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At last someone has produced a flight sim which features the versatile De Havilland Mosquito. Historical simulations usually concentrate on the more glamorous single-engined craft, especially the Spitfire. The interest of the Mosquito, as US Gold has noticed, lies in the fact that it was a multi-role airplane; a bomber, fighter and reconnaissance plane all rolled into one.

In recognition of this, the program allows you to choose your own combination of missions. Menu choices include intercepting VIs or bombers, bombing trains and sinking U-Boats. You can select your own weapons depending on what purpose you have in mind from a combination of bombs, rockets and cannons.

So far, so good. I'm well disposed towards flight simulations in general, and I set forth across the Channel with a pleasant tingle of anticipation. But that was where my troubles started. The aileron/elevator control is in the right place - at cockpit front, but to reach the throttles and rudder trim controls, you have to change view to right or left and then do some deft joystick work. Very distracting in the middle of a dogfight I can tell you.

I feel that US Gold has tried to be too authentic here. It poils the natural flow that flight simuation should have. Combine this with a very flat and two-dimensional forward view and you have a program that, although it promises a lot, fails to deliver.