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Flight simulators for home computers just can't compare with the real thing, but they can give you some of the flavour, and Tomahawk excels at that.

In fact I am constantly amazed at just how much can be crammed into a 64k, 8 bit computer - regardless of make.

On the Atari, Tomahawk scores very highly. I have read how Tomahawk is jerky and unresponsive on other micros, but I found no such problems with this version.

Tomahawk's presentation immediately reminded me of Digital Integration's other flight simulator, Fighter Pilot. However, while that is strictly an air-to-air fixed-wing simulation for the F15 Eagle, Tomahawk is a simulation of the Mcdonnell Douglas (Hughes) AH-64A Apache Advanced Attack Helicopter.

As such, it includes both air-to-air and ground attack combat simulations.

Although there is no music, sound effects add to the feeling of realism without being too harsh. They include the launching of missiles and gunfire, explosions, engine and rotor whoosh.

The rotor sounds really stand out when the chopper is at rest, after turning off the engines.

You control the machine using a combination of joystick and keyboard input - an optional second joystick doubling as the rudder and collective lever.

Flying, it seems, is relatively straightforward. Pushing forward on the stick both increases speed and reduces the altitude depending on how much angle of attack you have set on the rotors, via the collective lever.

You pull back the stick to gain height and reduce speed, and the automatic stabilisers return you to level flight.

Landing is achieved by reducing lift and pulling back on the stick. You can land with up to 50 knots of forward speed and at -12ft/sec - coming in for a sliding landing on one of the helipads is demanding, but very rewarding.

You can land anywhere, but you will only be refuelled, rearmed and repaired on a friendly helipad.

You are equipped with eight hellfire missiles, 38 2.75in missiles and a 30mm chain gun with 1,200 rounds.

Weapons are aimed and controlled via TADS, the Target-Acquisition and Designation System. The chain gun can knock out an enemy helicopter, but won't even dent a tank.

There are three combat missions, one for training, in which the enemy forces don't return fire.

Mission two involves clearing just four sectors of allied territory of hostile forces. While in mission three you must clear the entire map of enemy forces, and in the fourth you help allied troops push back the enemy front line.

You are also provided with a map, similar to the one used in Fighter Pilot but used to a much better advantage. It is divided into squares which change colour according to their allegiance.

Beacons and helipads are also shown, and facilities exist to help you find these without the map if necessary.

The cockpit display is fairly comprehensive, with a monitor to display targets identified by the TADS computer, which are also colour-coded to help you distinguish between allied and enemy forces.

The normal digital instruments are all there, including attitude, altitude, and rate of climb indicators. There are also meters for power consumption, rotor angle and remaining fuel.

These all take up the lower part of the screen; the map and cockpit window use the top portion.

Colour is generally used to fairly good advantage, although rather lacking in some departments. All the ground is green for instance, and I think a little shading would not have gone amiss.

However, Digital Integration has crammed a lot of features into the simulation. Having flown the RAF's Jaguar simulator which uses three hangars full of relief map and a very expensive hanging camera technique to achieve exceptionally realistic visuals. I can understand the limitations imposed by a 64K home micro.

My only negative comment is that ground features - mountains, buildings and targets - are all line drawings. These are fast to replot, but don't give a very good illusion of height - keep one eye on the altimeter at all times.

Overall, this is one of the best programs I've seen in a long time - it's well worth checking out.

Enough basic flying instructions are incuded to get you off the ground, and particular attention is paid to the use of the collecting lever.

Tomahawk is thoroughly recommended for would-be helicopter pilots.