NOTE TO CD OWNERS:
This online manual has been transposed from the 
original floppy version.  Please disregard any 
reference to "install floppies" as your program is now 
on compact disc.

TO VIEW THIS FILE, USE ANY TEXT EDITOR 
OR WORD PROCESSOR.

The combat came to a rapid end when 
(Lt. Col. Tom) Hayes pulled the nose through and 
fired a burst. The 109 did a split-S with Hayes 
latching onto his tail and getting strikes all over him. 
Both went into the clouds going very fast, and the 
109 hit the ground in a splash of flame while Hayes 
pulled out and climbed in search of his wingman and 
the bombers.

-Marle Olmstead (from The Yoxford Boys)





.c.TABLE OF CONTENTS

Starting Heroes of the 357th        4
Start-up Parameters        7
Practice Playing a Hero        8
Signing out a Fighter        10
Selecting a Mission        11
Configure the P-51        15
In the Cockpit        17
Flight Stick Controls        18
Instrument Panel        20
Weapons Controls        21
Flight Views        23
Command Wingman        34
Engage Enemy        34
Autopilot        35
The Flight Map        36
Pilot Bail Out        37
Replay        38
Pause        38
Game Options        39
Ending a Mission        42
Tour of Duty        46
Choosing a Pilot        47
Enlist a New Pilot        48
Restore a Pilot KIA or POW        48
Discharge a Pilot        49
Clear Roster        49
Review Pilot Stats        49
Show Top Aces       50
Congratulations        51
Mission Types        52
Ground School        53
Enemy Fighters        54
Bf-109        54
Me-110        54
Fw-190        55
Me-262        55
Battle Damage        55
Flak        55
Fighter Tactics        56
Fighter Sweep        56
Bomber Escort        56
Strafing Run        57
Special Weapons        58
V1 Intercept        58
The Yoxford Boys        60
Appendix of Airplanes        72
Credits        86
About the Artists         87
Technical Support        88
Installing and Starting Heroes of the 357th
For IBM and IBM Compatible Computers

To play Heroes of the 357th, you need 640K of 
memory and an, EGA, MCGA, or VGA compatible 
video adapter. 

Starting HEROES OF THE 357TH 
The program automatically detects the best graphics 
and sound modes for your computer and starts the 
game in that mode. If you want to play the game in a 
different graphics mode, see Starting Features for 
instructions on these options. 

Note:   	You may need to remove TSRs present in 
your system (Terminate-and-Stay-Resident programs, 
such as Sidekick®) before starting Heroes of the 
357th. These utility programs can take up space 
needed to run Heroes of the 357th. You can 
temporarily avoid these TSRs by booting from your 
original DOS disk. See page 88 for instructions on 
avoiding TSRs.

Starting From a Hard Drive
If you installed the game using the Install utility that 
came with Heroes of the 357th, use the following 
procedure to start the game.

1. 	Type C: and press Enter. (If your hard drive 
isn't C:, enter the correct letter.)
2. 	Type CD \P51 and press Enter.
3. 	Type P51 and press Enter. 
4. 	The game will load the logo screen. Press 
any key to continue. 


STARTUP PARAMETERS
When you start Heroes of the 357th, the program 
automatically detects the best graphics mode for your 
computer and starts the game in that mode. However, 
if you want to start the game in a different graphics 
mode, you can do so by adding a few extra characters 
(called arguments) to the start command. 

EXAMPLE: Let's say you want to load the game 
with EGA graphics mode and music generated with 
an Adlib board (you must have an Adlib board 
installed). You'd type:
P51 ega adlib and then press Enter. 

The order of the extra arguments doesn't matter as 
long as there's a space between each argument and 
they are typed in lower case.

These are the arguments you can use:

ega	Loads game with EGA graphics.
vga	Loads game with VGA graphics.
j	Loads game with joystick flight control.
k	Loads game with keyboard flight control.
sound	Loads game with sound on.
nosound	Loads game with  music on and sound off.
pc	Loads game with PC internal speaker 
sounds.
adlib 	Loads game with AdLib sound card sounds.
tandy	Loads game with Tandy sound (VGA 
required)
quiet	Loads game with neither music nor sound.
music	Loads game with music on.
nomusic	Loads game with music turned off.

	
Note:  	When you quit the game, the program 
automatically remembers all of that game's startup 
parameters, as well as all of the options selected from 
the options menu (except Time Factor, Unlimited 
Weapons, and Unlimited Fuel). The next time you 
start the game, just type P51 and press Enter, and 
those same parameters and options will be in effect.

HAND CONTROLLERS
There are several hand controllers on the market 
which plug into the joystick port. Most models have 
a directional pad on the left and four buttons on the 
right. The directional pad works exactly like the 
handle on a joystick. The top button toggles the 
cockpit and enemy views. The left button fires the 
machine guns. The right button fires the missiles. The 
bottom button fires the cannons.

PRACTICE PLAYING A HERO
After you install and start the program, the Midnight 
Software Inc. company logo appears.

Press Enter to go to the title screen.

The title screen flashes the credits.

Press Enter to go to the Opening Menu.

The following section explains the basic menus in 
Practice mode. 


There are several ways to select items from the 
menus. You can use either the up/down arrows on the 
keyboard, the arrows on the numeric keypad, or the 
joystick to highlight items on the menus. Press the 
up/down arrows, or move the joystick handle 
forward/back, to move the highlight up/down. To 
select an item, press Enter or press any button on the 
joystick. Use which ever way is most comfortable for 
you. Hereafter, when outlining procedures, this 
manual will simply instruct you to "Select" menu 
items. 


SELECT Practice.

SIGNING OUT A FIGHTER
Before you can fly, you have to sign out a fighter. 
The program is pretty lenient when it comes to 
checking credentials, licenses, identification, and 
such. All you are required to give is your name. 



Type in a name of no more than 14 characters.

Press Enter.

At any point, from now until you're in the air, you 
can return to the Opening Menu by pressing Esc. 
After you outfit the P-51 (see Fighter Configuration) 
you must press Esc twice to return to the Opening 
Menu.


SELECTING A MISSION

Now you're in the briefing room, awaiting orders. 
Since this is only practice, you can choose what kind 
of mission you'll fly. The names of the mission types 
should give you some idea of what they call for. See 
page 52 for more detailed descriptions of the mission 
types. In Tour of Duty, you fly some of the same 
mission flown by the Heroes of the 357th in 
chronological order. See page 46 for more about 
Tour of Duty.

Select a mission. 

If this is your first time using this simulator, we 
recommend that you select Free Flight. The Free 
Flight mission is a strafing run in Paris in which you 
cannot crash or be shot down. Fly this mission for as 
long as you like, getting a feel for the controls and 
the weapons.

The Briefing Report informs you of your orders and 
provides useful facts about the mission, such as the 
name of the city where the target is, the kind of 
target, the expected level of opposition, who leads 
the flight, the date the actual mission occurred, etc.

Read the briefing report.

Press Enter.



Now you're ready to watch a Briefing Film in the 
Briefing Room. Your commanding officer first 
shows you the target site, the location of which is 
indicated by a white box on the map of Europe. 
Remember that you're stationed in England. It's 
important to notice the distance between the target 
site and England, for this should determine how 
much fuel you choose to carry.

After the commander shows you the target site, the 
Briefing Film begins. Since Free Flight is only a 
training mission, there are no actual targets on this 
briefing film.




Press Enter or the joystick button if you wish to skip 
past the Briefing Film. In General, pressing Enter 
takes you the next screen

The Briefing Film for any other mission consists of 
pictures of the various targets you'll have an 
opportunity to destroy. The film runs at a constant 
rate unless you speed it up manually by pressing the 
spacebar. After the film begins, you can cycle 
through all the targets on the film screen as fast as 
you like. When the Briefing Film ends, the Fighter 
Configuration screen appears automatically. 

Press the spacebar repeatedly to cycle through the 
targets on film screen.

Press Enter or the joystick button to exit the briefing 
room and go to the Fighter Configuration screen.
CONFIGURE THE P-51

You need the Fighter Configuration screen to outfit 
the P-51 with the armament, ordnance, and fuel tanks 
you require for the mission you've selected. It's 
important that you choose the proper configuration, 
or you might not be able to succeed. For example, if 
the target site is very far away, you need the 110 
gallon drop tanks to complete the mission and return 
safely home. See the Fighter Tactics section on page 
56 for specific information on the configurations 
required for various situations.

If you're just beginning and have chosen the Free 
Flight practice mission, you can choose Unlimited 
Weapons from the in-flight Options Menu by 
pressing O  (for Options) on the keyboard. This way, 
you can practice with all the weapons for as long as 
you want to.

Be advised that the heavier you make the P-51, the 
slower its maximum speed and the more sluggish its 
handling. 

Press the up/down arrows or move the joystick 
up/down to highlight
an item.
Press the right arrow or move the joystick right to 
select the item.

The moment you select an item, the P-51 rolls over 
and displays the underside of its fuselage, where the 
tanks and weapons are mounted. Items are added in 
pairs to maintain the P-51's center of gravity. The 
items you select appear on their hardpoints under the 
wings. 

Notice that the combined weight of the pair of items 
you have highlighted appears at the lower left hand 
corner of the menu, where it says weight. To the right 
of that number is the avail. weight, which indicates 
how many more pounds can be added to the P-51.

You can remove items as easily as you added them.

Press the up/down arrows or move the joystick 
up/down to highlight the item you with to remove.

Press the left arrow or move the joystick left to 
remove the item.

Follow the directions on the screen to rotate the P-51 
and to zoom the camera in and out.

Press J to rotate the plane clockwise.

Press K to rotate the plane counter-clockwise.

Press I to rotate the plane forward end-over-end.

Press M to rotate the plane backwards end-over-end.

Press the + (plus) key on either the numeric keypad 
or the main keyboard to zoom the camera in.

Press the - (minus) key on either the numeric keypad 
or the main keyboard to zoom the camera out.
When you've finished configuring and examining the 
P-51, you're ready to taxi onto the airstrip.

Press Enter or the joystick button to go to the airstrip.

You can bypass the takeoff sequence altogether and 
go straight to the air from the Fighter Configuration 
screen.

To go straight to the air, Press F1 .

The takeoff sequence is automatic. You can sit back 
and watch it unfold. The black-and- white picture 
slowly vivifies to full-color. When the flagman gives 
the takeoff signal,  P-51s begin taking off one at a 
time. Your mission is underway.

There are three options here, to wait for the sequence 
to unfold at its own rate, to speed it up by pressing 
Enter, or to skip past it entirely by pressing F1. 

If you choose to watch the entire takeoff sequence, 
next you see your flight just off the runway falling 
into formation. After that, you see a formation over a 
map of Europe heading in the direction of the 
target site.

Now is your last chance to change your mind. Press 
Esc to return to the Flight Configuration screen. Press 
Esc again to return to the Opening Menu.

IN THE COCKPIT

For a diagram of the main in-flight key commands, 
see the 
card at the center of the manual. Carefully remove 
the card 
if you wish. 

You need to develop a "second-nature" familiarity 
with all the instruments and controls at your 
fingertips to get full use out of the P-51. Below are 
descriptions and command instructions for the 
instruments and the flight controls.


Once in the air, press H to call up the Help Menu. 
When the Help Menu is up, the action is paused.

The Help Menu lists all the in-flight key commands. 
This section explains all the commands in detail.

Flight Stick Controls
The pilot uses the flight stick to roll, climb, and dive. 
In Heroes of the 357th, the flight stick automatically 
coordinates the rudder and produces even turns.

You can control the flight stick with a joystick or the 
keyboard. A joystick is highly recommended. 

Joystick-(default) Press Ctrl-J to activate joystick

See the diagram below for instructions on flying the 
P-51 with a joystick.




Keyboard-Press Ctrl-K to activate keyboard.

See the diagram below for instructions on flying the 
P-51 with the keyboard.




Instrument Panel




Throttle Handle
The throttle handle indicates the percentage of 
maximum power your motor is putting out. For 
example, when the needle on the handle points at 75, 
the Rolls Royce Merlin motor in the Mustang is 
putting out 75% of it's total power. Each key press 
increases/decreases the throttle by 5%.

Press the + (plus) key on the numeric keypad to 
increase the throttle.

Press either - (minus) key to decrease the throttle.

Flaps Indicator
When the flaps indicator is lighted (red), then the 
flaps are down. Putting the flaps down increases the 
wing's surface area, thus increasing both lift and 
drag. When the flaps are down, it's easier to pull out 
of a steep dive. Also, when you're flying low and 
slow, as on a strafing run, having the flaps down 
makes the P-51 more maneuverable.

Press F to toggle flaps down/up.
Altimeter
The altimeter indicates your altitude. The small hand 
shows feet above the ground in thousands. When the 
long hand is turning clockwise, the P-51 is gaining 
altitude. One complete revolution of the long hand 
indicates a change in altitude of 1000 feet. 

Compass
The compass indicates your heading. North is at the 
top of the flight map (see p. 36 for information on the 
flight map).

Air Speed Indicator
The air speed indicator shows your forward velocity 
in miles per hour.

G-Meter 
The G-Meter shows the number of g-forces you're 
pulling. If you pull more than 3 g's, you'll begin to 
blackout. Ease off to let more blood flow into your 
brain so you can see. Blackouts are not available in 
EGA.

Artificial Horizon
The artificial horizon shows the attitude of the wings 
to the ground. Think of the wings as a line and the 
ground as a plane. Whichever way the line in the 
artificial horizon is tilted, that's the way your wings 
are tilted.

Fuel Gauges
The left fuel gauge shows how much fuel remains in 
your internal tanks. The right fuel gauge shows how 
much fuel remains in your drop tanks, when you're 
carrying them.

WEAPONS CONTROLS
There are four different kinds of weapons to choose 
from.

Machine guns
The P-51 comes factory-equipped with six Browning 
machine guns, three in each wing. You can't get rid 
of them and you can't add more. They are your 
primary weapons; you'll rely on them in every 
mission. The machine guns are mounted to fire in a 
line directly to the point at the center of the gunsight. 
In level flight, destroying a target is not difficult. 
Aiming your guns while rolling, diving, or climbing 
is another matter, as you have to lead your target 
using a deflection angle.

You have more than enough bullets to complete 
every mission, but if you squander them you can run 
out.

Press the spacebar or the firing button on your 
joystick to fire 
machine guns.

20mm Cannons
The cannons pack a much stronger wallop than the 
machine guns, but they have a slower rate of fire. It's 
difficult to use them effectively in a dog fight, since 
you can squeeze off only two rounds at a time. 
Cannons are best used against larger ground targets, 
where too many machine gun rounds are required to 
destroy a particular object, such as a bridge or a 
locomotive. They fire along the same line as the 
machine guns.

Each cannon contains 43 rounds.

Press 4 on the keyboard to fire cannons.

5 inch Rockets
There are eight hardpoints under the wings for 
rockets. The rockets are unguided and therefore very 
hard to aim at moving targets. More powerful and 
with greater range than the cannons, the rockets are 
good for taking out the largest ground targets, such as 
industrial buildings. Be aware that the rockets fire 
alternately from either wing. The ones from the right 
wing will fly to the right side of the gunsight, the 
ones from the left will fly to the left. 

Press 1 (one) on the keyboard to fire a rocket.

Bombs 
There are two sizes of bombs to choose from: 250 lb. 
and 500 lb. Both cause tremendous damage. The best 
way to hit a target is to fly low and release the bomb 
just before you pass over it. It takes awhile to master, 
but there's nothing quite so sweet as guessing right 
and obliterating an entire airfield with one press of a 
button.

Press 2 on the keyboard to drop a bomb.

Drop Tanks 
Drop tanks are intended for use as auxiliary fuel 
tanks, but when dropped they can cause destruction. 
Generally speaking, you'll drop the tanks to make the 
P-51 lighter so you can maneuver more deftly in 
combat, and the tanks will fall harmlessly onto the 
wide terrain below. But if you find yourself flying 
low over enemy territory, you might try to hit a target 
of opportunity or two with your drop tanks.

Press 3 on the keyboard to release a drop tank.

FLIGHT VIEWS
Heroes of the 357th comes with numerous different 
flight views. The two views used most often are the 
Pilot View and the Combat View. Accordingly, the 
program uses the number 2 button on your joystick 
as a toggle switch between these two views. 

Press the #2 button on the joystick to toggle between 
the Pilot View and the Combat View. This command 
automatically overrides any view on the screen. 
Keyboard users must use the F8 and F1 keys in 
conjunction to produce the same effect. The  combat 
view is available only when at least one enemy is 
present.

Pilot View
At the beginning of every mission, you see the Pilot 
View with the instrument panel. 

Press backspace to remove/replace the cockpit.

             

The Pilot View is the only view that offers the 
gunsight, so you should return to it often when in 
combat to fire at the enemy. 

Press F1 for the Pilot View.


Chase Plane View
The Chase Plane View shows a view from directly 
behind the P-51, as though you were in another plane 
chasing yourself.



                   
Press F2 for the chase plane view.

Weapons View
When you fire a weapon, the Weapons View follows 
the bomb or the rocket to its target, or until it 
explodes. You can press F1 to get back to your 
cockpit after watching the bomb or rocket.
         
Press F3 for the weapons view. 
Front View
The Front View shows a view from directly in front 
of the P-51 looking back.
                    

Press F4 for the Front View of the P-51.

Left View
The Left View shows a view from the left side of the 
P-51.

                     
Press F5 for the Left View of the P-51.

Right View
The Right View shows a view from the right side of 
the P-51.
                   

Press F6 for a Right View of the P-51.

Top View
The Top View shows a view of the P-51 from above. 
The Top View is particularly useful in formation 
flying, allowing you to keep track of your bombers 
and wingman.
                   
Press F7 for a Top View of the P-51.

Combat View
As stated above, the Combat View is critical. If there 
is an enemy in the vicinity, the Combat View shows 
you the enemy in his position relative to the P-51. If 
there is more than one enemy in the vicinity, the 
Combat View shows you the enemy nearest to your 
P51, unless you have selected a different enemy 
using the E key (See Engage Enemy on p. 34), in 
which case the Combat View defaults to that enemy. 

                
Press F8 for the combat view.

Overview
The Overview continuously pans clockwise a wide 
circle around the P-51 from slightly above the plane. 
This view is useful for taking stock of your general 
surroundings, both on land and in the air. 
                
Press F9 for the Overview.

Moving View
The Moving View offers a rapidly changing pan of 
the P-51, from close up to far away, from beneath the 
wings to overhead. If you're between dogfights and 
you want a full appreciation of the 3-dimensional 
world, try the Moving View. 
              
Press F10 for the Moving View. 
 View to Target 
The View to Target shows the P-51 in the foreground 
and the nearest major ground target in the 
background. Major ground targets are indicated by 
icons or flags on the flight map (see p. 36 for 
information on the flight map). Some missions, 
including all bomber escort missions, do not offer 
any major ground targets, in which case this view 
remains inactive. The major targets on bomber escort 
missions, while indicated by icons or flags, are 
assigned to the bombers.

          
Press Shift-F1 for View to Target.

View from Target
The same circumstances apply to View from Target 
as to View to Target (See above.) You see the target 
closest to the P-51 in the foreground and the P-51 
itself in the background. 
         

Press Shift-F2 for View from Target.


Fly-by View
The Fly-by view show the P-51 and your wingman 
(if present) approaching the camera and flying past it. 
The camera then follows the P-51 from behind.

          
Press Shift-F4 for Fly-by View.
Other Plane Views
This key command toggles through the cockpit views 
of all the fighters in the air. Note that this is a mode 
change, in which all view commands work for the 
plane whose view you have have chosen. The name 
of the selected plane is listed on the left side of the 
screen. 

Even though you're looking out of the cockpit of 
another fighter, you maintain control of all the 
functions of your P-51-flight stick, weapons, bail out, 
etc. To return to your own Cockpit View, keep 
toggling through the Other Plane Views until you 
come to yours, or press the #2 button on your 
joystick twice.
                           

Press Shift-F6 to switch to the next pilot's cockpit 
view. 


Wing Leader Views
You are the Wing Leader (also called Red Leader 
and Red One by your wingman). The Wing Leader 
Views command reverses the mode chance of the 
Shift-F6 command and restores the F keys to their 
primary functions. You can accomplish this also by 
pressing Shift-F6 until you return to your P-51's 
view, but Shift F5 is usually a little faster, especially 
when there are more than two fighters in the air.

Press Shift-F5 to return to the Wing Leader Views.
Bottom View
The Bottom View shows the underside of the P-51. 
                     
Press Shift-F7 for the Bottom View.

Reverse Combat View
The Reverse Combat View shows your enemy in the 
foreground and you in the background. It gives you a 
chance to predict just how your enemy might choose 
to maneuver into an advantageous position. 

As with the regular Combat View, the Reverse 
Combat View shows the perspective of the nearest 
enemy fighter, unless you have chosen a different 
opponent with the E (Engage Enemy) command. 
(See below for description of Engage Enemy 
command.) 


              
Press Shift-F8 for the Reverse Combat View.

COMMAND WINGMAN TO REGROUP
Your wingman automatically engages an enemy at 
the beginning of an air battle, but if you would rather 
have him protecting your rear end or chaperoning the 
bombers you can command him to regroup. 
Remember, on escort missions, this command orders 
him back to the bomber formation, and on all other 
mission this orders him to fall in behind you.

Press Shift-R to Command Wingman to Regroup.

When you issue this command, your wingman 
disengages from the enemy and regroups. If, on his 
way back, the wingman encounters a new enemy, he 
will engage that enemy. In such a case, you must 
issue the command again. When there are no more 
enemies in the area, the wingman returns 
automatically. (See the Bomber Escort section on p. 
56 for more about Command Wingman to Regroup.)

ENGAGE ENEMY
This command serves two distinct purposes.

Firstly, the Engage Enemy command countermands 
the Regroup command. So, if after ordering your 
wingman to regroup you decide you want him to re-
engage his nearest enemy, go ahead and use this 
command. 
Press E to countermand the Regroup command.

Secondly, the Engage Enemy command works in 
conjunction with the Combat View (F8) and the 
Reverse Combat View (Shift-F8) by giving you the 
opportunity to select from among more than one 
enemy for viewing. 

Press E to toggle through separate Combat Views (or 
Reverse Combat Views) of active enemies. 

When there is more than one enemy in the sky, 
pressing E shows you the fighter nearest you, just 
like the F8 (Combat View) command, except the F8 
command does not give orders to your wingman . 
Pressing E again shows you the next nearest fighter, 
and so on. Now, when you switch to the Combat 
View or the Reverse Combat View during that same 
engagement, you see the last fighter selected by the 
Engage Enemy command, as long as that enemy 
fighter is still in the air. When the engagement is over 
and the next wave of fighters arrives, the command is 
reset to default to the nearest enemy.

AUTOPILOT
The Autopilot is active only on Bomber Escort 
missions.

Press A to activate the Autopilot.

To deactivate the autopilot, move the joystick, 
change the throttle, or move the flaps.

By activating the Autopilot, you command the P-51 
to fly the shortest route back to the bomber formation 
at top speed. This is useful when you get lost, or if 
you find yourself too far away from your bombers 
and want to get back to them as quickly as possible. 
If all the bombers have been destroyed, the Autopilot 
becomes inactive. (See the Bomber Escort section on 
p. 56 in the chapter on Mission Tactics for advice on 
Autopilot.) 

THE FLIGHT MAP
The flight map is useful in virtually every mission. At 
high altitudes, use the flight map to locate cities and 
target sites and to track V1 "buzz" bombs. Target 
sites are marked with colorful icons, as shown below. 
When you destroy a major target, the icon 
representing that target disappears from the flight 
map. At low altitudes, use the flight map to locate 
both major targets and targets of opportunity on the 
ground. A target of opportunity is defined as an 
enemy target whose destruction is useful but not 
critical. Targets of opportunity do not appear as icons 
on the flight map and their point values are relatively 
small. (See pp. 44 for a complete explanation of the 
scoring.)

Press M to toggle the flight map on/off.

                      

The airplane silhouette on the flight map represents 
the P-51. If you lose your bearings, you should zoom 
the flight map out to get a larger perspective. When 
you go down low to strafe, you might like to zoom 
the flight map in to find targets more easily.


                                             
Press Z to zoom the flight map in.

                               

Press Shift-Z to zoom the flight map out.

PILOT BAIL OUT
You can eject anytime you want for any reason, but 
we recommend that you hang in there for as long as 
possible if you don't want to tarnish the reputation of 
the 357th. When you bail out, you will either be 
taken prisoner or escape capture.
                  
Press Shift B or Shift-J to bail out.

REPLAY
You can replay the last few seconds of any mission at 
any time. The replay tape shows a wide-angle 
panning view of the action. Also, you can change to 
different views during the replay. The action is 
paused while you're watching the replay and resumes 
automatically when the 
replay ends.

Press R for a replay view.

Press F9 to change replay view.

Press R while in replay to end replay early.

PAUSE 
Press P to pause the action.

Press any key to resume flying.


GAME OPTIONS
Heroes of the 357th comes with a variety of useful 
game options. 

Press O to bring up the Options Menu. When the 
Options Menu is up, the action is paused.

                           
Press the up/down arrows to highlight options.

Press the left/right arrows to change settings.

Press Enter to confirm choices and resume flying.

Press Esc to exit without saving changes.

Below is a complete list of the Game Options with 
explanations.
 
Sound
Turn engine and weapon sounds on or off.

MUSIC 
Turn the theme music on or off.

warning beeps 
The Warning Beeps signal you that the P-51 is in 
danger of crashing or stalling. You will hear them 
when the P-51 is descending too rapidly at too low an 
altitude, or ascending too steeply at too slow an air 
speed. 

For example, when you're flying at 20,000 feet, you 
can go into a steep dive without hearing the Warning 
Beeps. But if you're at 5,000 feet and suddenly fall 
into a vertical dive, the Warning  Beeps will come 
on. This option is particularly useful on strafing runs, 
when you need to fly low to the ground. If you think 
you're going to crash, pull your flaps in and pull back 
on the flight stick.

When the Warning Beeps alert you that the P-51 is 
about to stall, point the nose downward, pull the flaps 
in if they're out, and kick the throttle up if it's not at 
100 %. When you're in a stall, you can't maneuver, 
and this can cost you your airplane and your life if an 
enemy has you in his sights. 

Detail level
This option allows you to select the amount of 
graphic detail on the screen. The greater the detail, 
the slower the screen updates the images.

Shaded horizon
Available only with VGA graphics.

The shaded, or dithered, horizon gives the illusion of 
distance. If you turn the shading off, the speed of the 
simulation increases slightly.

Automatic replay
When you select this option, the program will 
automatically pause the action whenever there's a kill 
and replay the dramatic moments of 
the battle. 

VIEW CUTS
With the view cuts option on, the program 
automatically switches to a brief rear view of enemy 
fighters as they show up to engage you. First you 
receive the message telling you how many "bandits" 
are approaching and from what direction, and then 
you actually see the bandits from behind for a few 
seconds. When view cuts is on, you can identify the 
enemy fighters long before you engage them.

Weapon view (F3)
Turn this option on to automatically follow your 
bombs or rockets to their targets the moment you 
release them. The view will follow the bomb or 
rocket until it explodes or disappears. 

You still have control of the P-51 during this view, so 
be careful not to crash or get flamed.

Blackout
Available only with VGA graphics.

When you have the blackout option on, the screen 
becomes dark when you pull too many g's as the 
blood is forced out of your head and you begin to 
lose consciousness. These days pilots wear special 
suits to reduce the effect of g-forces, but you don't 
have the benefit of that luxury. 

Time factor
The time factors (1/2x, 1x, 2x, and 4x) control the 
speed of the simulation. When you start out, you are 
always on 1x. You can use the Options Menu to 
change the Time Factor, or you can use the keyboard.

Press T to decrease Time Factor.

Press Shift-T to increase Time Factor.

Press Ctrl-T to reset Time Factor at 1x. 

As soon as enemies come into view, the time factor 
immediately drops to 1x. If you choose to make the 
action slower still by setting the time factor on 1/2x, 
the program will keep it there until you change it. 
Otherwise, it will default to 1x when you engage the 
enemy.

Unlimited weapons
This option automatically gives you unlimited use of 
all the weapons in the game: machine guns, cannons, 
rockets, and bombs. You don't need to select any 
weapons from the Fighter Configuration screen to 
have them on board when you select this option. 

Unlimited fuel
When you choose this option you have an endless 
supply of fuel, regardless of whether you outfitted the 
P-51 with drop tanks..


ENDING A MISSION
You may end a mission at any time.

Press Esc to bring up the Exit Menu.

In the Exit Menu you have three choices.

Press Y to end the mission.

Press Esc again to resume flying.

Press X to exit to Dos.

If you complete a mission, crash, or get shot down, 
the program automatically returns you to the base, 
where the debriefing takes place. Bomber Escort 
missions, V1 Intercept missions, and certain Strafing 
Runs end on their own after all the enemy fighters 
and major targets have been hit and you receive the 
"mission accomplished" message. A major target is 
indicated by a colorful icon on the map. Search for 
any left-over enemy fighters using the F8 key.
Fighter Sweeps and Strafing Runs without major 
ground targets go on as long as you want them to, or 
until you run out of fuel.

At the end of a mission you'll see the landing 
sequence, as long as you didn't bail out or perish.

Press Enter to bypass the landing sequence.

If you happened to shoot down one or more Nazi 
fighters, or bomb a major target, you get to paint a 
symbol of your kill on the left side of the fuselage.





Next comes the Debriefing Report. In the Debriefing 
Report you learn all the significant facts about your 
mission and are given a score. The mission score can 
be positive or negative, depending on how many 
aircraft you shot down or lost, how many civilian and 
enemy targets you destroyed, etc. The mission score 
is added to, or subtracted from, your Total Score.


Press Enter or the joystick button to turn to the next 
page of the Debriefing Report, where you receive a 
written account of your success or failure, and how it 
will effect the war. 


Press Enter or the joystick button to go to the 
Squadron Room. 
Your buddies make remarks about your performance 
for the day. If you're not upholding the reputation of 
the illustrious boys from the 357th, then you're 
tarnishing it and deserve their scorn. If you are KIA 
or POW, naturally you won't be there to know what 
they said about you.

Press Enter or the joystick button to open the latest 
News Bulletin.

Read the News Bulletin to find out how things are 
going in other parts of the war.


Press Enter or the joystick button to bring up the 
Opening Menu.



Notice that now the Opening Menu has one more 
selection to choose from: Replay Last Mission. This 
selection allows you to turn back the clock and try 
the previous mission again, as though you had never 
attempted it. 

SELECT Replay Last Mission to try the last mission.

Sooner or later you must take on the responsibility of 
the Tour of Duty.

SELECT Tour of Duty to begin the Tour of Duty.


TOUR OF DUTY
The Tour of Duty consists of thirty-four separate 
missions in the same categories found in the Practice 
mode. The missions follow in a sequence which 
cannot be altered. Pilots created during Practice are 
not saved and so cannot be used in Tour Of Duty. 
When you enlist a new pilot for the Tour of Duty, 
that pilot remains on the pilot list unless he/she is 
discharged. Pilots are either Active, Killed in Action, 
or Prisoners of War.


There is one secret major ground target in a certain 
patrol over Berlin which does not appear on the flight 
map: the bunker where the unspeakably vicious 
Führer, Adolf Hitler, cowers because his ill-
conceived and misguided war against Europe is 
going so poorly, thanks in large part to the United 
States' Armed Forces, of which the 357th Fighter 
Group is a distinguished member. If you have 
accumulated a score worthy of the Heroes of the 
357th, try to find and destroy Hitler's bunker and 
you'll 
receive a huge bonus. 

The program automatically saves the stats for each 
pilot when you quit the game. The next time you 
select a pilot for the Tour of Duty, you will begin 
where that pilot left off, without the option to replay 
his last mission.

After you select Tour of Duty, the Pilot Selection 
Menu appears. Use this menu to choose an active 
pilot, create a new pilot, get rid of a pilot, bring a 
pilot back to life, erase all the pilots, look at a pilot's 
stats, or check the list of top aces.
CREATE A PILOT
If this is your first time attempting the Tour of Duty, 
you need to create a pilot before you can begin 
flying. The program automatically saves all the pilots 
you create, so they will always be available unless 
you delete them. The program prompts you to enter 
your name if there are no pilots available. If there is 
at least one pilot available, the program brings up the 
Pilot Menu. 


The menus display eight pilot names per page. If the 
pilot you want is not on the first page of the menu, 
press the down arrow to highlight the last name on 
the menu, then press the arrow once more to bring up 
the next menu. To bring up the previous menu page, 
highlight the name at the top of the page and then 
press the up arrow once. 

Choose an active pilot
When you select 'Choose an active pilot', a list of all 
the active pilots appears.

Select the pilot you want to 'be'.

The Briefing Screen appears, followed by the 
Briefing Film, etc-just as in Practice mode.

When you return to Tour of Duty after performing a 
mission, you have the opportunity to choose that 
same pilot again from the top line of the menu. Or 
you may choose another pilot. If all the active pilots 
are either killed in action or prisoners of war, none 
are active. In this case, you must either restore one or 
enlist a new one.


Choose another pilot
SELECT 'Choose another pilot' for a list of all the 
pilots.

SELECT one of the pilots and proceed.

Enlist a new pilot
SELECT 'Enlist a new pilot' to bring up the pilot 
naming box.

Type in a new name and proceed.

Restore a pilot KIA or POW 
SELECT 'Restore a pilot KIA or POW' to bring up a 
list of all the pilots killed in action or taken prisoner.

SELECT a pilot and proceed.
Discharge a pilot
SELECT 'Discharge a pilot'. A list of all the pilots 
available for discharge appears. 

SELECT the pilot you wish to discharge. That pilot 
will be gone for good.

The program asks you to verify your selection by 
pressing Y, or to cancel it by pressing N.

Press Y or N.

You return to the Pilot Selection Menu.

Clear Roster
SELECT clear roster to delete all pilots, scores, and 
statistics.

The program asks you to verify your decision by 
pressing Y, or to cancel it by pressing N.

If you press Y, you are then asked to name a new 
pilot.

Type in a name, press Enter, and proceed.

Review A Pilot's Stats
SELECT 'Review a pilot's stats' for a list of all the 
saved pilots.

SELECT one of the pilots.



A box appears showing the pilot's name, number of 
missions flown, number of targets destroyed, number 
of kills in the air, and his score to date.

Press Enter or Esc to return to the Pilot Selection 
Menu.

The list of top aces appears at the end of each Tour of 
Duty mission after the debriefing, and you can take a 
look at it at the beginning of a new mission.

SELECT 'Show Top Aces'

The aces are ranked in order of points. The pilot with 
the most points is at the top of the list.

CONGRATULATIONS 
When you distinguish yourself in battle, the high 
command offers you a hearty congratulations, as you 
have helped uphold and increase the stature of the 
Heroes of the 357th Fighter Group of the Eighth Air 
Force.



MISSION TYPES
There are 34 missions contained in the categories 
below. 

Fighter Sweep: A well-executed fighter sweep rids an 
area of enemy fighters. Here you will focus 
exclusively on aerial combat tactics. You'll probably 
need to consult the Enemy View (F8) often to get 
your bearings during the many dogfights you'll have 
to win complete a fighter sweep. Between waves of 
enemy fighters, or after the last wave, you can strafe 
ground targets if you want to. The program will not 
end a fighter sweep automatically. You must press 
Esc when you want to return to the base.

Bomber Escort: On a bomber escort mission, your 
job is not only to keep enemy fighters from shooting 
down your bombers, but you might also find time to 
drop a load of ordnance yourself. Use the autopilot 
feature to return to your bomber formation if you 
become detached during a fight. Bomber Escort 
missions end automatically after the bombs are 
dropped and all enemy fighters have been shot down.

Strafing Run: On a strafing run you are responsible 
for eliminating ground targets, with your guns, 
cannons, rockets or bombs. There will likely be 
enemy fighters present to thwart your efforts. 
Eliminating them should be your first priority. When 
strafing, make sure to cut your throttle a little and put 
out your flaps. This way you can fly slowly, low to 
the ground, and maintain the lift you need to keep 
your P-51 from auguring in. Strafing Runs selected 
from the Practice menu do not end automatically, 
though when you run out of fuel 
and/or ammo it's time to return to the base. Press Esc 
to return to the base.

Special Weapons:  Special Weapons mission are just 
like Strafing Runs and require the same tactics. The 
only difference is that on a Special Weapons mission 
you must take out one or more major ground target in 
order to complete the mission. Major ground targets 
are indicated by colorful icons on the map. When you 
destroy all the major ground targets, the mission ends 
automatically.

V1 Intercept: The V1 "Buzz Bomb" is an unmanned, 
unguided, jet-propelled missile. All you have to do is 
catch up to it and knock it out of the sky, but the 
longer you wait the more likely it is for the V1 to 
crash over friendly territory. You may also have to 
contend with enemy fighters. When you destroy the 
V1 and kill all the enemy fighters, the mission ends 
automatically. If you miss the V1, you might as well 
hang around and strafe targets of opportunity until 
your fuel and/or ammunition runs out. 

Free Flight: Many men have dreamed of flying to 
Paris and being invincible. In Free Flight, you cannot 
be shot down or crash. Rove the skies over Paris, 
dogfighting and strafing at will. Practice gunnery, 
bombing, aerial maneuvers without fear of dying. 
This is not a mission as there are no objectives. Press 
Esc when you want to return to the base.

GROUND SCHOOL
The following section offers general information 
about the enemy and the different mission types, and 
specific advice on how to deal with the more difficult 
situations you will encounter. If you'd rather not have 
any help, refrain from reading on. For those who 
wish to make things a little easier on yourselves, we 
hope the information below is useful and enhances 
your enjoyment of Heroes of the 357th. 

THE CLOCK
Ever since pilots carried radios in their planes, the 
clock has been used to communicate the general 
direction of bogeys (unidentified aircraft) relative to 
the pilot. Imagine your aircraft as the fixed point in 
the center of a huge clock. The nose of your plane 
always points to 12. Enemy aircraft are identified as 
being located at positions on the face of the clock, 
with relative altitude indicated as low or high. For 
example, "Bogey at 3 o'clock" would indicate an 
aircraft to the right; "Bogey at 3 o'clock low" would 
indicate an aircraft below and to the right.

ENEMY FIGHTERS
Below are descriptions and flight characteristics of all 
the enemy fighters you will face. In general, the 
enemy fighters are dark on top and light on the 
underside, and friendlies are light on top and dark on 
the underside. If you want to see a close-up of the 
enemy fighters, Press Shift-F8 when the enemy is 
present in the skies. The briefing reports for some of 
the missions specify only the expected level of 
fighter resistance, not the actual type of fighters you 
will be engaging. You would do well to familiarize 
yourself with the appearance of the enemy fighters 
using the Shift-F8 command so to be better able to 
combat them. 

Bf109
The Messerschmitt 109 is a light, highly 
maneuverable fighter. Somewhat slower than the P-
51, the Bf-109 can neither outrun nor outclimb you, 
but at lower altitudes you'll have a hard time drawing 
a bead on it in close combat. Few of the enemy pilots 
will climb to engage you when you have a significant 
altitude advantage, and the Bf-109 pilots are 
particularly leery of high-altitude combat. For 
armament they carry two MG-17 machine guns and 
one 20-mm MG-151 cannon.

Me-110 
Although slower and somewhat less maneuverable 
than the Bf-109, the Me-110's powerful cannons can 
make up for its performance deficiencies. Avoid 
head-on passes in general, and especially head-on 
passes with Me-110s, as you will almost certainly 
sustain heavy damage if not lose the P-51 altogether. 
When a flight of Me-110s is approaching, point your 
nose upward to attain greater altitude, or turn inside 
toward the angle of their approach. Using this latter 
tactic, you should be able to take out some or all of 
the Me-110s as they pass to one side of you without 
taking any hits. If one or more get by on the first 
pass, you should be able to outmaneuver them and 
take them down without exposing yourself to too 
much danger.
Fw-190 
The Focke-Wulf 190 is more dangerous than the Me-
110. It performs nearly as well as the P-51 at any 
altitude and is more heavily armed. In dogfights with 
Fw-190s, the better pilot usually prevails.

Me-262
The Messerschmitt 262 Sturmvogel is a thorn in the 
side of the Yoxford Boys. With its two wing-
mounted turbojets, it's much faster than the P-51, and 
its four cannons can rip you (or one of your bombers) 
to shreds in seconds. On bomber escort missions, try 
to keep the 262s occupied and away from your 
bombers if you can't actually shoot them down. As 
long as your bombers reach the target site and drop 
their load, your mission is accomplished.

BATTLE DAMAGE
When the P-51 takes too many hits, a series of 
messages appears from your wingman warning you 
to return home while you can still save your plane. If 
you wish to follow your wingman's advice, press Esc 
and then Y to return to end the mission. If you have 
not completed your objective(s), the mission will be 
counted as a failure. 

Even though you've been hit, as long as the P-51 
hasn't burst info flames you can still fly it normally. 
You just have to be careful not to take any more 
rounds or run into any flak. And there's an off chance 
that, even without being hit again, the P-51 will burst 
into flames from the damage it's already absorbed.

FLAK
There's nothing you can do against flak, except take 
care of business as quickly as possible and get out of 
the area. If you're forced to fly low, as on a strafing 
run, and the enemy is firing off a lot of flak, you have 
little recourse but to pray you don't get hit. The 
chances are good that the P-51 won't be brought 
down by flak, but there are no guarantees in war.

FIGHTER TACTICS
Fighter Sweep
The purpose of a fighter sweep is to clear an area of 
enemy fighters. There are no bombers to protect, so 
your auto-pilot and recall wingman commands are 
not functional. As in all missions where your first 
encounter is a gaggle of bandits flying toward you, 
it's important to take out as many of the enemy as 
possible in the first pass. 

After the first pass, use necessary tactics to position 
yourself to get a good shot on the enemy. Tactics 
during fighter sweeps vary according to the kind of 
airplane you're facing and your skill as a pilot. (See 
above fighter descriptions for general comments 
about the different enemy fighters.) 

If you're skilled enough, you can earn a lot of extra 
points during fighter sweeps by taking out targets of 
opportunity on the ground. Fighters come in waves, 
so if you wipe out the first wave in short order you 
have time to swoop down and strafe ground targets 
before the next wave arrives. There is a risk inherent 
in this practice, though; if you return to dogfighting 
altitude too late, the enemy fighters will have the 
drop on you. Experience makes all the difference in 
most of these missions.

Bomber Escort 
The Yoxford Boys fly bomber escort missions 
primarily. The most important objective in a bomber 
escort mission is to keep the enemy from shooting 
down your bombers. As a rule of thumb, never stray 
too far from the bomber formation in pursuit of an 
enemy fighter. 

Enemy fighters come in waves, often approaching 
head-on or nearly head-on. With the help of your 
wingman, try to take out all the fighters in the first 
pass. Sometimes you will miss one or more of the 
fighters. Your wingman will always pursue a 
combatant (unless you command him to regroup), 
and it's up to you whether to help him, stay with the 
bombers, or pursue another enemy if one is present.

Don't let an enemy fighter take you too far away 
from the formation. If you're having trouble finishing 
off the survivors of a first pass, return to the bomber 
formation using autopilot and wait for them to come 
to you. Press the F8 key often to keep track of where 
the combatants are. If you see one trying to sneak up 
behind you, you can pull straight back on the joystick 
to perform a vertical loop and flame him when he 
appears below you, or you can pull a horizontal turn 
and t-bone him from the side.

The most important thing is to stay close to the 
bombers.

Strafing Run
It's most important to remember to keep your flaps 
out and your throttle up when flying low. But watch 
your airspeed; pull your flaps in and lower your nose 
it if falls below 200 knots. Stalling this low is often 
fatal.

A strafing run can be easy or difficult, depending on 
whether or not the enemy sends up fighters to defend 
his territory. If there are fighters in the air, you 
should get rid of them first, as the low altitude 
required for a successful strafing run leaves you in no 
position to dogfight.

If there is flak in the air, you might find it wise not to 
hang around too long after finishing your business. 
Getting killed by flak is kind of a fluke, but it does 
happen, and the longer you fly around in it, the better 
chance it has of connecting.

All the weapons are useful in strafing runs. A few 
rounds from the machine guns can destroy the 
smaller targets. The cannons are good for barges, 
bridges, small buildings, and other medium size 
targets. Rockets are more powerful still, and have a 
good long range. Bombs and drop tanks, accurately 
placed, destroy major targets.

Special Weapons
This is a fantasy strafing run on the Spree River near 
Berlin. There is no enemy opposition, and you are 
encouraged to carry weapons no Yoxford Boy ever 
fired from a P-51. Practice flying low and aiming 
rockets and cannon-fire at distant targets, and see if 
you can guess right with your bombs. No special 
advice here; just use your throttle to control your 
speed.

V1 Intercept
The V1 Intercept missions are among the most 
difficult in the simulation. Typically, the V1 won't 
arrive until you're well into your patrol. While your 
waiting to spot it, you'd do well to drop down and 
strafe as many targets as you can. But don't drop your 
flaps here, as you will need a lot of speed to climb 
back up when the V1 arrives.

V1s usually come from the East at 10,000 feet. It's 
best to be at between 10,000 and 12,000 feet before it 
appears. If you're still strafing when you get the 
message that a V1 has been sighted, drop your bombs 
and tanks, switch on your flight map (if it's not on), 
and beat it quickly up to 10,000 feet.

The P-51, not carrying any tanks or bombs, is slightly 
faster than a "buzz bomb". The best way to take out 
the V1 is to position yourself due West of it and fly 
East, straight toward it. The buzz bomb appears on 
the flight map, so you can line yourself up easily, 
especially if you kick the time factor down to 1/2x. If 
you're lucky, you can take it out in a head-on pass.
If you find yourself behind the V1, make sure you 
drop all bombs and tanks and then jam the throttle 
forward. At top speed, you'll eventually catch the V1 
before it explodes in a London suburb, as long as you 
have enough fuel.

If you're too close to take it head-on, but not yet 
behind it, pull back on the stick until you are 
inverted, roll to level yourself out, and then come in 
from behind at top speed.

THE YOXFORD BOYS 
Adapted from a work by Merle Olmstead of the same 
title

	There can be no doubt that America's 
entrance into the European theater during World War 
II hastened Germany's demise, if not thwarted 
Hitler's dream of global domination. For the first time 
in military history, "air superiority" was tantamount 
to victory. Whereas in the Great War legendary pilots 
fought many uncoordinated and largely insignificant 
skirmishes in the skies above the armies, the pilots, 
gunners, and bombardiers in World War II manned 
aircraft of great speed, with the power to cause 
massive destruction. Gone were the days of 
chivalrous knights jousting for honor and glory in 
motorized kites, while on the battlefields below 
enemies and compatriots alike died by the thousands 
of disease, starvation, exposure, and battle wounds. 
Now air forces had a potent hand in ending conflicts 
and sparing lives. And the primary role of fighter 
pilots in World War II was to escort bombers safely 
to strategically selected targets, where the bombers 
would attempt to destroy the enemy's ability to make 
war. 
	When the U.S. Air Force arrived in Europe 
in 1942, Britain's beleaguered Royal Air Force was 
barely holding its own against Goering's indomitable 
Luftwaffe. But a few years later the Luftwaffe was so 
crippled that it could offer only a token resistance to 
the Allies' unremittent bombing runs. During the last 
year-and-half of the war, one fighter group of 
America's 8th Air Force distinguished itself as most 
formidable-the 357th-known to friend and foe alike 
as "The Yoxford Boys".
	The 357th began operational training 
officially on December 1, 1942 at Hamilton Field on 
the shore of San Pablo Bay,  just north of San 
Francisco. Four of the officers assigned early in the 
training period were to remain with the Group 
throughout most of its existence: Major Donald 
Graham, Major Robert Romaine, Captain Alfred 
Craven, and Captain Irwin H. Dregne. Combat 
elements of the Group consisted of three fighter 
squadrons: the 362nd, 363rd, and 364th. In command 
of the squadrons were Major Hubert I. Egnes, 
Captain Stuart R. Lauler, and Captain Varian E. 
White, respectively. That two of the three 
commanders-Egnes and White-were combat veterans 
was a rare distinction indeed for such an embryonic 
unit. The original cadre had little to work with apart 
from the men themselves. There were no aircraft at 
all, nor vehicles of any kind for that matter; and 
office furniture consisted of empty crates. The Group 
was not intended to do any flying from Hamilton 
Field. Nonetheless, the 357th began to take shape. 
	In March of 1943, the Group now formed 
into some semblance of order, the 357th was 
transferred to the desolate surroundings of the Army 
Air Base at Tonopah, Nevada for in-flight training. It 
should be noted that during World War II more 
American pilots died (and more aircraft were lost) in 
training than in actual combat; and 357th's stint in 
Tonopah bears that out. In a one month period during 
June and July, there were eight training fatalities and 
numerous bail-outs and ground accidents. The 
frequency of such calamities soon decreased, and by 
the end of the summer the pilots and ground crews 
had gained the experience it would take to make a 
first-class fighter group. 
	In October, for their last phase of training 
before transferring to overseas for combat duty, the 
Group's three squadrons were separated. The 362nd 
went to Pocatello, Idaho, the 363rd to Ainsworth, 
Nebraska, and the 364th to Casper, Wyoming. It was 
at these three bases that the pilots learned to serve as 
escorts to bombers, mostly B-24s. This would be 
their primary function. It's important to note that such 
a protracted and specified training regimen proved 
instrumental for the United States Air Force's success 
against the Luftwaffe. While it was important to join 
in the war against Hitler without adieu, it was 
necessary to make sure that the pilots and attendant 
ground-crews maintain a high level of excellence. 
Indeed, the Allies pressed the war to its conclusion 
by bombing Germany's petroleum refineries; and the 
Luftwaffe Command, short on fuel for training 
operations, sent up young, poorly-trained, though 
well-indoctrinated Nazi flyers to combat well-trained 
American fighter pilots. This fact accounts, at least in 
part, for the astounding success of the 357th Fighter 
Group in Europe.
	On December 7th, trained exclusively in the 
now somewhat obsolete P-39, the pilots of the 357th 
arrived at a newly constructed airbase in Raydon 
Wood, County Suffock, England. The group 
commander was Lt. Col. Edwin S. Chickering. Once 
in place, the Group was assigned to General Lewis H. 
Brereton's 9th Air Force under the 700th Fighter 
Wing as part of the IX Fighter Command. The first 
North American P-51B Mustangs began to arrive a 
few weeks later, painted olive-drab. The Royal Air 
Force (RAF) had been using the American designed 
P-51 for some time, but for the pilots of the 357th it 
was a new species altogether. The Mustangs were 
slow in arriving, and while the pilots waited for their 
mounts, they took ground-school courses in aircraft 
identification, communications, and weather 
conditions.
	By New Years Day , the 357th had 15 P-
51Bs. The principle virtue of the B series was its 
improved power plant: the Packard-built Rolls Royce 
Merlin. These new motors offered superb high-
altitude performance, something badly lacking in the 
Allieson powered P-51A. Outfitted with two 75 
gallon drop tanks, the P-51B ensured an 
unprecedented radius of action, allowing bomber 
escort missions deep into the heart of Germany. By 
mid-January, at least one veteran squadron-the354th-
had used the new P-51B to full advantage. Soon the 
pilots of the 357th would get a chance to show their 
stuff.
	Late in January, officers from the 358th 
Fighter Group arrived in Raydon Wood and 
announced that they were to take over the airbase. 
This was news to the commanders of the 357th, as 
they had received no official transfer orders. In a few 
days the resulting confusion subsided, as the orders 
were confirmed unequivocally by the top brass. It 
seemed there had been high-level debate concerning 
the best use of the P-51. Initially, all the P-51s were 
slated for the 9th Air Force to help in the upcoming 
invasion of occupied France; but General William E. 
Kepner thought they would be best used for bomber 
escort missions into Germany. His arguments won 
out, and on January 14 the RAF and AAF agreed that 
the majority of the P-51s would go to the 8th Air 
Force. Hence, the 357th swapped their base in 
Raydon Wood for a base 40 miles away, near a 
village named Yoxford just three miles from the 
coast of the chilly North Sea.
	By February 5th, there were 74 P-51s on 
hand, bringing the 357th nearly to full strength, and 
making it the first P-51 fighter group in the 8th Air 
Force. On February 9th the Group, now a little more 
than a year old, was placed on full operational status, 
and its first mission was scheduled for two days later. 
The Group's first few missions were uneventful, 
except for one bail out over the North Sea due to 
mechanical failure. Lt. Robert W. Brown of the 
262nd Squadron, unable to re-start his failed engine, 
jumped from his cockpit at 6000 feet, striking his 
legs on the tail group as he fell away. It was his 
dubious distinction to be the first of many 357th 
pilots rescued by the RAF's vigilant Air Sea Rescue 
service. Brown contracted pneumonia from bobbing 
in the frigid water for 30 minutes (twice the normal 
survival time) with one leg broken and the other 
fairly mangled. Soon after rescuers pulled him into 
the boat he slipped into a coma, which lasted for 
more than two weeks. Happily, Lt. Brown survived. 
	It wasn't until a change in command that the 
357th saw any real action. On February 17, Lt. Col. 
Chickering was transferred and replaced by Col. 
Henry R Spicer, formerly Executive Officer with the 
66th Fighter Wing. Col Spicer, sporting a fierce 
mustache, had risen rapidly through the ranks. A 
lieutenant when the war began, it took him scarcely a 
year and a half to become a full colonel. A 
consummate pilot and undauntable man's-man, Col. 
Spicer checked out a P-51 for the first time on 
February 19. The next day he flew a long combat 
mission to Leipzig, Germany.
	Since the previous Fall, plans had been 
underway to mount an all-out campaign to wipe out 
the German fighter force, or at least cripple it 
substantially, as a prerequisite for the coming 
invasion of Europe. Operation ARGUMENT 
emerged in November 1943 as the main plan through 
which this goal could be achieved. The plan needed 
one week of clear weather for the heavy bombers to 
carry out a systematic series of attacks on the 
German aircraft factories. The ensuing winter months 
afforded no such favorable conditions. Then, on 
February 19, 1944, word came down from the 
Weather Section of the USAF that clear weather over 
central Europe was probable for the next seven days, 
soon to be known by the Allied forces as "Big 
Week." The operations during Big Week were 
directed at aircraft factories in Germany and 
occupied Poland. The first day of the attack was an 
overall success, with 941 heavy bombers dropping 
their loads at a cost of only 21 killed. Against modest 
opposition from the Luftwaffe, the pilots of the 357th 
claimed just two enemy fighters destroyed and two 
damaged on the their first day of real action. Only 
four P-51s were damaged, all from flak.
	Their next escort mission was more 
successful in terms of kills, with a total of seven Bf-
109s brought down, including one by Col. Spicer; but 
the Group paid the price of two pilots. Col. Spicer 
claimed two more victories on February 24 on an 
escort mission to smash an Me-110 factory in Gotha, 
establishing himself as the group leader in more ways 
than one. On the last day of Big Week, Col. Spicer 
lead 47 P-51s to Regensburg, where they were 
scheduled to rendezvous with bombers. The 
unusually high number of aborts that day illustrates 
some of the problems often faced by airmen of this 
era. Two pilots turned back because their wing tanks 
would not feed, one for a lost wing tank, one because 
his prop was throwing oil, two for rough engines, and 
one because he misread a hand signal. The 362nd 
Squadron ran into all the action that day, scoring five 
kills and losing two pilots. 
	It's hard to accurately gauge the effects of 
Big Week's concerted attacks on German fighter 
production facilities, but as it marked the beginning 
of full-scale long range fighter escorts into Germany, 
it represents a turning point in the air war over 
Europe. Far from beaten, the Luftwaffe remained 
dangerous for months to come, but it was unable to 
respond in significant numbers to the Allied invasion 
four months later. Importantly for the 357th, that 
week marked their inauguration into the war. Untried 
at the beginning of the week, by week's end the 
group was well on its way to being a battle tested 
unit. It had inflicted losses on the enemy, and it had 
paid the price in its own losses.
	On March 4, the 357th escorted one 
formation of 31 B-17s to Berlin. Cloud cover was 
heavy, and the bombardiers used radar to target their 
ordnance, with insignificant results. Against light 
fighter resistance, the 357th downed just three enemy 
aircraft and lost only one P-51. As a bombing run, 
the mission is barely worth mention; but since it 
marks the first time U.S Forces had struck the 
German capital, it's noteworthy in the records of the 
Yoxford Boys. One day later, Col. Spicer, group 
commander for scarcely two weeks and already very 
popular with the men for both his leadership skills 
and his airmanship, would fly his last mission. The 
8th Fighter Command had called for the 357th to 
escort bombers to Bordeaux, France, a very long haul 
to southeast corner of the country. On the whole, the 
mission was a success, with most of the bombers 
dropping their loads on target and the 357th claiming 
seven killed and four damaged. Col. Spicer and his 
wingman, Lt. John Pugh of the 362nd Squadron, 
were heading back home from the battle over the 
target area when Spicer's P-51 was hit by flak. Spicer 
radioed his wingman that he intended to climb up as 
high as he could and ride as far as possible before 
bailing out.. When the Mustang caught fire, the 
colonel bailed out and was picked up by the 
Germans, who sent him to a POW camp. Toward the 
end of the war, the colonel was sentenced to death for 
uncomplimentary remarks about his captors. But the 
sentence was never carried out, and Spicer survived 
the war.
	That same mission to Bordeaux marked the 
beginning of a harrowing episode in the life of 
another hero of the 357th: First Officer Charles 
Yeager. Yeager, who had notched his first kill the 
previous day, was hit in a brief engagement with 
enemy fighters and forced to bail out. Wounded in 
both feet, he was picked up by the French 
underground and spent three weeks in several French 
homes recuperating from his wounds. Finally, he 
made it across the border into Spain on March 28, 
with one companion, a Lt. Patterson. Patterson was 
hit in the leg by a rifle round during the escape, and 
Yeager later received the Bronze Star for staying 
with his wounded fellow escapee.
	Meanwhile, the untimely loss of Col. Spicer 
did not postpone the duties of the 357th for even a 
day. The mantle of command fell on the shoulders of 
the Deputy Commander, Lt. Col. Donald W. Graham, 
and on March 6, before his promotion had been made 
official, Graham lead the group out on its biggest day 
yet. Believing that the skies would be clear, the High 
Command deemed it a perfect time for a visual 
bombing of Berlin, the German capitol being all but 
unscathed by previous aerial attacks. Specifically, the 
bombers were after the Erkner Bearing plant, the 
BMW engine plant, and the Bosch electrical works. 
But, as it turned out, the skies over Berlin were 
cloudy, and the 1626 tons of bombs brought by the 
8th were badly scattered across the city. Being the 
only fighter group in the area, 48 pilots of the 357th 
bore the brunt of a fierce Luftwaffe resistance. When 
the fighting was over, they claimed 20 enemy planes 
destroyed and suffered no losses, by far the best 
showing of any fighter group that day. As it 
happened, a flight of five from the 264th Squadron 
found themselves at treetop level near the airfield at 
Ulzen after downing a lone Bf-109. These five pilots 
took this opportunity to strafe the airfield, including 
several aircraft, the control tower, and a nearby 
locomotive for good measure. This was the 357th's 
first successful ground attack, unplanned as it was. 
	Two days later, the Yoxford boys again 
were assigned to escort a box of bombers to Berlin. 
This time the Luftwaffe put up a much weaker 
defense. Total claims for the day amounted to six, 
one of which went to Major Thomas L. Hayes. The 
victory, plus two earlier 109s and two Japanese 
planes shot down in the Pacific Theater, made him 
the first ace in the Group. Hayes was one of the five 
pilots who had strafed the airfield at Ulzen the day 
before, which whetted his appetite for ground attack. 
He lead his flight down to deck again, where he and 
Capt. Glendon Davis V each destroyed a locomotive 
on the main line west of Brandenburg.
	During these early missions, some of those 
who would become the Group's high scorers had 
begun to show their ability. Lt. John England and 
Capt. Joseph Broadhead of the of the 362nd, 
Capt.Clarence Anderson and Lt. Donald Bochkay 
from the 363rd., and Lt. Richard Peterson of the 
364th had all scored multiples, but none had reached 
the mythic pinnacle of ace. The end of the first month 
of operations showed claims of 59-3-17 (59 
destroyed, 3 probably destroyed, and 17 damaged) in 
the air and 0-4-0 on the ground. 
	The Group got a week's respite in March, 
during which pilots and ground personnel alike 
enjoyed the unprecedented luxuries of ample sleep 
and unhurried breakfasts. The vacation ended on the 
16th with a mission to Munich. 42 Mustangs set out, 
but by the time the Group reached the rendezvous 
point at Stuttgart ten pilots had aborted because of 
mechanical problems, leaving only 32 fighters to 
protect the bombers. It was over Stuttgart that most 
of the combat took place. The 357th took on some 40 
or more Messerschmitts, Focke-Wulfs and Dorniers. 
Besides the 357th's now characteristically lopsided 
victory score over the Luftwaffe (12 kills vs 2 in this 
battle), most noteworthy on this day was the triple 
scored by Capt. Jack Warren, who single-handedly 
shot down two Me-110s and one Bf-109. Coupled 
with two previous victories, these three kills made 
Warren the first pilot to reach ace status with all five 
scores as a 35th pilot. March continued quietly, with 
frequent missions but little action. A few pilots 
increased their kill totals, a few died from severe 
weather conditions, and the war continued. 
	On March 28th, the 362nd Squadron 
conducted its first strafing attack on an airfield, ten 
miles south of Paris. While less glamorous and 
knightly than dogfighting, strafing runs could be just 
as dangerous. Airfields surrounded by automatic 
weapons, competently manned, saw the deaths of 
many fine pilots. Events on March 29th, last mission 
of the month, underscored the constant threat posed 
by the elements. A few seconds of poor visibility and 
a moment of uncertainty sometimes lead to disaster 
in the air. Soon after takeoff, while climbing through 
overcast skies, two flights became mixed and Lts. 
Gutierrez and McGinley collided and crashed into the 
Channel. Air Sea Rescue units were on the scene in 
short order but found no survivors. To cap an already 
bad day, Lt. Edwin Sutton did not return for 
unknown reasons.
	April started off very slowly. On the 8th 
there was a sortie with about 15 German fighters over 
Brunswick. Five enemy planes where shot down. The 
eventual leading ace of the Group, the renown 
Leonard "Kit" Carson, shared his first career victory 
that day with another flyer. Three days later, in the 
same familiar area, ensued one of the most spirited 
and violent engagements of the entire air war. The 
battle was so confusing that some of the many kills 
went unattributed. The fight started near the target 
area after two German spotter planes picked up the 
formations at the enemy coast line on the way in. As 
Luftwaffe fighters began to swarm around the 
bombers, a group of unwitting P-38s bounced the 
357th while it was still in formation and carrying 
drop tanks. Luckily, there was no immediate harm, 
and the 52 Mustangs were prepared to defend their 
charges when 5O single-engine enemy fighters 
attacked from below while 8 others attempted to 
create a diversion by diving in from above. Instantly, 
the squadrons broke up into flights and elements and 
went after the enemy planes. As battles swirled 
across the skies, the still present P-38s got involved 
in the melees, and it quickly became apparent that P-
38 pilots were operating on the theory that "if it has 
one engine, shoot at it!" As the air battle moved to 
Brunswick and on the Magdeburg, several P-51s 
were fired on by P-38s, including one which was 
busy destroying a Bf-109 that had just fired on a 
bomber crew descending in their parachutes. This 
was a good illustration of the difficulty in identifying 
friend or foe in the confused and rapidly changing 
events of aerial combat.
	Later in in the month, the Allies' tireless 
bombing of German military targets and the 
favorable margin of air-to-air combat victories 
appeared to be taking some of the bite out of the 
Luftwaffe. For two consecutive days in mid-April, 
the group escorted bombing runs to Germany without 
opposition. These two "free" missions, coming on the 
heels of some of the most intense fighting 
experienced by the Group thus far, had a calming 
effect on most of the pilots' nerves. But in every air 
force, regardless of uniform or nationality, there are a 
few pilots who thrive on the thrill of combat, and 
these few often extend their tours voluntarily. John 
England, the Group's fourth leading scorer at the end 
of the war, extended his tour five times, so attached 
was he to the exhilaration of air-combat.
	To the large majority of fighter pilots, 
however, it was a job to be finished as soon as 
possible. (There was at least one man who joined the 
profession to impress a woman.) To most of them, a 
long combat mission was a grueling experience. 
Strapped into a seat for five to eight hours, usually 
with an oxygen mask rubbing the face raw, head 
continually on a swivel, often fighting bad weather 
and temperamental instruments, sweating out the 
flak- it was tough on the average man's nerves, even 
when the Luftwaffe chose not to fight. The Berlin 
runs continued into May with good results. The third 
full month of operations ended on May 9th, and it 
was the most successful month to date for the Group, 
with 73 destroyed, 3 probables, and 20 damaged. The 
three month air totals were 152-8-44. 
	By the early Spring of 1944, Allied planners 
had reached a decision which would have a 
devastating effect Germany's ability to continue the 
war-the "oil campaign" was about to begin. Well 
aware of their precariously low supply of petroleum 
products and of the vulnerability of oil refineries, the 
Nazis had long feared the coming attacks. The 
campaign was begun by the 15th Air Force during 
April, with the 8th scheduled to join in on April 21st. 
But continuing bad weather delayed its initial 
participation until May 12th. Late as it was, it was a 
spectacular beginning, with over 1,700 tons of bombs 
falling with excellent results on synthetic oil plants 
deep in Germany and occupied Czechoslovakia. The 
Luftwaffe reacted violently and in force, inflicting 
heavy losses (34) on the bombers. 100 single engine 
fighters, in waves of about 30, tore through the 
bombers and then reformed for another pass. When 
the 357th arrived the 2nd wave of enemy fighters 
were attacking. In the melee that followed, ten Bf-
109s and four Fw-190's were shot down. Once again, 
the pilots of the 357th acquitted themselves 
admirably, losing only two P-51s, the pilot of one 
surviving as a POW. Later in the the month they 
attacked targets in occupied Poland for the first time 
and shot down a few Me 410s.
	The latter part of May was as full of action 
as the former was devoid of it. Lt. Bob Foy, who 
with 20 kills would end the war two kills behind Kit 
Carson, scored a triple on May 19th on a now 
familiar but seldom dull run over Berlin.
 On the 21st, the 357th set out on a ride across 
Germany for its first "Chattanooga Choo-Choo" 
ground attack mission. For a change there were no 
bombers to watch over, as the job was to shoot up 
any ground targets worthy of a burst of 50 caliber 
ammo. The three squadrons split up North of Berlin 
and set out in different directions. Most of the flights 
encountered little or no enemy fire and merrily 
strafed whatever they could find: train cars, airfields, 
oil trucks, etc. But one group stirred up a hornet's 
nest at Tarnewitz Aerodrome. Ground fire was so 
heavy that the flight had to head back almost as soon 
as it arrived, and even so two pilots were killed, three 
P-51s were lost, and some nine or ten aircraft 
returned with damage. 
	Except for the 26th of May, the Group flew 
a mission every day for the remainder of the month. 
In addition to continuing its campaign against Nazi 
oil, the 8th Air Force began lending assistance to the 
tactical air forces in their preparation for Operation 
Overlord. This included attacks on Normandy's 
heavily fortified coastline, where airfields, 
communications and transport lines, artillery 
emplacements stood ready. While largely unmanned, 
these targets needed to be made unserviceable in 
preparation for the Allied invasion of German 
occupied France.
	D-Day came on June 5th, 1944. The 357th 
flew eight missions that day and four the next, most 
without event. The Luftwaffe was all but absent from 
the fighting, and, as it became apparent that the 
tactical air forces could handle ground support on its 
own, help from the 8th Air Force dwindled. The 
Luftwaffe's limited resistance during the week 
following D-Day testifies to the effectiveness of both 
Operation Argument and Overlord. Normandy now 
secure, the 357th continued flying missions to France 
and Germany in an effort to further weaken the Nazi 
war machine.
	After the 16th, the 357th returned to its 
usual escort duties. German planes were scarce for 
the most part, and the Luftwaffe squadrons who 
braved combat usually fared badly. On the 20th the 
Group added a new type to its list when two pilots 
shot down a Fieseler Fi Storch. The downing of the 
inferior Storch by a P-51 is indicative of how the air 
war was going and would continue to go for the 
Nazis. Four days later, Lt. Nicholas Frederick 
became the first 357th pilot to land at an Allied air 
strip in France and then fly home. Clearly, the 
German occupation forces were losing control.
	An historic mission occurred on June 29th, 
when the 8th Air Force escorted 1150 B-17s and B-
24s on a bombing run over Leipzig. Many pilots 
scored multiple kills against the Luftwaffe, and only 
17 bombers were lost-none to enemy fighters. In an 
enthusiastic message at the end of the day, General 
Kepner ("Old Man" of VIII Fighter Command, as he 
signed the message) commended all groups, 
"particularly the 357th and the 361st, for the most 
outstanding escort job ever performed." With almost 
five months of combat behind it, the 357th claimed 
3841/2 airplanes destroyed, all but 27 in the air. Two 
pilots were on the ace list, with one Clarence 
Anderson at the top, for now.
	The Group spent the remainder of the year 
primarily on escort missions, which were becoming 
more and more routine. Due to the poorer and poorer 
turnout by a reeling Luftwaffe, the kills tapered off 
slightly; but by January of the next year the 357th 
had its 40th ace and held the 8th and 9th Air Force 
record for the most enemy aircraft shot down in one 
day, with 56.5 kills on January 14. On that historic 
day Capt. Chester Maxwell and Lt. Raymond W. 
Bank scored triples, and a host of pilots scored 
double kills. Lt. Gen. Jimmie Doolittle, Commander 
of the 8th Air Force, recommended the 357th for a 
Distinguished Unit Citation: "You gave the hun the 
most humiliating beating he has ever taken in the air. 
Extend my personal admiration and congratulations 
to each member of your command, both ground and 
air, for a superb victory." At the end of one year in 
England the Group score stood at 545 enemy aircraft 
destroyed in the air and 54 on the ground.
	By February 1945 the Luftwaffe was dying 
under the steamroller of overwhelming Allied air 
power. It was short of everything except aircraft, the 
most critical shortage being aviation fuels and, as a 
result, the near elimination of training hours and a 
drastic reduction in operational flying. But contrary 
to the declining activity of the Luftwaffe as a whole, 
the frequent and aggressive attacks on the bombers 
by Me-262s increased markedly during March. The 
pilots of these jets made every effort to avoid combat 
with escorting fighters, concentrating instead on the 
bomber boxes. To counter this new threat, new escort 
tactics were devised: Instead of the former loose 
perimeter around the bomber boxes, the fighters now 
moved in closer to the bombers, permitting them to 
turn into attacking jets and drive them off before they 
could break through. It was found also that the escort 
could not permit itself to be lured away in pursuit of 
the jets, because the latter, with their superior speed, 
were able to turn back into the bombers, leaving the 
slower Mustangs far behind.
	On the 19th of March the Me-262s scored 
heavily on the B-17s, sending four of them down. 
Col Evans' mission report indicated 19 chutes were 
observed from the four bombers. But March 24th 
showed the return of Allied superiority, as the 357th 
scored 16 kills with no losses and a good number of 
ground targets destroyed during an area patrol over 
the Ruhr Valley. The 8th Air Force continued its 
escort and strafing missions, gradually reducing the 
number of functional Axis airfields.
	As in many parts of the world, in mid-April 
there was considerable dismay at the death of 
President Franklin D. Roosevelt; and memorial 
services were held in the base chapel on the 15th. 
Across the Channel in Europe, Hitler's Third Reich 
was tottering and would soon fade into history as 
another dark page. With the number of airfields 
available to the Luftwaffe severely reduced, the 
remaining fields were packed with aircraft and 
provided lucrative targets for strafing. One was 
Neuruppin, about 40 miles north of Berlin, where an 
estimated 150 aircraft were dispersed in the woods 
north of the field. The 357th arrived on the scene just 
as the 339th Fighter Group and other assorted flights 
finished beating up the area and quickly joined in the 
action. Col. Dregne, the last to leave the area, 
reported 50-60 fires burning at that time; and claims 
submitted were for 23 aircraft destroyed, including a 
lone He 177. The description of this action gives a 
good picture of the state of the war in early April-an 
almost defenseless airdrome under attack by so many 
Allied fighters that the biggest danger for the P-51 
pilots was collision.
	In the days following, there were escort 
missions on the 11th, 16th and 17th of April. That 
day Col. Dregne led 64 P-51s to Aussig, where the 
bombers hit the chemical works. The 19th of April 
1945 was the last time the 357th was to fire its guns 
in anger, and it was to be the Group's best day against 
the Me-262s. It was, appropriately enough, a bomber 
escort to Pirma, Czechoslovakia in two formations 
led by Lt. Col. Jack Hayes. The Krauts sent up a slew 
of Me-262s, but most of them avoided combat. And 
late in the afternoon of April 25, four Mustangs led 
by Lt. Ed Hyman in his "Rolla U-Bar" G4-P flew the 
last wartime mission of the 357th. Thirteen days later 
World War II in Europe also ended.
	By the middle of July advance air and 
ground parties had left for Germany and the Army of 
Occupation. The move to an ex-Luftwaffe station at 
Neubiburg, near Munich, spelled the end of the "old" 
357th. Great numbers of old-timers and officers 
began departing for home. Because of the lack of 
maintenance personnel, the number of P-51s in 
commission dropped to about ten. In August 1946, 
the 357th Fighter Group reached the end of the line 
when deactivation orders became effective. The 
following day, the unit was redesignated the 121st 
Fighter Group and assigned to the Ohio National 
Guard. The orders concluded with the statement that 
the 121st was "entitled to history, battle honors and 
any colors earned by unit during previous active 
service." The present 121st Tactical Fighter Wing, 
with headquarters at Lockbourne Air Force Base, is a 
fully combat-ready unit assigned to the Tactical air 
Command.
	In fifteen months of combat, the 
accomplishments of the 357th Fighter Group had 
been varied and many. It had flown 318 combat 
missions and had claimed 592-15-118 enemy planes 
in the air and 120-74 on the ground. Of the enemy 
planes destroyed in the air, 314 1/2 were Me 109s, 
181 1/2 were FW-190s and 20 were unidentified in 
Group records, though most were 109's and 190s. In 
accomplishing these claims, 43 pilots became air aces 
and 9 became air/ground aces. Cold statistical figures 
cannot adequately picture the cost of these scores, but 
they do show that it wasn't easy. A total of 144 pilots 
were lost, either in action or through accidents, but 
almost half of them returned from prison camps after 
the war. In June 1945 there were 73 pilots known 
dead or still missing in action. This did not include 
the 13 killed in training in the States. May they all 
rest in peace.
APPENDIX OF AIRPLANES




NORTH AMERICAN P-51D MUSTANG

	Without a doubt the most famous fighter 
plane of World War II, the   P-51 Mustang was 
originally rejected by the USAAF. It was originally 
designed and built as a ground attack aircraft for the 
RAF. North American's president promised the 
British a fighter superior to the P-40, in spite of its 
being powered by the same engine. And he was able 
to deliver on that promise because of the P-51's 
revolutionary new airframe. On its first test flight the 
Mustang exceeded the top speed of the P-40 by a full 
25 mph. The RAF got its first P-51s in November of 
1941, but before North American could go ahead and 
sell them to the British the USAAF wanted to take a 
look at them. But after extensive testing by 
experienced combat pilots (who unanimously favored 
the new fighter), the USAAF did not place an order.
	The Mustang's one shortcoming lay in its 
Allison motor, which performed poorly at medium to 
high altitudes, where most air-combat took place. For 
this reason, the RAF outfitted its first Mustangs with 
cameras and used them for reconnaissance. Realizing 
that the superior airframe of the Mustang was being 
cheated of its full potential by a sub-standard motor, 
in November of 1942 the RAF sent five of them to 
Rolls-Royce to be outfitted with the best Merlin 
supercharged engines. Predictable as the result might 
have been, the airplane astonished pilots and 
engineers alike. The marriage had produced a plane 
at least 50 mph faster (440 mph), with a much swifter 
rate of climb and a substantially greater range. 
Equipped with drop-tanks, the P-51D could traverse 
up to 2,300 miles, making it ideal for long range 
escort. Its six .50 calibre machine guns made it both a 
formidable opponent in the air, and an effective troop 
and airfield strafer. Also, the Mustang could carry 
2000 lbs. in bombs, and it was occasionally called 
upon to do so. Mainly, though, the P-51 Mustang was 
an awesome fighter. In the course of its service in 
Europe Mustang pilots destroyed nearly 9,100 enemy 
aircraft both in the air and on the ground-a full 49 
percent of all his lost aircraft, not counting the some 
230 V-1 "buzz-bombs" it shot down. So fast and 
agile was the fighter that it even notched several 
victories over Germany's first jet-aircraft. After the 
war, the Mustang saw duty in Korea, where it 
performed well until the MiGs showed up.

Specifications: Type: Single-seat fighter; Power 
plant: One 1,590 hp Packard-built Rolls-Royce 
Merlin V-1650-7 liquid-cooled engine;
Wingspan: 37.0 ft; Length: 32.2 ft; Height: 13.7 ft; 
Weight; 7125 lbs; Maximum Speed: 437 mph; 
Climb: 3,475 ft/min; Ceiling: 41,900 ft; Range: 950 
to 2,300 miles; Armament: Six Browning MG53-2 
machine-guns in wings.



BOEING B-17F FLYING FORTRESS

	Originating as a private venture by Boeing, 
the B-17 got off to a shaky start when the prototype 
crashed on takeoff in military trials. But evidence 
showed that human error was to blame, and the 
USAAC placed a small order in 1936. The first B-17 
powered by a turbocharged engine was the B-17B, 39 
of which the USAAC took delivery in 1938. As war 
became imminent in Europe, the RAF ordered 20 
versions of the subsequent B-17C, which they tested 
and helped improve. The next two models had better 
armored and self-sealing gas tanks. 
	It was the B-17F that best befitted the 
appellation "flying fortress". It carried one .30 in. and 
twelve .50 in. guns positioned from nose to tail, and 
up to 17,600 lbs of bombs. Despite its heavily 
armored airframe and wealth of defensive weaponry, 
the B-17F suffered severe losses against the 
Luftwaffe fighters over Germany, where it bore the 
brunt of U.S. daylight bombing missions. Numerous 
variations on the Flying Fortress cropped up, 
including transports, air-sea rescue aircraft, even 
pilotless, radio-controlled bombers. In all, more than 
12,700 B-17s were built. 

Specifications: Type: High altitude bomber; Power 
Plant: Four 1,200 hp Wright R-1820-97 Cyclone 
nine-cylinder radials with exhaust driven 
turbochargers. Wingspan: 103.8 ft; Length: 73.8 ft; 
Height: 19.1 ft; Weight: 31,150 lbs (loaded); 
Maximum Speed: 317 mph; Ceiling: 35,000 ft; 
Range: 1,100 miles; Armament: 13 0.50 machine-
guns and 17,600 lbs in bombs.










FOCKE-WULF FW-190A-8
	
	Patterned after the Hughes racer which had 
broken the air-speed record in the U.S., the FW-190 
was a marvel in compact design. The bulky but 
reliable air-cooled radial engine posed a challenge to 
engineers, whose task it was to reduce drag and 
increase maneuverability; and the engineer, Kurt 
Tank, succeeded admirably. What he and his team 
came up with was a very small, light-weight, all-
metal fighter-bomber capable of carrying heavy 
armament. Indeed, it was the most heavily armed 
single-engined fighter of its day. Although the first 
190s were in service before the war began, the RAF 
knew not of their presence. Their first appearance in 
the air-war over France in 1941 caused a great deal 
of alarm to the Allies. Not only was the FW-190 a far 
superior fighter to the Spitfire V, but it out-numbered 
her as well. Curiously, it never supplanted the Me-
109, which it was designed to replace.
	Not until the Mustang arrived on the scene 
did the Allies have an effective counter to the FW-
190A, versions of which first appeared in June, 1941. 
The last version of the A-series, the 190A-8, was 
produced in greater numbers than any of the previous 
sub-types and modified to accommodate a power-
booster, which could be used for ten minutes at a 
time at five minute intervals. The only mentionable 
drawback of the A-8 was its relatively poor handling 
at high altitudes, and for this reason it served mostly 
as a ground-attack aircraft. Of all the Luftwaffe's 
different weapons, the FW-190 in its dozens of 
versions had the greatest utility. It was adapted to 
long-range missions, to fire anti-ship weapons and 21 
cm. mortars, and to a dozen other purposes. There 
was even a ramming sub-type outfitted with armored 
leading edges. Arguably, it represented the crowning 
achievement of German aerial combat technology.

Specifications: Type: Single-seat fighter-bomber; 
Power Plant: One 1,700 hp BMW 801 Dg 18-
cylinder two-row radial engine; Wingspan: 34.5 ft; 
Length: 29.0 ft; Height: 13.0 ft; Weight: 7,055 lbs; 
Maximum Speed: 408 mph; Climb: 2,350 ft/min; 
Ceiling: 37,400 ft; Range: 497 miles; Armament: 
Two 13mm MG 131 machine-guns above engine, 
four 20mm MG 151/20 cannon in wings.







MESSERSCHMITT Bf-109G Gustov
	
	By far the most important fighter in the 
Luftwaffe's potent arsenal, the first Bf-109 came off 
the line in 1935 and subsequently developed during 
operations in the Spanish Civil War, where 109s 
dominated the air. Perhaps the most advanced aircraft 
of its day, the Me-109 was one of the first low-wing 
monoplanes. The definitive 109E was ready in great 
numbers by the time Germany invaded France, and 
time and time again it showed its superiority over all 
of its opponents, save the Spitfire. The 109G enjoyed 
a fuel-injected power plant, which improved its 
performance greatly. As g-forces became greater, 
fuel-flow to the motor became more and more of a 
concern for pilots engaged in dogfights. Naturally, 
fuel-injection eliminated that problem.
	An outstanding fighter in its own right, the 
Bf-109 occasionally carried bombs. Along with two 
7.9 mm machine guns on the engine crankcase and 
one formidable 20 mm cannon firing through the 
airscrew hub, it could be made to deliver 1000 lbs. 
worth of payload. But it was used mainly as a fighter, 
and occasionally as an escort. However, as an escort 
for slower bombers it ran into trouble. The 109's 
greatest virtue was its maneuverability at high 
speeds, in the 350 mph range. At slower speeds other 
fighters, such as the Spitfire and the Hurricane, could 
out-turn it; so in a sense it was too fast to be a 
reliable escort. 

Specifications: Type: Single-seat fighter; Power 
Plant: One Daimler-Benz DB 605AM inverted-V-12 
liquid-cooled engine rated at 1,475 horse power for 
take off and 1,355 h.p. at 18,700 ft.; Wingspan: 32.5 
ft; Length: 29 ft; Height: 8.2ft; Weight: 5,893 lbs; 
Maximum Speed: 428 mph; Climb: 4,000 ft/min; 
Ceiling: 38,000 ft; Range: 460 miles; Armament: 
Two 13mm cannon MG-131 machine-guns above 
engine, one 20mm MG-151 cannon  in propellor hub.












MESSERSCHMITT Me-110G ZERSTORER
	
	The Me-110 represented one of the best of 
many mostly unsuccessful attempts by various 
nations to answer the need for a long-range escort 
fighter capable of battling the smaller, single-seaters. 
The intention behind the Me-110 was to build a fast, 
heavily armed two- or three-seater that made up in 
firepower what it lost in maneuverability. The 
concept might have been sound, but no plane 
including the Me-110 fulfilled the theory's promise. 
A pilot coming up against an Me-110B had to 
contend with two 20 mm. nose-mounted cannons, 
four 8 mm nose-mounted machine guns, and one 8 
mm machine gun in the rear of the cockpit. But most 
single-seaters could out-maneuver it well enough to 
minimize the advantage of its superior armament.
	Until the Battle of Britain the Me-110 had 
made a good accounting of itself, but when it came 
up against Hurricanes and Spitfires its woeful 
inadequacies were immediately apparent. Before long 
Me-109s had to escort the M-110s which in turn 
escorted the bombers. Such a ridiculous state of 
affairs pointed up both the 110s shortcomings and the 
Luftwaffe's growing disorganization and ineptitude. 
The one area in which the Me-110G cannot be justly 
maligned was in its role as a night-fighter. Its 
powerful weaponry wreaked destruction on countless 
Allied bombers when their escorts were least 
effective.

Specifications: Type: Three-seat fighter; Power Plant: 
One 1,100 hp Daimler-Benz DB 601A engine; 
Wingspan: 53.3 ft; Length: 42.8 ft; Height: 13.7 ft; 
Weight: 4,330 lbs; Maximum Speed: 342 mph; 
Climb: 2,255 ft. min; Ceiling: 32,800 ft; Range: 520 
miles;Armament: Two 30mm Mk 108 cannons, one 
MG 151 cannon and one 7.9mm MG 81Z twin 
machine gun.











	
MESSERSCHMITT Me-262 STURMVOGEL

	Another example of bureaucratic 
interference and delinquency on the part of the 
German High Command came in its treatment of the 
Me-262. Hitler was obsessed with the idea of having 
the supreme, jet-powered bomber, when what he 
really needed was a fighter that could deal effectively 
with the myriad Allied bombers visiting daily 
devastation on Germany's industrial complex. Had 
the Sturmvogel been introduced in time and in 
sufficient numbers, it could well have re-taken the 
skies over Germany and helped prolong the war. 
	While Hitler undoubtedly wasted precious 
time insisting that the Me-262 be developed as a 
bomber, there were other problems which held it 
back, particularly in the development of a reliable 
turbojet engine. The project began in 1938, but the 
first flight-cleared turbojets did not arrive until the 
November, 1941, and even these proved faulty. In 
spite of the technological problems and a certain 
amount of apparent official indifference, which might 
have actually been political overcaution, in 1944 the 
Sturmvogel succeeded in being the first turbojet 
warplane to engage enemy aircraft. But then it was 
too late to make much of a difference. Its virtues 
were simple: superior speed and powerful armament. 
As an interceptor is was unparalleled. Indeed, it 
marked the beginning of a new age in aircraft. Fast 
enough at better than 540 mph to obviate the need for 
dogfighting, it carried four 30 mm cannons, which 
packed enough wallop to down the stoutest Allied 
bombers. Only 100 or so actually saw operations, and 
of these only a handful were shot down, while the 
rest sent down far more than 100 opposing aircraft.

Specifications: Type: Single-seat fighter: Power 
Plant: Two 1,980 lb thrust Junker Jumo 004B single-
shaft axial turbojets; Wingspan: 41.0 ft; Length: 34.8 
ft; Height: 12.6 ft; Weight: 8,820 lbs; Maximum 
Speed: 540 mph; Climb: 3,940 ft/min; Ceiling: 
37,565 ft; Range: 652 miles; Armament: Four 30mm 
MK 108 cannon in wings.







CONSOLIDATED VULTEE B-24 LIBERATOR

	The Liberator was conceived five years after 
the B-17 and, while inferior to the older bomber in 
some respects, was produced in staggering numbers. 
Indeed, the industrial effort behind it far exceeded 
that of any previous aircraft. It's performance 
advantages over the B-17 were marginal at best, and 
at top speed it was actually harder to control, posing 
problems for the average pilot. Still, it had a longer 
range than any plane of its day, being the first to 
cross the mid-Atlantic gap, where schools of German 
U-boats lurked.
	It had a distinctive design, with a slender 
Davis wing situated above deep bomb bays. This 
wing was ideal for cruising which, along with its 
enormous fuel capacity, accounts for its terrific 
range. The "Lib's" great size necessitated that its 
correspondingly long gears be retracted outward by 
electric motors. In fact, just about everything on 
board was operated electrically. The first versions 
were sent to the RAF, who deemed them unready for 
combat and used them to start the Atlantic Return 
Ferry Service. But improved defenses soon brought it 
into action, and by war's end more than 2,738 
Liberators served US Bomber Groups in Europe and 
the Pacific. The B-24 saw action on every front in 
WWII for 15 allied nations. More versions were 
produced than any other plane, and total production 
exceeded 19,200. The accomplishments of these 
Liberators justified such numbers and lent credence 
to its moniker.

Specifications: Type: Long-range bomber with 
normal crew of 10: Power Plant; Four 1,200 h.p. 
Pratt & Whitney R-1830-65 Twin Wasp 14-cylinder 
two -tow radials;Wingspan:110 ft.; Length: 62.2 ft. ; 
Height: 18 ft.; Weight: 37,000 lbs.; Maximum Speed: 
290 mph; Climb: 900 ft/min; Ceiling: 28,000 ft.; 
Range: 2,200 miles; Armament: Ten .50 inch 
Browning machine guns and 8,000 lbs 
in bombs.




CREDITS
Game Design  Dan Hoecke and Brian Hilchie
Programming  Brian Hilche
Producer  Paul Grace
Assistant Producer  Tom DeBry
Graphics  Dan Hoecke
Sound and Music  Dave Warhol
Technical Director  Scott Cronce, Tom DeBry
Product Managers  Lesley Mansford, Frank Gibeau
Package Design  Jamie Davison Design Inc.
Package Photography  Special Thanks to the family 
of Johnny England
Package Art Direction  Nancy Fong
Original Non-Fiction The Yoxford Boys-Merle 
Olmstead
Documentation  T.S. Flanagan
Documentation Layout  Emily Favors
Product Testing  Jeff Glazier, Steve Matulac, Ed 
Gwynn, Steve Murray
Quality Assurance  Jonathan Skolnick

About the Artists

















Brian Hilchie (above, right)
	Brian was born in 1962 in Sarnia, Ontario,  
though he has lived most of his life in the Ottawa 
area. He received a bachelors degree in mathematics 
and computer science from the University of 
Waterloo inWaterloo, Ont., as did his brother and one 
sister. His other sister has a degree in fine arts. While 
at university he lost his mind and wrote a C compiler 
and development system for the Commodore 64 and 
128 which was sold under the names C Power by 
Pro-Line Software and Power Cby Spinnaker. After 
an ill conceived attempt at a masters degree in 
artificial intelligence, he joined Aero Animation in 
Ottawa where he worked on a number of games 
including Thud Ridge. At Aero he met Dan Hoecke, 
with whom he later became a partner. In his spare 
time he enjoys bicycling, reading, music, and movies.

Dan Hoecke (above, left) 
	In 1981, Dan was managing the Graphics 
Department of Ottawa's Nabu Manufacturing, when 
he first began designing graphics for video games. 
He knew immediately that this was more fun than 
producing brochures.
	Soon he was designing game graphics and 
package artwork at Sydney Development for the 
Atari CVS and Colecovision Games machines.
	Newly formed Aero Animation was Dan's 
next stop, and here he worked on games such as 
"Divebomber" for Amiga, Atari and Dos computers. 
He met Brian Hilchie while teamed on "Thud Ridge" 
and in 1989 they formed Midnight Software Inc.
	Dan and his wife Christine have an six year 
old daughter, Erin, and a five year old son, Kael. 
They live in Nepean, just outside of Ottawa, Ontario, 
Canada.


PROBLEMS WITH THE GAME?
If you are having a problem installing or playing the 
game, we want 
to help. 

First, please make sure you have read the installation 
and start-up section of your manual thoroughly, and 
make sure you have at least 1.5 megabytes free on 
your hard disk. If you have followed the directions in 
the documentation, and are still having trouble 
installing or operating the software, here are some 
hints that might help solve the problem. Before 
attempting any of the following suggestions, please 
make sure you are familiar with the DOS commands 
being used. Consult your DOS manual for more 
information.

TSRs/Device Drivers/DOS shells
TSR stands for Terminate Stay Resident. A TSR is a 
program, like SideKick® that automatically executes 
itself when you start up your computer from a hard 
drive. They are generally installed in your 
autoexec.bat file. Device Drivers and DOS shells also 
are loaded automatically. They are usually installed 
in your config.sys file.

These TSRs or Device drivers sometimes interfere 
with games, or take up valuable memory the game 
may need, and it is generally recommended that you 
not run any such programs, device drivers, or shells 
when attempting to install or play a game.

DOS Boot Disk
If you are having trouble installing, experiencing 
unusual lockups, or other problems that do not 
appear normal, we suggest you try starting up your 
system with a DOS Boot disk. Here are the steps for 
creating a DOS boot disk. Please follow these steps 
exactly.

1.	To create a DOS disk you will need a blank 
disk the same size as your A: drive. 

2. 	Type C: and press the ENTER Key.

3. 	Place the blank disk into drive A:

4. 	Type: Format A:/s

Note: if you are formatting low density disk on a 
high density drive, use the following commands:

5.25" low density disk: Format A:/s/n:9/t:40
3.5" low density disk: Format A:/s/n:9/t:80

You will be prompted to insert a blank disk into drive 
A. Do so if you haven't. Press the ENTER key when 
you are ready.
5. 	Once the disk is finished formatting you will 
be asked whether you wish to format another or not. 
Answer N and press ENTER.

6.	You now have a DOS boot disk. You can 
start your computer from this disk by inserting it into 
the A: drive and restarting your machine. Your 
computer will boot up to the A: prompt. This boot 
disk bypasses the autoexec.bat and config.sys on 
your hard drive and starts up your computer in as 
clean a DOS environment as possible. Try re-
installing the software if you were having trouble 
doing so, or try starting the software from the drive 
and directory you installed to. If the software you are 
trying to run requires a sound driver or mouse driver, 
don't forget to execute those before starting your 
game.


TECHNICAL SUPPORT
Technical Support
If you have questions about the program, our 
Technical Support Department can help. If your 
question isn't urgent, please write to us at: 

Electronic Arts Technical Support
P.O. Box 7578
San Mateo, CA 94403-7578

Please be sure to include the following information in 
your letter: 

o	Product name
o	Type of computer you own
o	Any additional system information (like 
type and make of monitor, video card, printer, 
modem etc.)
o	Type of operating system or DOS version 
number
o	Description of the problem you're having

If you need to talk to someone immediately, call us at 
(415) 572-ARTS Monday though Friday between 
8:30 am and 4:30 pm, Pacific Time. Please have the 
above information ready when you call. This will 
help us answer your question in the shortest possible 
time. 

If you live outside of the United States, you can 
contact one of our other offices.

In the United Kingdom, contact: Electronic Arts 
Limited, P.O. Box 835, Slough SL3 8XU, UK. Phone 
(753) 546465.
In Australia, contact: Electronic Arts Pty. Limited, 
P.O. Box 539, Ashmore City. Queensland 4214. 
Phone: (008) 074-298.

Limited Warranty
Electronic Arts ("EA") provides to the original 
purchaser of the computer software product, for a 
period of ninety (90) days from the date of original 
purchase (the "Warranty Period"), the following 
limited warranties:

Media - EA warrants that, under normal use, the 
magnetic media and the packaging provided with it 
are free from defects in materials and 
workmanship.
Software - EA warrants that the software, as 
originally purchased, will perform substantially in 
conformance with the specifications set forth in the 
packaging and in the user manual. 

Warranty Claims
To make a warranty claim under this limited 
warranty, please return the product to the point of 
purchase, accompanied by proof of purchase, your 
name, your return address, and a statement of the 
defect. OR send the disk(s) to us at the above address 
within 90 days of purchase. Include a copy of the 
dated purchase receipt, your name, your return 
address, and a statement of the defect. EA or its 
authorized dealer will, at our option, repair or replace 
the product and return it to you (postage prepaid) or 
issue you with a credit equal to the purchase price. 

To replace defective media after the 90-day warranty 
period has expired, send the original disk(s) to the 
above address. Enclose a statement of the defect, 
your name, your return address, and a check or 
money order for $7.50. 

The foregoing states the purchaser's sole and 
exclusive remedy for any breach of warranty with 
respect to the software product.

Warranty Exclusions: EA expressly disclaims any 
implied warranties with respect to the media and the 
software, including warranties of merchantability or 
fitness for a particular purpose. Any warranties 
implied by law are limited in duration to the warranty 
period. Some states do not allow limitations on the 
duration of an implied warranty, so the above 
limitations may not apply to you. This warranty gives 
you specific legal rights. You may also have other 
rights which vary from state to state.

Limitation on Damages
EA shall not in any case be liable for incidental, 
consequential, or other indirect damages arising from 
any claim under this agreement, even if EA or its 
agents have been advised of the possibility of such 
damages. Some states do not allow the exclusion or 
limitation of incidental or consequential damages, so 
the above limitation or exclusion may not apply to 
you.

Unless indicated otherwise, all software and 
documentation is 
© 1992 Electronic Arts. All Rights Reserved.



NOTICE
ELECTRONIC ARTS RESERVES THE RIGHT TO 
MAKE IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PRODUCT 
DESCRIBED IN THIS MANUAL AT ANY TIME 
AND WITHOUT NOTICE.
THIS MANUAL, AND THE SOFTWARE 
DESCRIBED IN THIS MANUAL, IS 
COPYRIGHTED. ALL RIGHTS ARE RESERVED. 
NO PART OF THIS MANUAL OR THE 
DESCRIBED SOFTWARE MAY BE COPIED, 
REPRODUCED, TRANSLATED OR REDUCED 
TO ANY ELECTRONIC MEDIUM OR MACHINE-
READABLE FORM WITHOUT THE PRIOR 
WRITTEN CONSENT OF ELECTRONIC ARTS, P. 
O. BOX 7578, SAN MATEO, CALIFORNIA 94403-
7578, ATTN: CUSTOMER SERVICE.
ELECTRONIC ARTS MAKES NO WARRANTIES, 
EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, WITH RESPECT TO 
THIS MANUAL, ITS QUALITY, 
MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY 
PARTICULAR PURPOSE. THIS MANUAL IS 
PROVIDED "AS IS." ELECTRONIC ARTS 
MAKES CERTAIN LIMITED WARRANTIES 
WITH REGARD TO THE SOFTWARE AND THE 
MEDIA FOR THE SOFTWARE. PLEASE SEE 
THE ELECTRONIC ARTS LIMITED 
WARRANTY.

SOFTWARE © 1991 ELECTRONIC ARTS
MANUAL BY T.S. FLANAGAN
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.


© 1991 ELECTRONIC ARTS. ALL RIGHTS 
RESERVED.