B-17 Flying Fortress (video game)
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B-17 Flying Fortress: World War II Bombers in Action is a combat flight simulator developed by Vektor Grafix and published by MicroProse for MS-DOS in 1992. Versions for the Amiga and Atari ST platforms were subsequently released in 1993. The simulation places players in the role of crew members aboard a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress during World War II, operating within the Eighth Air Force of the United States Army Air Forces in the European Theater. This title was succeeded by B-17 Flying Fortress: The Mighty 8th in 2000.
Gameplay
Within the game, users oversee various inflight crew responsibilities such as providing medical assistance to wounded personnel, operating .50 caliber M2 Browning machine gun turrets to defend against enemy aircraft, deploying bombs, and piloting or co-piloting the bomber. Control over all ten crew stations can be assigned either to the player or delegated to AI. The player’s avatar acts as the captain and chief pilot, with their skill and survival directly affecting campaign progress.
Players begin by choosing their bomber, customizing it with unique nose art, and receiving mission briefings along with preparatory films prior to each sortie. Navigation is guided by a flight map with designated waypoints; however, pilots may break formation to pursue opportunistic targets scattered across Europe. Recognizable objectives include industrial plants and U-boat pens, although terrain visuals remain minimalistic. Success hinges on crew proficiency—particularly that of the navigator—and endurance against Luftwaffe fighter assaults and anti-aircraft artillery fire. Missions targeting heavily fortified Nazi positions near Berlin carry increased danger.
When the aircraft sustains critical damage, players can opt to leave their formation to either complete the mission independently or attempt a return to Allied airstrips in England, ultimately landing back at the home base located at Alconbury. Friendly fire incidents are possible: while onboard weaponry cannot harm one’s own bomber, dropping bombs at low altitudes risks destroying it. Engaging enemy fighters also presents collision hazards involving both friendly and hostile bombers.
The game employs straightforward MCGA and VGA graphics and operates on modest hardware requirements: a minimum Intel 80286 or equivalent AMD processor running at 16 MHz with DOS 5.0 is necessary; an 80386 CPU paired with 640k RAM is recommended for optimal performance. Distribution of the PC version included multiple floppy disk formats as well as CD-ROM.
Development and release
Major Joseph N. Worsley (USAAF, Retired), an expert bombardier trained on Norden and Sperry bombsights utilized in Boeing B-29 aircraft, served as a technical consultant during development. Dominic Robinson, who later acted as technical director for the sequel B-17 Flying Fortress: The Mighty 8th, also contributed credits to this original title.
Included with B-17 Flying Fortress was an extensive 230-page manual detailing gameplay mechanics alongside historical background material, complemented by photographs and illustrations. A keyboard overlay was provided to assist players in managing controls effectively. At one point, MicroProse released the DOS version as freeware through the website bombs-away.net.
The sequel arrived in 2000, while the initial DOS-based game was later ported to run on Windows 9x systems. Rights to the game's source code were eventually acquired by Shockwave Productions.
Reception
Computer Gaming World highlighted shortcomings such as limited documentation and a fixed campaign start date set in November 1943, noting that after completing a standard 25-mission tour, players were unable to begin campaigns at alternative points in time. Although praising its innovative character-driven gameplay approach, the publication found it lacking in depth and flexibility overall. In a 1993 wargame review, it received a rating of three out of five stars; while acknowledging that bomber simulations are inherently less dynamic, this title was recognized for its thorough treatment of the subject matter.