiosity.

12 Protectorate of theOuter Banks

13 Appalachia14 Confederation of Dixie15 French Louisiana16 Protectorate of

Oklahoma

17 Republic of Texas18 Arixo19 Navajo Nation20 Free Colorado State21 Utah22 Nation of Hollywood23 Kingdom of Hawaii

12

10

7

SO WHAT HAPPENED? As the Federal government crumbled, the vast ma-jority of the nation’s military deserted or swore alle-giance to their native states. Many sold their skills asmercenaries or bandits.

North America’s fascination with airplanes nowbecame a necessity, as commerce between the newindependent nations ground to a halt. Brushfire warsdemolished the intercontinental railway system, andthe highways quickly fell into disrepair or were sabo-taged. The automobile, once destined to become thenational shipping vehicle, gave way to gyrotaxis,aerobuses, and the large cargo zeppelins that com-manded the skylines.

“Air pirates” captured the public eye during thisperiod of turmoil. Small, disorganized bands of thrill-seekers and publicity hounds, these pirates begancrime sprees that would inspire others.

The first serious pirate threat came in 1931.Jonathan “Genghis” Kahn—a former businessman fromChicago—created the infamous Red Skull Legion. TheSkulls moved into Utah (posing as People’s Collectivemilitia) where they stole a military zeppelin.

Low-intensity border skirmishes between the newnation-states continued through 1935. Amidst thechaos, bootleggers and pirates thrived. Scores of newmilitias, most determined to defend their states, battledincreasingly colorful and flamboyant raiders. TheRedmann Gang, the Red Skull Legion, the Black Swans,and other pirate groups pillaged across national bound-aries. The nation-states continued to subsidize theirair wings but also began offering Letters of Marque topirates, allowing them to legally attack the nation’srivals.

Today, North America is a continent politely at warwith itself. Rival militias fall on each other in defenseof their own national interests. Pirates and privateerschallenge these militias for control of the skies, andthey are often victorious.

The air lanes are the new frontier, where a singleindividual with skill and nerve can make all the differ-ence. Today’s flyers are men and women to be ap-plauded, feared, but above all respected, for as long asthey can push the envelope and maintain their holdon the skies. We have given them this power. The skyis the limit—but five thousand feet up makes for a longfall from glory.

The first signs of change started with the post–World War I influenza epidemic. Isolationism grew inpopularity as many fell to a disease brought back fromEurope by returning servicemen.

President Woodrow Wilson’s push to form a Leagueof Nations outraged U.S. citizens and allowed WarrenG. Harding’s “New Independence from Europe” cam-paign to flourish. Harding called for greater separationfrom the world, and his Regionalist party adopted thisas its platform’s theme. When the Regionalists wonoffice in 1920, they used their new power to promoteProhibition.

In 1923, however, President Harding died. His suc-cessor, Calvin Coolidge, refused to support Prohibitionand the Federal bill languished in congressional com-mittees.

Meanwhile, Prohibition became a battle betweenideologically distinct regions in America. Checkpointsappeared on state borders as authorities tried to re-strict the flow of alcohol. Many states used these check-points to levy unofficial—and highly illegal—tariffs.

In 1927, a new and deadly strain of influenza rav-aged the country. States closed their borders and con-verted their liquor checkpoints into quarantine-en-forcement sites. Smugglers and raiders adopted theairplane to avoid the limitations of ground-based trans-portation.

The election of 1928 suffered from low voter turn-out, as most people avoided large groups for fear ofcontracting influenza. The Regionalists launched their“Strong State” platforms and effectively curtailed theFederal government’s power.

In October of 1929, the stock market crash was thefinal blow to the United States. Regionalism had deci-mated the national economy and Washington D.C.’scall for financial assistance from state governments wasuniversally rejected.

On January 1, 1930, Texas seceded from the UnitedStates, with California, the Carolinas, Utah, and NewYork quickly following their lead. Unable to mount thepolitical and military campaign necessary to hold theUnited States together, Washington was now power-less.

8

A PIRATE’S HOME

AFTER INTERVIEWING MR. ZACHARY, I was invited to tour hisfabulous zeppelin, the Pandora. With the help of AAW’s technicalcrew, we rigged a tiny concealed camera to get our readers exclu-sive photos of the interior of this airborne pirate fortress. Don’t askwhere that camera was concealed, please! —Patricia Clark

T HE CAPTURE OF THE PANDORA marks a mile- stone in Nathan Zachary’s pirate career. Accordingto reliable sources, Nathan took a job as third officeron the Empire Air cargo zeppelin, Fulcrum, and thenhired his gang as crewmembers. Once aloft, Nathanand his men took control of the airship. They set downthe captain and crew in a Pennsylvania wheat field ...and sailed off into infamy.

The airship was originally designed to carry twoescort fighter planes, but serious modifications to thezeppelin’s superstructure allow it to carry a squadron

of at least six planes. It has six broadside cannons and.60-caliber machine gun nests that protect each en-gine nacelle.

Mr. Zachary tells us that he renamed the zeppelinPandora in honor of Pandora’s box, which, accordingto Greek legend, contained the innumerable plaguesof humanity, yet also contained the Hope that has com-forted humanity from misfortune.

Which part he and his gang represent, he nevertold us.

The Pandora Broadside cannon

Gas Capacity: 26,002,340 ft.3Length: 1,378 ft.Diameter: 182 ft.Useful Lift: 384,470 lbs. (192.7 tons)Engines: 12 Dynometric V16,

440 h.p. eachPropellers: 4 Jaray L.Z.Maximum Speed: 84 m.p.h.Flight Ceiling: 13,000 ft.Full Speed Endurance: 10,000 mi.

Engine nacelle

Typical Load—Cargo: 75,000 lbs.Fuel: 86,400 lbs.Oil: 6,050 lbs.Ballast: 10,000 lbs.Crew: 7,200 lbs.Food Supplies: 54,000 lbs. (30 days)Aircraft: 60,000 lbs.Spares: 60,000 lbs.Free Lift: 25,820 lbs.

9

Inside the fortress

horizon and blue skies. Anotherwindow (seen in photo above)opens to the interior of the zeppe-lin so Mr. Zachary can observe theinternal workings of his flying for-tress. One can see in the back-ground the zeppelin’s steel frameand the launch bay with planesready for action.

CHANGE MEMENTO

A picture frame with many photo-graphs layered inside. (Mr. Zachary

apparently lives up to his reputa-tion as the consummate ladies’man.) Click here to change thepicture.

NEXT MISSION

Nathan Zachary’s map and notes forhis upcoming daredevil escapades.Click here to proceed to the nextmission briefing. (See “Prelude toMayhem: A Pirate Briefing,” this is-sue, page 14.) Games are automati-cally saved after every mission.

PREVIOUS MISSIONS

Nathan Zachary’s personal letters,news clippings from his past adven-tures, and more! Click here to viewthe memorabilia or replay a mission.(See “A Pirate’s Memoirs,” this is-sue, page 10.)

PLANE CONSTRUCTION

The blueprints and detailed speci-fications for Mr. Zachary’s next cus-tomized plane. Click here to designand purchase aircraft. (See “Blue-print Blues: Plane Construction Ba-sics,” this issue, page 12.)

RETURN TO MAIN MENU

Click here to exit the cabin.

While certain sensitive sectionsof the zeppelin were declared off-limits, I obtained this photo ofNathan Zachary’s cabin aboard thePandora. Mr. Zachary’s personaltouches are everywhere in thisroom: the inch-thick Persian rug,the mahogany Louis XXVI desk, thePicasso sketch alongside the pin-up calendars, and his framed col-lection of medals from the Great Warand the Russian Revolution. Velvetcurtains adorn the windows alongone side of the gondola, providinga commanding perspective of the

Don’t miss the latest thrilling developments in the Crimson Skies universe—Point your browser to http://www.crimsonskies.com/

Every week we bring you current events from around the world in Atlas World News, profiles of the latest in aviationtechnology in Air Action Weekly, the inside scoop on daring militia flyers and deadly pirate aces in Warriors of the Air,and new pulp serials in Spicy Air Tales! Enter a world of aerial piracy and daredevil intrigue—updated weekly!

10

A PIRATE’S MEMOIRS

A FTER EVERY MISSION, Mr. Zachary returns to his cabin and re- views the performance of his Previous Missions. Each mission coversmultiple double-page spreads in his scrapbook.

ACE AAW REPORTER PATRICIA CLARK steals a rare glimpseof Nathan Zachary’s secret and personal scrapbook (sorryNathan—we couldn’t resist). Its pages are crammed full of news-paper clippings, postcards from exotic locales, photographs, killmarkers, and handwritten, perfumed correspondence.

11

STERNBERG-KNOWLES

To flip the pages of the scrapbook, use the paperarrows taped to the edges of the scrapbook. To returnto the current mission from any other page, click theCurrent Mission marker located at the top of the book.

To see the memorabilia of any other previous mis-sion, click View All Missions. At the table of contents,select the mission you want to review, and then clickView Mission. You can also replay previously savedmissions from here by clicking it and then clicking Re-play Mission.

To return to Nathan’s cabin, click Return to Cabinon the desk below the scrapbook.

Mission MemorabiliaThe first page of each mission has newspaper clip-

pings, photos, and other remembrances of Nathan’s ad-ventures. To enlarge these items, simply click them. Toexport and save a particular favorite, click the Exportto Desktop button, which appears next to some of theenlarged scrapbook elements.

Kill MarkersOn the opposite page are rubber

stamp–style “kill markers” of vari-ous planes. The numbers in-dicate how many of that par-

ticular model plane Nathanshot down on his last mis-

sion. Red-starred markers represent ace pi-lots! These markers are updated to reflectthe statistics of Mr. Zachary’s best score.

Mission ResultsAt the bottom of the right page are Nathan’s perfor-

mance statistics for this mission. The two tabs MostRecent and Best to Date let him compare his recentresults. Click Replay Mission to try and beat the bestscore!

More Photographs, NewspaperClippings, and Records

On the following pages there may be more clip-pings and pictures taken by observers as Nathan riskedhis neck flying his plane through ridiculously crampedquarters! Unfortunately this reporter didn’t have timeto take a careful look at the remainder of this intimaterecord of his daring exploits. Only Nathan Zacharyknows for sure what secrets are there.

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12

BLUEPRINT BLUES:PLANE CONSTRUCTION BASICS

E VER WONDER WHY AIRCRAFT MANUFACTURERS build planesthe way they do? Why not use aRolls-Royce Merlin II engine in theCurtiss-Wright J2 Fury instead ofthe stock R-1800-C? Because of thetradeoffs in weight and aerody-namic performance—and the ulti-mate limiting factor: cash!

To design a new plane fromscratch, click Plane Construction inthe Pandora’s cabin. Then, namethe plane you’re about to design,click OK, and you’re ready to startworking with the plane construc-tion blueprints.

These blueprints keep track ofevery detail of your plane. Along thetop of the prints are the aircraft’sname and your current constructioncosts. A note indicating your avail-able cash is paper-clipped to theupper-right corner.

In the lower-left corner, themaximum weight capacity rated foryour currently selected airframe andits current weight are shown, alongwith performance bars indicatingthe plane’s overall top speed, agil-ity, armor, and offensive capabil-ity. As you alter your design in theprints, these bars will change—addan extra set of machine guns andthe offensive capability of yourplane will increase.

Now that you know how to readthe prints, you’re ready to custom-ize. To page through each blue-print, click the tabs along the bot-tom. Start with the first tab, Air-frame, and then continue sequen-tially through all the tabs. Don’t skipany of the steps or you could endup trying to fly a plane without anengine!

To select the specific compo-nents on each blueprint, use the

drop-down lists. Statistics and de-scriptions of the components appearin the lower-right corner of theblueprints as you scroll through thelists.

Airframe

Your airframe determines the maxi-mum weight of the craft. If you startwith a heavy frame, you may havesuperior structural integrity, butdon’t think you’ll be as nimble as alighter plane.

ANY PLANE IS A GOOD PLANE as long as it gets you up inthe air, but if you’re planning to customize your own aircraft,then the AAW engineers have a few tips for you.

13

Engine

You get what you pay for. Expect todole out the green for superiorhorsepower.

Armor

Add armor plating on your hull toprotect yourself from bullets androckets. Select armor for the nose,tail, and wing sections.

Guns

Guns can be mounted in any of fouravailable positions. Each positionmay hold one gun or a pair of guns.If a pair of guns is installed into thesame position, they must be thesame make and caliber.

Hardpoints

Rockets attach to structurally rein-forced hardpoints on your wings.Each wing can have a differentnumber of hardpoints, but no morethan a total of eight per airframe.

Paint

Personalize your aircraft with color,shading, and decals to make sure

both enemies and friends alike willrecognize you in the skies!

When your plane is ready, clickthe Ready to Purchase button toview the overall cost and weightbreakdown of your plane. If you’veadded too many components or ex-ceeded the weight capacity of the

airframe, you won’t be able to pur-chase the plane. If you need morecash to make the purchase, click theSell Planes button to see what youcan unload from your inventory.Click the Purchase Now button tofinalize the sale, or go back throughthe blueprint tabs to make any nec-essary changes.

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14

PRELUDE TO MAYHEM: A PIRATE BRIEFING

WHEN OUR FLY-ON-THE-WALL REPORTER INFILTRATEDthe Pandora, she got more than she bargained for—now, forthe first time in any North American publication, we bringyou a first-hand, no-nonsense account of how pirates pre-pare their aircraft and brief their crew for treasure-findingexpeditions, raids, and other acts of aerial audacity!

Flight CheckUse this clipboard to double-

check your plane and yourwingman’s plane for the missionyou’re about to fly—you won’t getanother chance once you’velaunched! Next to the plane silhou-ettes are lists of the caliber and typeof ammunition loaded into theaircrafts’ guns as well as the typesof rockets on the planes’ hardpoints.

If you want to fly a different air-craft on the mission, click ChangePlane. To switch ammunition orrockets, click Change Ammo. Bothprocedures are discussed in detailon the next page.

A list of mission objectives ispaper-clipped to the side of yourFlight Check form. It’s a good ideato review your goals and considerwhich plane and ammo best suit themission at hand. When you areready to launch, click Fly Mission.If you have any questions about

T O ENTER THE MISSION BRIEFING, click Next Mission in Nathan Zachary’s cabin on the Pandora. Nathan’s plan of attack is announcedas the details of the mission unfold on a large map.

To replay the mission briefing, click Replay Briefing. To return toNathan’s cabin, click Return to Cabin. To ready your plane for the mis-sion, click Go to Flight Check.

your objectives, run through themission briefing again by clicking

the Return to Briefing button, lo-cated below the clipboard.

15

Plane SelectionWhen changing planes, you can

review the specifications for allavailable aircraft by scrollingthrough the drop-down lists for youand your wingman. When you se-lect a plane, its speed, armor, andagility appear next to its silhouette,as well as its guns and availablehardpoints. To use a plane for amultiplayer or instant action mis-sion, select it and then click theExport button.

After you have chosen planes foryou and your wingman, clickAccept Selections to return toFlight Check—or if you wish to can-cel the changes, click CancelSelections. In either case you re-turn to Flight Check.

Ammo SelectionSelect the type of ammunition

for you and your wingman by scroll-ing through the drop-down lists foreach gun. Descriptions of the am-munition appear next to the plane.

Select rockets by scrollingthrough the drop-down lists foreach hardpoint. Descriptions ofrockets appear on the right side ofthe clipboard.

Accept or cancel your ordnanceselections by clicking the AcceptLoadout or Cancel Loadout buttonbelow the clipboard.

16

LAUNCHING AND DOCKINGModern combat planes rarely touch the ground. It’smore likely that they launch from, and dock with, anairborne zeppelin.

Launching is the easy part—you drop from the zep,start your engines, and off you go.

Docking is a bit tricky. Zeppelins deploy a retrievalhook to catch your plane. Guide your plane under thebelly of the zeppelin from the rear, and then line yournose up with the hook. Get as close as you can andmatch your speed to that of the zeppelin. Once youhook up, the zeppelin’s crane reels you in.

THROTTLINGThe joystick throttle controls the speed of your plane.Maneuvers with high angles of attack (the steepnessof your climb) require more throttle than other maneu-vers; otherwise, your aircraft can lose lift and stall.

MANEUVERINGThere’s nothing like the rush as you pull out of an in-verted roll and brush your undercarriage against thetreetops ... but before you rookies get carried awayand try a stunt like that, let’s go over the fundamen-tals.

ClimbingPull back on your joystick. This pitches your plane

upward. If you continue to pull back you’ll complete aforward loop. Make sure you’re flying fast enough orthe aircraft can stall.

S OME PILOTS TAKE TO THE SKIES like they were born with wings. The rest of us struggle and learn the hard way at the school of hard knocks.Thankfully, the advanced aileron and rudder controls of today’s planes make iteasier than ever for beginners to take to—and stay in—the big blue.

DivingPush your joystick forward. This pitches your plane

downward. If you keep the stick pushed forward you’llcontinue to curve downward and complete a down-ward loop. Unlike climbing, speed is not a problembecause you’ll be accelerating due to gravity. Altitude,however, is a problem. If you’re not high enough whenyou start this maneuver, you’ll hit the ground!

17

RollingMoving your stick to the right or left raises the flaps

on one wing while lowering the flaps on the other.This rolls your plane right or left. There are three com-mon maneuvers associated with rolling: the aileron roll,inversion, and banking.

Aileron Roll Move your stick sideways. Roll and con-tinue through a full 360-degree revolution until you’reback where you started.

Inversion If you stop halfway through an aileron roll,you will be flying upside down, or “inverted.” It’s use-ful to invert your plane in conjunction with half of adownward loop—a quick way to reverse your directionand end right-side up.

Banking The last basic maneuver associated withrolling is banking. Roll your plane a quarter of a revo-lution so one wing points up, the other down—thenpull back on your stick as if you were executing a climb-ing loop. This will bank the plane into a tight turn.

TurningTwist your joystick to move the tail rudder right or

left. This points the nose of your plane right or left andallows you to turn without banking.

There are dozens of more complicated combina-tions that incorporate these basic maneuvers. Practicethe fundamentals and you’ll soon be flying like an ace.

BAILING OUTOne last thing to learn: what to do if you fail to flywell. Press CTRL+X to release the canopy and jump.Be careful, though, if you’re in a pusher prop like theDevastator. More than one pilot has tried to escapedeath only to leap back into their propellers. It ain’tpretty.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Due to overwhelming reader requests, we’re re-printing one of our most popular articles (originally in AAW, May 16,1933), covering the basics of how to get your plane into the air.

18

ONLY

THE

BEST!

FLIGHT INSTRUMENTATION

WE ASKED OUR TEAM OF EXPERTS to evaluate the latest tech-nologies and dream up their ultimate flight instrument panel. Someof these are the tried and true gauges we’ve all come to rely on, butothers are experimental and you won’t see them outside a majoraircraft manufacturer’s test field. So sit tight, Readers, and we’llgive you a glimpse of the best of the best.

O UR ENGINEERS MODIFIED THE COCKPIT of a Hughes Devastator. They didn’t skimp either. Notice the classic burl wood and burnished steel trim.The layout of gauges may change, however, in different planes’ cockpits.

Damageindicator

Gunnerydisplay

EDITOR’S NOTE: The spyglass is sospecialized that it’s covered in its ownarticle: see “Crosshairs: The ExpertsSet Their Sights on Targeting.”

Spyglass(see page23)

Targetingcluster (seepage 22)

Compass

Rocketdisplay

Speedometer

Artificialhorizon

Altimeter

19

Let’s start with the basics …

fight. To eliminate disorientation weuse a Dexter-Handly artificial hori-zon. With dual gyroscopes and jew-eled bearings for reliability, thisbaby lets you know which wayyour nose is pointed—up, down, orsideways.

COMPASS An ordinary compasswon’t work because of the bumpsand shifts caused by sudden accel-eration in flight. We’ve selected anExplorer 2000 that isgyromagnetically stabilized. Thiscompass always shows your head-ing in fog or rain—no matter whichdirection you turn or roll.

A LT I M E T E ROur choice foraltimeter is theJanas Rexbecause it’ssimple andeasy to read.The longerneedle marks hundreds of feet andthe shorter needle indicates thou-sands of feet. This one has a spe-cial low-altitude warning light thatflashes red when you drop below100 feet.

SPEEDOMETERThe WhistlerDelux is a baro-metric air speedindicator thatdisplays yourtrue air speed inmiles per hour. It has an automaticwarning light that flashes whenyour plane drops below its ratedstall speed.

ARTIFICIAL HORIZON It’s easy tolose your orientation in badweather or in the middle of a dog-

Ascending Descending

Bank left Bank right

Invertedascending

Inverteddescending

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And now for some non-standard equipmentwe’ve incorporated into our cockpit ...

through the rockets (or F6 to cyclebackward).

One feature we especially likeabout this system is that it automati-cally selects the next available rocketto launch if you run out of the roundsloaded on a hardpoint.

DAMAGE INDICA-TOR By far ourfavorite gauge isthe Crispen MarkV damage indica-tor. No need tostrain your neck inan inverted roll to see if your tail isshot to pieces—just one glance at thisbeauty will tell you if you can con-tinue to soar through the clouds or ifyou need to limp back to the hangar.An outline of your plane is dividedinto right and left wing, nose, and tailsections. These are color-coded, in-dicating levels of damage for that sec-tion:

Green Section untouched.Yellow Up to 50% of section’s armor

destroyed.Orange 50% to 100% of section’s

armor destroyed, and 0 to25% of airframe destroyed.

Red 25% to 100% of airframedestroyed.

Other new gadgets and gaugesare arriving on the market everyday(some only available on the blackmarket). In future issues, we promiseto keep you up to date as we hearabout them and put them throughtheir paces in the air.

GUNNERY DIS-PLAY The Brown-ing HPX gunnerydisplay showswhich gun isarmed and ready tofire. It also has acounter showing the readiedweapon’s remaining ammunition.Pilots press F3 or F4 to switchguns mounted on their plane. Whenselecting a different gun, theindicator’s needle points to a lightedcross on its outer edge. Thesecrosses as well as the numericalcountdown are color-coded to de-note ammunition status:

Green Ample ammunition.Yellow Running low.Red Gun is empty.

ROCKET DISPLAYThe Bluedevilrocket displaytracks the status ofthe rockets loadedon your plane’shardpoints. Similar to the gunnerydisplay, the type of rocket armedand the remaining rounds areshown. The display’s needle pointsto color-coded crosses along theedge of the gauge:

Green Several rounds remain.Yellow Few rounds remain.Red No rounds remain.

The pilot may switch rocketsloaded on her hardpoints by usingthe F5 key to cycle forward

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21

FIREMAN’S COMBAT TIPS

STEVE “FIREMAN” KELLEY JR.—CAPTAIN of theRepublic of Texas Air Rangers, an ace ten times over,decorated hero of the bush wars ... and still flying strong—gives us this week’s insights on combat in the air.

E VERY DAY NEW PILOTS GREENER than a groveof sapling dogwoods ask me what my secret is.How did I rack up fifty-two confirmed kills—five of thoseaces themselves? And how did I do it while keepingmy hide in one piece? Well, there is no one secret inthis business ... actually, there are two: know-how andnumbers.

Know-HowKnow your planes. Flying a heavily armed and ar-

mored Kestrel or the nimble Bloodhawk? Study everyaircraft you come across and be ready to exploit yourenemy’s tender spots ... while learning how to protectyour own.

For example, if your opponent is a Bloodhawk, don’tever get in front of his gunsights. Get on—and stayon—his tail. On the other hand, if you’re flying a Kestrel,you can afford to chip some paint off your hull beforegetting into trouble—so you might risk that head-to-head confrontation.

Always check your loadout of ammunition and rock-ets with a careful eye. In every circumstance, there’s abest weapon that can be used to your opponent’s de-mise. Don’t use dum-dum rounds if you’re flying againsta thick-skinned Warhawk. Plan on taking out a zep?Don’t make the mistake of loading only flak rockets.These are slip-ups you won’t live to repeat.

NumbersWhen I was in school, I was lousy at numbers and

math. Fortunately, up in the air you won’t have to worryabout anything like a binomial theorem—but you dohave to have a feel for things in motion, how fast they’regoing, where the heck they are, and where they’retrying to go.

Look around (see “Eyes Wide Open: Views,” thisissue, page 24) and spot your enemies. If you noticebullet holes stitching your wing, it’s pretty much toolate to do anything. Try to know where all the badguys are—not just the one you have targeted.

You want to get behind your enemy (unless theyhave a backward-firing turret) and, likewise, you wantto keep them off your backside.

When approaching an enemy plane try to behigher—that gives you more maneuvering options. Forexample, a smart flyer will know how to trade his alti-tude for speed and vice versa. Dive to catch a fasteraircraft ... but if you need to slow down (a dangerousthing to do in a dogfight!), then climb straight up.

Having trouble lining up your targeting sights on amore maneuverable opponent? Try slowing down asyou bank; that’ll shorten up your turn radius so youcan keep up with their fancy aerobatics.

Parting ShotJust remember ... the unpredictable can—and does—

happen up there. A lapse in concentration in a dog-fight is fatal, so stay as sharp as a broken bottle in abarroom brawl. Good luck, Greenhorns!

22

The EXPERTS SET THEIR SIGHTSon TARGETING!

WELCOME TO OUR WEEKLY column on how to sight faster, shootstraighter, and smoke every pirate that crosses your path! This week,in addition to the usual tips, we showcase a new gadget our AAWengineers have found: the spyglass.

Leadcrosshair

Targetingcrosshair

D EPENDING ON YOUR COCKPIT AND VIEWPOINT (see “Eyes Wide Open: Views,” this issue, page 24),you’ll have either the lead crosshair sights and the tar-geting sights or just the lead crosshair sights.

The targeting crosshair shows where the nose ofyour plane is pointed.

The lead crosshair accounts for the velocity of yourplane as it twists and rolls. This sight shows whereyour bullets will fire.

If the lead and targeting crosshairs line up, you’llfire dead ahead.

SELECTING TARGETSTo select a target or mission objective, use one of

the following commands. (See the back cover of thisissue for complete joystick controls.)

To target Press

Next enemy or objective EPrevious enemy or objective SHIFT+ENearest enemy or objective CTRL+E

Next allied aircraft WPrevious allied aircraft SHIFT+WNearest allied aircraft CTRL+W

Next non-aircraft target RPrevious non-aircraft target SHIFT+RNearest non-aircraft target CTRL+R

Nearest attacker under crosshairs QNothing T

When you select a target, you’llsee additional information. If yourtarget is in your forward field ofview, you’ll see the target’s name.

23

TASTE

WITH CAPPY G KAYS AND HIS SILENT SERVICEMEN!

WEEKLY IN AIR TIMES MAGAZINE!

ADVENTUREUNTAMED

K E R N H E A V Y I N D U S T R I E S

THE FUTURE OF

If you’re close enough, the target is enclosed inbrackets (red for enemy, green for friendly, and bluefor neutral targets and objectives),making it easier to sight even be-hind cloud cover.

If the target is not within yourforward field of view, you’ll see thename of the target, the direction youneed to turn your plane to face it,and an arrow that points toward thetarget.

When you destroy a target, another is automati-cally selected (if one is available).

The SPYGLASSEver wanted tosee who or whatis flying under orbehind you? Nowyou can.

The spyglassis a gyroscopicallystabilized opticsystem that dis-plays a magnifiedview of your selected target. This enlarged image rollsalong the edge of your windshield, with an arrow thatalways points in the direction of your target.

The spyglass system is toggled on and off by press-ing SHIFT+S . It automatically shuts off when thetarget is out of visual range.

Tip ofthe Week

Only once in a blue moon will you ever beflying straight in a dogfight. Aim your lead

crosshair ahead of your enemy’s flight path—bythe time your bullets travel the distance betweenyou and him, his plane will be where you haveaimed!

FLIGHT

ZEPPELINS

24

EXTERIOR VIEW shows more terrain aswell as most of your instruments.

COCKPIT VIEW has all the traditional gauges but asomewhat limited field of vision.

FIRST PERSON VIEW is the leastobstructed view.

EYES WIDE OPEN: VIEWS

T HIS WEEK SOMETHING DIFFERENT: We preview the view options now standard in all the latest air-craft designs. Boy, have we gotten an eyeful! Thereare now some tricks you can pull that you could neverattempt in the old days.

First, you can cycle among a normal Cockpit view,an Exterior view, and a First Person view by pressingthe F8 key.

WEISMANUSED AIRCRAFT“Aircraft for the OTHER fellow!”

IN A DOGFIGHT, if you lose your opponent in a bank of clouds,the glare of the sun, or a blindspot, it could be over for youfaster than you can say “hit the silk.” Eyes Wide Open is AAW’scolumn on strategies to stay aware of everything in the air!

25

“CENTERED” TARGET

Another view option is the Chase view. Press F7and your vantage becomes fixed relative to your plane—you’ll see your aircraft approach and then zoom pastyour viewing angle. It’s a great shot for those buddingHollywood directors!

Finally, you can press L to track a targeted plane.Your viewpoint will center on this target regardless ofthe orientation of your plane. Press L again to getout of this mode.

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CAMERA VIEWSTo see Press

Above your plane F9In front of your plane F10From the left of your plane F11From the right of your plane F12

At any time you can access one of four cameras tocheck on how your plane is fairing from the comfort ofthe cockpit.

In any view, you can look to the side, behind,above, or below by using the hatswitch on your joy-stick or the keys on your numeric keypad. Using thehatswitch or these numeric keys “snaps” your point ofview in the specified direction.

Lookup/left

Lookup

Lookup/right

Movecameraback

Movecameracloser

Lookright

Look up/right/rear

Lookback

Look up/left/rear

Lookleft

Lookforward

7 8 9

4 5 6

1 2 3

-

+

If you press the J key in conjunction with thehatswitch or numeric keys, you will smoothly turn yourpoint of view in the specified direction. Press the Kkey to return to the “snap” look mode.

Secrets of VENTRILOQUISM Now Revealed!

26

STUNTS—HOW to GAIN FAME & GLORY!

S O M E M P I L O T S Your wingmen might have a few suggestions, too,so listen up. They’ll let you know if you’ve accomplisheda noteworthy stunt.

Another benefit of these danger zones is their abil-ity to remove the competition. Squeeze your planethrough a train tunnel and see if that pirate on yourtail has the guts to follow! He’ll either break off hisattack or learn the hard way that cramped quarters,blinding speed, and a shaking hand make a lethal com-bination.

And don’t forget to check the newspapers after-ward. Your picture could be splashed across the frontpage—or maybe even make a Hollywood newsreel—allexcellent additions to the scrapbook!

The only limits to your fame are imagination ... andyour nerve. So, test yourself, pilots. Live dangerouslyor not at all.

measure their suc-cess by the thickness oftheir wallet, the number ofhours logged in the bigblue, or how many tons ofcargo they’ve lifted fromNew York to New Orleans.But for those who knowbetter, the real measure ofa pilot can’t be held or tal-lied with a number. Thereal measure of your worthis fame.

You increase your fame by shooting down otherpilots (the bad guys ... not your own wingmen), cap-turing zeppelins, performing dangerous airborne ma-neuvers, and other awe-inspiring feats. This week weexplore the “dangerous airborne maneuvers” part offame-building.

DANGER ZONESDanger zones are tight spaces that can challenge

even a seasoned flyer. Keep your eyes peeled for tun-nels, narrow canyons, open hangars, and any otherseemingly impossible-to-navigate spaces that will getyou noticed fast when you fly through them!

WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW YOUR NAME? Want them to pointat your plane—whispering with admiration, or maybe feelinga touch of fear—as you buzz overhead? How about a few snap-shots in the local newspaper? Or do you want the mere flashof your colors to make even the most notorious pirate thinktwice about tangling with you? Then, Reader, you’ve turnedto the right page as we present AAW’s ongoing special fea-ture on aerial reputation.

27

INSTANT ACTION

INSTANT ACTION IS AAW’S FORUM for pilots who want totell their own tales of aerial combat.

T HERE ARE TWO WAYS TO fly an Instant Action mission. You can select a story in the Table of Contents, click View Story, scan thedetails of the mission on the facing story page, and then click FlyMission. Or you can tell your own story by customizing the mission withthe drop-down lists on the story page.

To customize your own adventure, fill in the specif-ics of your mission, such as number of wingmen, theplanes they’ll fly, location, and the details about youropponents. Next, check your (and your wingmen’s) gunsand ammunition by selecting Pilot or Wingmen andthen clicking Weapon Loadout.

To customize a plane for an Instant Action story,click Build Custom Plane at the bottom of the screen.

Finally, click Fly Mission to launch into INSTANTACTION!

28

MULTIPLAYER GAMES: AN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEWwith DR. FASSENBIENDER

DR. FASSENBIENDER IS NORTH AMERICA’S preemi-nent mechanical whiz, a patent-holder of numerousgenerator and engine designs, and best known for hisaviation and autogyro inventions. In this week’s issue,the good doctor talks with AAW editor Nero MacLeonabout Crimson Skies and shows us how aspiring pilotscan get serious combat experience!

AAW: How does one go about making amultiplayer connection, Doctor?Dr. Fassenbiender: To start a multiplayer game,it’s as simple as clicking Multiplayer on the mainmenu. Then, establish a network or Internet connec-tion by selecting the connection type you want—MSNGaming Zone, LAN IPX or TCP/IP, Internet, or modem-to-modem.

MSN Gaming Zone: To play on the Zone, youmust first create a free Zone ID and install theZone software. After you’ve done this, enter aCrimson Skies game room and start playing!Note: The host of a Crimson Skies game on theZone is the first person to enter a game room. Formore information, go to http://www.zone.com/and click Help.

LAN IPX or LAN TCP/IP:With either of these connectionsyou play on your local areanetwork (LAN) using an IPX orTCP/IP protocol.Internet: With this connection,you play on the Internet using aTCP/IP protocol by entering theIP address or DNS name for thecomputer you want to connect to.Modem-to-Modem: With thisconnection, you play with twocomputers using modems byentering the phone number of thecomputer you want to connect to.

29

AAW: And if I want to fly my own customizedplane?DF: Simply click the Build Custom Plane button todesign your own plane from scratch.

and communicate with one another before entering amultiplayer game.

The Players list shows the players’ callsigns in thecurrent game. The host’s callsign tops the list, followedby the other players in the order they joined. The num-bers next to the callsigns are the players’ ping times inmilliseconds [ed. note: this is the time it takes the gameserver to respond to that player]. The boxes adjacentto these numbers show the players’ status: checkedmeans the player is ready to enter the game, and notchecked means the player is not ready.

AAW: Now I’m ready to host or join a game?DF: Yes, you decide to either host a game or join agame already started by another player. If you clickHost, you’ll be prompted to name the game session,select an optional password, and set the maximumnumber of players allowed in the game.

If you click Connect, you will see a games listscreen. This list can be sorted by game name, numberof players, mission type, environment, or even status.To update the list, just click Refresh.

After you click a game and then Join Game, youare asked to enter a callsign for the session, select apilot voice, and provide the password if the host re-quires one.

AAW: So what is this game lobby business?DF: This is where players form teams, review the gamesettings, or alter them if they happen to be the host,

Team: To create, join, or leave a team, click theCreate Team, Join Team, or Leave Team button(only one is available at any given time, dependingon your current team status).Boot: The host may boot any player back to thegames list screen by selecting the player’s name inthe list and then clicking Boot.Ready: When you are ready to enter the game,click Ready. The host cannot start a game unless allplayers are ready.

Players list

Playersbuttons

Messagewindow

Chat box

Informationwindow

30

AAW: How do players communicate with otherplayers in the lobby?DF: Communications from other players appear in alarge message window. The text color is the same coloras the player’s name in the Players list. System mes-sages are gray and enclosed in brackets.

Players type their messages in the Chat box. Totransmit messages, they press ENTER or click theSend button.

AAW: What are these tabs on the upper-rightof the interface?DF: Here players can choose their planes and ammu-nition. All players can view the mission options, butonly the host can modify them.

Under Mission Options, the host selects the mis-sion, environment, victory conditions, allowable teamsizes, and details on allowed lives. The host may also

outlaw certain aircraft components and/or ammunitionby clicking Select and filling out the Outlaw Compo-nents form. When components have been outlawed,players are alerted to the changes and all of their planesare reset to the default selection.

Under Select Plane, plane selection works the sameas for any standard flight check [ed. note: see “Preludeto Mayhem: A Pirate Briefing,” this issue, page 14]. Ifthe host allows customized planes, they may be im-ported from the player’s custom planes directory [ed.note: see ”Blueprint Blues: Plane Construction Basics,”this issue, page 12].

Under Select Ammo, players load ammunition ontotheir plane. Outlawed rocket and ammunition typescannot be selected.

AAW: This is remarkable! How do I start?DF: Each player must select Ready. When all playersare ready, the host starts the game by clicking Launch!

31

ACTION! DRAMA!PULSE-POUNDING

ADVENTURE!

ACTION! DRAMA!PULSE-POUNDING

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Thrill to the exciting exploitsof Nathan Zachary! Fly thetreacherous skies alongside

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Their stories begin in Winter 2000 www.fasa.com Copyright ©2000 FASA Corp.

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32

CREDITSAir Action Weekly, a subsidiary of the Atlas World News Conglomerate, ispublished simultaneously in eight nations of North America and abroad,with headquarters in Manhattan, Hollywood, Houston, London, Dublin, andParis. The Atlas News staff spans the globe and puts their lives on the lineto bring you tomorrow’s headlines today! We are…

Executive Officers Founder and Editor Emeritus: Jordan “Nose Art” Weisman; Founder and Chief InvestigativeOfficer: Dave McCoy; Chief Executive Officer: Ed Fries; President: Eric Straub; Director of Business: Stuart Moulder;Chief Financial Officer: Dave Luehmann; Publisher: Jon “Albatross” Kimmich; Chief Researcher: Jo Tyo; CirculationDirector: Ed Ventura; Logistics Officer: Matt “UncleDaddy” Gradwohl; Chief Operations Officer: Craig Henry.

Operations Staff Editor-in-Chief: Laura Fryer; Regional Sales Manager (North American Nations): Chris Cocks;Regional Sales Manager (Europe): Peter “Mango” Parsons; Researcher: Tim “Squire” O’Brien; Chief of the FAA: Phil“Airsick” Knowles; Art Director (London Office): Douglas “Urich” Herring; Typesetting Engineer: Chris “Fonts”Lassen; Staff Aviator: John “Mongoose” Guyer; Manager, Dept. of Redundancy Dept: Victor “Baron” von Beck;Union Delegate: Bob “Mr. Wolf” Crocco; Farm Purchasing Associate: David “Auger” Henry; Copy-Boy: Bob“Beemer” Gutmann.

Foreign Offices Le Grand Chef des Malcontents Somptueux: Anna “Harvey” Farr; Chief of Moscow Operations:Kazuyuki Shibuya; Chief of Casablanca Operations: Takayoshi Asahina; Chief of Asian Operations: KazuyukiKumai; Chief of British Affairs: Kaoru Ito; Chief of Madrid Operations: Victoria Olson; Manager of InternationalTranslations: Toshio Sato; Chief Travel Coordinator: Yutaka Hasegawa; Special Intelligence Coordinator (ParisianOffice): Laurence Krzemien-Smith.

Dublin Team Chief Controller: Paul Delany; Chief Mechanic: Jonathon Young; Flying Ace: Michael “Mickster” Ivory;Field Reporter: Suzanne Boylan; Staff Aviator: John O’Sullivan; Wingman: Kerrie Power.

Staff Photographers Combat Photographer/Illustrator: Vic “Fokker” Bonilla; Free-Fall Specialist: Todd Lubsen.Freelance Photographers Frank Woll, Tom Peters, Lex Story, Edison Girard, Ron “Eagle Eye” Lemen.Field Reporters John Hudgens (Republic of Texas); Ken Kato (Pacifica); Aaron “Jabroni” Ueland (Lakota Territory);

Dan Foy (People’s Collective); Brennan Priest (Industrial States of America); Kelly Bell (Empire State), Ramon“Cheezdawg” Romero (Maritime Provinces); Derek Carroll (Atlantic Coalition); Eugene Evans (Dixie); Mike Sartain(Appalachia); Lane Reichert (Outer Banks); Damien Neff (French Louisiana); Kevin Loza (Free Colorado); MikeLyons (Arixo); Mitch Gitelman (Navajo Nation); Heinz Schuller (Utah); Eddie Smith (Hollywood); Sandra Garavito(Hong Kong); Leon Gor (Hawaii); Heather Carlson (London); John Kane (Paris); Duane Decker (Moscow).

Flight Crew Ground Crew Technician Foreman: Todd “Andy Gibb” Squire; Wingman Avoidance Expert: Erika“Adara” Carlson; Commander, Combat Engineering: J.J.J. “None of them stand for Jay” Banchero Jr.; Big RocketExpert: Michelle “Battle Angel” Gamboa Stenson; Live Grenade Specialist: Mike Pondsmith; Experimental AircraftPilot: Chris “Blue Max” Chamberlain; Mile High Club Chairman: Dave “Sgt. Skeyle” Blumberg; Scout Pilot: Paul“Idaho Kid” Reed; Ordnance Preparation: Mark “4AM” Forrer; Arial Recon: Matt “MEGAMAN” Alderman; Test Pilot:Jim “Stickman” Bosler; Tarmac Crew: Scott “Scooter” Luse; Engine Mechanic: Mark “Nitro” Heinen; Chief ZeppelinEngineer: David “Big Z” Kern; Weapons Specialist: Russ “Pyro” Phillips; SonoBuoy Deployment Specialist: MarkSelander; Stress Tester: Stuart “Scribbles” Compton; Hardware Configuration: Paul “Mr. Happypants” Gradwohl;Nitro Experimenter: Joe “Scrapbook Picture Gluer” Mullenix; Ace Pirate: Steve “Sea Wolf” Kastner; Director ofDisinformation: Stan “Trust Buster” LePard; First Aid Specialist: Jesse Janosov; Hangar Janitor: Brian “Avenger”Soderberg.

Stunt Team Andy Glaister, Jim “Shaft” Reichert, Chris Hadden, Nigel Keam, Randy Shedden, Melody Litovkin.Other Pirate Liaison Officer: John “Black Flag” Howard; Saint of Circumstance: Tom “T-man” Sternberg; Art Smug-

gler: Daniel “Treetop Flyer” Dociu; Beverage Specialist: Gary “Reaper” Hinger; Animal Trainer: Graham “Qi-Qi”Kays; Undercover Operations: Eric “Shifty” Nylund; Bombsight Calibrator: David “Mountain Man” Blevins; PaidInformant (Hollywood): Eric “Alan Smithee” Trautmann; Special Correspondent to the Black Swan: Dana“Switchblade” Fos.

ANY GOOD PILOT WILL TELL YOU ...

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NEW “ANGEL Series 3” Flight Control Stick

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ANY GOOD PILOT WILL TELL YOU ...Who Saved Your Bacon?Who Saved Your Bacon?

Nose down

Left roll

Right roll

Turn (rudder twist)

Throttle

Lookdirection

Fire guns

Fire rocket Target nextenemy/objective

Views

Cycle rockets

SpyglassCycle guns

Target nextnon-aircraft

Nose up

WEAPONS & TARGETIN

G

Fire gunsSPACEBAR

Fire rocketX

Cycle gunsF3, F4

Cycle rocketsF5, F6

Target next enemy/

E

objective

Target next ally

W

Target next non-aircraft

R

Target nearest attacker

Q

under crosshairs

Target nothingT

Toggle spyglass SHIFT

+S

VIEWSLook direction

1–9 (numpad)

Cycle viewsF8

Access cameraF7, F9–F12

MANEUVERING

Point nose up D

OWN ARROW

Point nose down U

P ARROW

Roll rightRIGHT AR

ROW

Roll leftLEFT ARRO

W

Turn rightPERIOD (

.)

Turn leftCOMMA (

,)

Level outSHIFT+L

THROTTLING

IncreasePLUS (+)

DecreaseMINUS (-)

Adjust throttle 1

–9

Activate nitro- N

boosters

OTHERAccess missi

on map ESC

and in-game menu

View all controls F

1

ChatGRAVE (`)

Chat to teamSHIFT+`

Double game speed B

ACKSPACE

(single player only)