Previous Next

Fly by the seat of your pants as you control a fighter bomber with limitless ammunition.

"The hangar was cold. The planes even colder. Heavy Government cutbacks have left us pilots barrackless. It is a little daunting having to wake-up next to a Republic P-47 Thunderbolt fighter. Try it sometime.

"The year is 1943. Out there, the world is at war. The darkness, cold and black, slow and silent, is draped in death and the unknown. Nerves are frayed and bananas nowhere to be found. The stench of charcoal and burning carrots filled even the largest nostrils. War was undoubtedly a heavy gig.

"As Wing Commander of the USAAF 8th Air Force (following a transfer from the RAF) it is my job to lead the P-47s into some menacing air space deep down enemy territory. The 'Lead Sled', as it is known to bar-proppers in the mess, has exceptionally good dive characteristics which would have won a perfect score at the Big Ten dive championships any day. In the air the plane handled a dream, although coming from Spitfires, I was used to the best."

That was an extract from my grandfather Bertrund Bread's memoirs as a World War II flying ace. His transfer to an American air corps has subsequently plunged the family into disgrace though it could not be denied that he was British through and through and hero of the sky to boot.

Perhaps as a tribute to my grandfather, Firebird have released a game for the CPC which incorporates all the hell-fire glory of the P-47 Thunderbolt fighter. There are eight levels of turbulent enemy activity which fire from above and below. The first level takes you over enemy lines with on-coming aircraft, tanks and antiaircraft guns poking in your face. The P-47 is equipped with a limitless machine gun magazine but as you venture further on it is possible to pick-up other armaments. There are four types of armament, bombs, spray missile, multi-missile and directable fire. You can also pick up a speed-up function and an extra life, which helps. At the end of the first level you are faced with a train decked-out with gun emplacements. Using your fine sense of judgement the plane has to dodge the bullets and bomb the train about 32 times before it is destroyed and you can proceed onto the second level.

The second level takes you high above the clouds and to a beautiful scene of an orange and yellow glow across the cloud tops. The enemy, however, knows you're there and hits you with a barrage of aircraft including the occasional (large) tighter bomber and a volley of surface-to-air missiles. At the end of this scene a large enemy fighter has to be destroyed to reach the third level. To achieve this feat it is probably best to use the directable fire and not the bombs.

With the third level you are taken out of the clouds and down into a more mountainous region where the main obstacle is the ground fire. This is easily overcome but at the end of the level you are faced with a somewhat oversized armoured tank. This proved a more difficult obstacle and I have yet to set it on its journey to the great home in the sky.

The graphics are actually very good and the movement of the aircraft is quick to react to your controls. Although it is easy to play, P-47 throws up enough complications to provide you with a challenge.

The game is enjoyable and will probably hold the attention for a while as you struggle to overcome the rigours of war. But remember, war is not fun and only leads to pain and a substantial loss of potato farms.