EAW is similar to Microsoft CFS in that both give the player a wide canvas to work with, reaching from 1940 to 1945. Both have campaigns that allow users to relive the Battle of Britain from both sides and also subsequent journeys that follow the war’s momentum as it swings toward Germany’s factories at the bitter end. And what journeys they are. EAW brings to life for the first time in any WWII simulation the image of skies literally filled with aircraft. The display of a dozen planes may challenge some products, but EAW deftly throws up to 256 fighters and bombers into the air, complete with contrails, smoke trails and blazing cannons. EAW offers the largest variety of flyable aircraft, although many are different versions of the same plane.

EAW adds educational value by providing documentation that makes good use of historical photos and data. It also includes a selection of videos summarizing key moments of the war.

Jane’s Combat Simulations is back again, and although its entry in the WWII category is confined to the last two years of the conflict, its commitment to history is equal to that of the competition. WWII Fighters ($49.99; requires Pentium 200, Windows 95, 32 MB RAM, 250 MB hard drive space, six-speed CD-ROM drive) is the name gracing this product, and it chooses a metaphor familiar to most Aviation History readers: a flight museum. The virtual museum contains text and videos as well as a hangar where seven warbirds sit ready and waiting to fly in simulated battles.

Flight models for the magnificent seven, including four Allied and three German aircraft, are generally good, and the graphics are among the best. WWII Fighters produces three-dimensional virtual cockpits superior to the competition and matches the game play with an excellent musical score. Jane’s takes a hit, however, for documentation that is less impressive than that found in EAW or CFS. In addition, the museum approach is novel but hobbled by the weak depth of historical information, and the software’s system requirements are high.

Activision’s Fighter Squadron: The Screaming Demons Over Europe ($46.95; requires Pentium II 266 without a 3-D video card, or a Pentium 200 with a 3-D video card, Windows 95 or higher, 32 MB RAM, 285 MB hard drive space, quad-speed CD-ROM drive) is the most recent of the WWII simulations and is compelling for different reasons than its brethren. Fighter Squadron’s flight models are decent, featuring stalls, damage and a good feeling of flight from the cockpit. Nice aircraft rendering and special effects like smoke and debris make a good showing in the graphics department.

This package deviates from the other simulations through its selection of flyable aircraft and method of handling missions. Where most of the competition limits the user to single- or twin-engine fighters such as the ubiquitous North American P-51 Mustang and Supermarine Spitfire, Fighter Squadron ambitiously offers flavors like the Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress, de Havilland Mosquito, Avro Lancaster and Hawker Typhoon. Enthusiasts curious about the most diverse simulation from this crop must place Fighter Squadron atop their list.

Yet, Fighter Squadron falls short in some ways. The graphics are less convincing than those of the competition, and the sense of immersion is a far cry from EAW’s. The main problems are the sparse numbers of aircraft in engagements, and missions not connected in any purposeful manner but left as individual exercises with little inspiration or historical motive.

The caboose of this software parade is a title stemming from a grand idea but aching from mediocre implementation. SSI’s Luftwaffe Commander ($50; requires Pentium 166, Windows 95, 33 MB RAM, eight-speed CD-ROM drive) looks at the life of an officer in the German Luftwaffe, from flying biplanes in Spain to the Messerschmitt Me-262 over Germany. Few officers had careers of such longevity, but the premise is fascinating, with great educational potential. The campaign’s progress reveals Germany’s growing desperation as Luftwaffe pilots are transformed from predators to bomber-hunting defenders. Luftwaffe Commander suffers unfortunately from a plethora of issues.

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