B17 FLYING FORTRESS TECHNICAL SUPPLEMENT ======================================== CONTENTS Your B17 Flying Fortress game should contain a manual, this Technical and Flight Supplement (including a pullout Key Guide), a poster, a set of 3.5" disks and a registration card. REQUIRED EQUIPMENT Computer This simulation requires a Commodore Amiga with at least 1 Mb of RAM Controls The simulation can be run entirely from the keyboard and mouse. Most sections also support joystick control. Analogue joysticks are not supported. Display This simulation requires a colour display Disk Drives B-17 Flying Fortress can be installed onto 3.5" floppy disks. However it works best if installed onto a hard disk drive. Important: B-17 Flying Fortress should not be played from the disks enclosed. You must either copy the original disks onto backup floppy disks (see Making Backup Game Disks), or use the Install program to create a subdirectory on your hard disk. If you attempt to play from the disks enclosed they may become permanently altered. AMIGA KEYBOARDS The simulation has alternative keys for players who own Amigas without numeric keypads. The following keys should be used: Numeric Keypad Alternative Function -------------- ----------- -------- 9 CTRL/Cursor Key Up Pitch View Up 3 CTRL/Cursor Key Down Pitch View Down 0 CTRL/Cursor Key Left Rotate View Left . CTRL/Cursor Key Right Rotate View Right 5 Backspace Centre 3D View + Close Square Brackets ] Zoom View In - Open Square Brackets [ Zoom View Out COPY PROTECTION Flying Fortress has no disk copy protection. This means that you install the simulation files from the original disks to a hard disk. However, the program asks you a simulation related question. Use the manual to answer the question. Microprose regrets that continuing casual and organized software piracy requires that we retain this minimal form of copy protection. INSTALLATION Installation Concepts B-17 Flying Fortress is not copy protected. This means that you can copy the game files from the original disks to other floppy disks, or to a hard drive. However always keep the original disks handy. B-17 Flying Fortress has been left unprotected for your conveinience in making backup copies and when playing from hard drive. However making additional copies to give away or sell is a Copyright Violation. See copyright Notice in the game manual. Making Backup Game Disks To create the backup game disks for B-17 Flying Fortress load up the Workbench Disk and insert the first disk you wish to copy. A disk icon and the name of the disk will appear. Click once on the disk icon and the name of the disk will appear. Hold down the right mouse button and you will see three menus. Choose the Workbench Menu and select the duplicate option. Follow all on screen prompts aand the disk will be duplicated on you blank disk. When a disk has finished copying you will need to rename it so that it has the same name as the original disk from which it was copied To do this insert your copied disk, click on its icon once with the left button and hold down the right button. Select the rename icon from the Workbench menu. Finally delete the Copy of prefix in front of the disk name and press the return key. Rpeat the above procedure for each of the original B-17 Flying Fortress game disks. Installing On Hard Disk Boot up your hard disk as normal and insert B-17 Flying Fortress Disk A. Open this disk and double click on the INSTALL_HD_B17 icon. Please follow any on screen prompts. A drawer will be created on your hard disk containg all necessary files. RUNNING B-17 FLYING FORTRESS ---------------------------- FROM FLOPPY DISKS If yourcomputer has kickstart in ROM turn off you computer and insert your backup Disk A. Power up the computer and the program will autoload. If your computer does not have Kickstart in ROM load kickstart as normal insert your backup Disk A at the Workbench prompt and the program will autoload. Follow any on screen prompts requesting disk changes. FROM HARD DISK Boot up your hard disk as normal. open the drawer and double click on the game icon. SAVED GAMES Individual Bomber Campaigns may be saved to disk but only when missions have finished. Campaigns may be saved onto hard drive or onto a previously formatted floppy disk. It is recommended that you do not save campaigns onto your game disks or backup game disks. Saved files are normal Amiga DOS files that can be moved and copied using standard Amiga DOS comands. LOADING A SAVED GAME To load a saved game, choose the Load Save button on the Roster Screen then follow the on screen prompts. SIMULATION ENHANCEMENTS AND LAST MINUTE INFORMATION --------------------------------------------------- THE COMPARTMENT SCREENS The original PC version of Flying Fortress contained six compartment screens each showing the position of the crew for that part of the plane. You will find many references in the manual to the different compartment screens (particularly pages 50-51). For ease of use and to speed up the gameplay, the Amiga version has all six compartment screen details on one top down view. This is still accessed by Key C and the icons and portraits still appear. However you will not be able to click on a 2D picture of the individual crew member but will have to select the portraits. This screen will also show damage. QUICK START A quick start option is available in the Difficulty Menu of the Configuration Screen. Select this option to bypass the taxi-out sequence and eliminate navigation errors (see Navigation below) You will begin the game as the last of a flight of three B-17s queued ready for take off, near the start of the runway. You will be in manual control of the pilot with your engines running and throttles set in the idle position. Increase power to the engines to begin taxiing forwards, then follow the other B-17s in your flight out onto the runway for take-off. MANUAL/COMPUTER CONTROL The simulation will show a hand icon in a corner of the screen when you are in Manual control of any B-17 position. If you choose to revert to Computer control (Key M) a Computer icon will appear in the same position. NAVIGATION Your Navigator will always make minor errors in estimating your position depending on his particular skill level. Your B-17 flight (3 planes) will drift off course unless you manage to correct his estimates. The more you correct him successfully the better will become his skill level. BOMBING If you do not wish to aim and drop bombs manually, or if there are no uninjured crew members qualified to operate the Norden Bombsight you can, provided you are in formation, position a crew member at the bombardiers station and have the computer controlled crew member release the bombs when he sees the raid leaders signal. If you do wish to bomb manually you should position a qualified crew member at the bombardiers station and, using the Radio Operator, send the Bomb on my command Radio message to take control of the bomb run so that the computer controlled crew will wait for your commands. GUNNERY The Turrets Menu on the Configuration Screen allows you to set the speed at which the turrets and hand held guns will traverse in response to the keyboard and joystick controls. In addition fine tracking may now be enabled by holding down either the Shift or CTRL keys while operating other controls. The CTRL key is recommended as it may give better results with some keyboards. LANDING The landing procedure differs depending on whether you are in formation or not when you reach Alconbury (Home Base) In Formation The formation will circle Alconbury descending to an altitude of about 2000 ft. At this point the Alconbury control tower will radio Permission to Land. When this happens the computer controlled pilot will break away from the formation to begin his landing approach and will land the aircraft unless you take manual control (by selecting the Pilot and Key M). If you wish to land immediately, before landing permission is granted, you must send a radio message requesting permission to land then wait for the reply from the Tower to start the landing sequence. Out of Formation The Control Tower will ask whether you want permission to land. You should reply with a radio message requesting permission then proceed as above. BREAKING FORMATION If you wish to breakaway from your 3 plane formation at any point in the mission, you must send a message to the rest of the flight via your Radio Operator. FIGHTING ENGINE FIRES B-17 now has a more detailed engine fire-fighting procedure. If your enginefires are not extinguished within 1 minute the engines will suffer damage and stop functioning. If the fire persists (depending on the B-17 reliability level you have chosen) your B-17 is liable to explode between 2 and 12 minutes after the fire has started. If your fire extinguishers are ineffective or have been used up in a previous fire, you can try to extinguish the fire by diving your B-17 at a speed in excess of 350mph. Avoid speeds over 400mph as this will result in structural damage. CREW NAMES Crew members names may be changed by selecting the Name button on the Crew File Screen when this is accessed from the Crew Photo Screen between missions. MUSIC Music may be switched on/off by pressing Keys ALT/S. THE PILOTS CONTROL COLUMN ICON The Pilots Control Column Icon is the lower of the two icons in the Compartment Screen and not the top icon, as stated in the manual (page 28). The top Control Column Icon will light up when you select the Co-Pilot. You will begin every mission in the Pilots seat (left-hand looking out of the cockpit window). THE MISSION BRIEFING MAP The Yellow LIne shows the waypoints to the initial point. The Red Line shows the initial point to the Primary Target, and the Black Line to the Secondary Target. The White Line shows the Waypoints to home base. VIEWING CREW POSITIONS KEYS F1-F10 There is no need to assign the ten crew positions when you first enter the B-17 as stated in the Flying Fortress Manual. All crew are in their correct position and can be viewed immediately by pressing the function keys F1 to F10. SKIP TIME Alt/T By pressing ALT/T you will jump to the next waypoint, or to a point where something is happening (eg an attack by enemy fighters) NAVIGATORS VIEWS If you access the Navigators external view Key E (Flying Fortress Manual page 80) you may return to Map View by pressing Key I READ ME FILE The latest notes regarding this program, additions, revisons etc can be found on disk A in an ASCII file named READ.ME. You can read the file using standard Amiga DOS commands eg. Type, More. These utilities can be found on the Workbench disk. OPERATING DIFFICULTIES AND LOADING PROBLEMS ------------------------------------------- In the vast majority of cases a loading problem is not because of faulty software, but either incorrect loading procedure or hardware fault. Please ensure that the loading instructions have been correctly executed. The most common hardware failures are due to misalignment of the heads in the disk drive. Such faults may be detected by loading the game on another computer. Alternatively a virus may have infected your hardware from another piece of software. Pirated copies of games are an incredible common source of virus problems. It always pays to own original software. Inthe unlikely event of a software fault please return the complete package, with your receipt to the place of purchase. Microprose regret that goods cannot be replaced unless bought from the company directly. If you have any difficulty while loading B-17 Flying Fortress or need help while running the simulation , Microprose will be happy to assist you on the Helpline. Please ring UK 0666 504399, Monday to Friday 0900 to 1700 hours. Have a pen and paper handy when you call. FLIGHT SUPPLEMENT ================= THE TRAINING BASE By selecting Crew Training fron the main Bomber Screen, you will be taken to a Mission Briefing and assigned a Training Mission on practise targets somewhere in England. THE FLIGHT SIMULATOR To access all flight controls you must choose the Pilot (F3) or Co-Pilot (F4). If you have just begun a mission you will automatically be in the Pilots seat looking out of the cockpit window. By pressing Key [ (open square brackets) you can move the view left and by pressing the Key ] (close square brackets) you can move the view right. You may also access more selective views from within the cockpit by pressing the pad keys 9, 3, 0, and . To view the B-17 Pilots Instrument Panel press Key l The B-17 has numerous dials and switches which you should become familiar with. Study the Pilots Instrument Panel Diagram. Press Key [ (open suare brackets) to move your view left and Key ] (close square brackets) to move your view right, while viewing the instrument panel. You can raise your view away from the Instrument Panel by selecting Key W Press Key I to return to the Instrument Panel View. THE PILOTS INSTRUMENT PANEL --------------------------- THE RADIO COMPASS This dial will show you your heading. A heading of Oo is North, 90 is East, 180 is South, and 270 is West. THE DIRECTIONAL GYRO This dial will also show your heading. THE FLIGHT INDICATOR A gyro stabilized artificial horizon indicating degree of turn from 0 to 90 degrees. THE TACHOMETERS Two dials with two indicators on each dial to show the rpm of each engine. Do not run the engines at the maximum of 2500 rpm for long priods or they will over heat. Throttle back to 2300 rpm to cruise. THE MANIFOLD PRESSURE GAUGES Two dials with two indicators on each dial to show the manifold pressure on air intakes to engines. THE FUEL PRESSURE GAUGES If fuel pressure falls due to damage, power will fail to the engine. Reducing revs may help. THE OIL PRESSURE GAUGES If oil pressure drops the engine will overheat and may seize up. Throttle back immediately! THE FUEL QUANTITY GAUGE Your Flying Fortress carries enough fuel for all missions, unless the fuel tanks begin to leak as a result of damage. Reducing power to the engines will conserve fuel. THE OXYGEN FLOW INDICATORS If the values fall on the flow indicators, you must drop below 10,000 feet, where there is sufficient oxygen for the crew to survive without oxygen masks. THE ALTIMETER This dial shows height above sea level. The long dial shows hundreds of feet and the shorter dial thousands of feet. The inset window shows tens of thousands of feet in figures. Always be aware of your flying height. THE AIRSPEED INDICATOR This dial shows the speed of the aircraft through the air in Miles per Hour from 0 to 500. THE TURN AND BANK INDICATOR LOCK The banking rate of the plane is indicated by the central dot moving away to the left or right. THE LANDING GEAR INDICATOR A visual indicator that the main Landing Gear has been raised or lowered. In the event of damage you may have to operate the gear manually. THE RATE OF CLIMB INDICATOR A visual indication of climb/dive angle shown as hundreds of feet per minute. Pointer on 0 means level flight. THE BRAKE LIGHT Illuminated when the wheel brake is engaged. THE TAIL WHEEL LOCK A visual indicator that the Tail Landing Gear has been raised or lowered. THE FLAP POSITION INDICATOR Flaps are the trailing edge of the wings that when lowered, enable the aircraft to get extra lift at take off and slow down for landing. THE CYLINDER HEAD AND OIL TEMPERATURE GAUGES They will run a little hot if the engine is run at maximum RPMs or losing oil for any period of time. If they do, throttle back. KEY GUIDE ========= THE CONTROLLER The simulation can be controlled using a keyboard and a mouse and to a limited extent a joystick. THE SELECTOR The Left Mouse Button AIRCRAFT SELECTION X Next Aircraft Z Previous Aircraft GENERAL AIRCRAFT VIEWS SHIFT / F1 Forward View SHIFT / F2 Rear View SHIFT / F3 Left View SHIFT / F4 Right View SHIFT / F5 Up View SHIFT / F6 Down View External views that depend on context (from the aircraft, its targets, bombs, airbase control tower etc) SHIFT / F7 Tactical View SHIFT / F8 Reverse Tactical View External view from notional chase plane. SHIFT / F8 Chase View External views from remote camera SHIFT / F10 External view Moving the remote camera and Window View Pilot/Co-Pilot and Bombardiers PgUp Pitch Up PgDn Pitch Down Ins Rotate Left Del Rotate Right PAD KEY 5 Centres/ Resets 3D Views + Zoom In - Zoom Out GENERAL CONTROLS A Aircraft Status/ Damage View C Compartment View/ Action View Toggle I Instrument Panel View (Bombardier, Navigator, and Pilot/ Co-Pilot only) W Window View (3D view through aircraft window) E External View (3D view from remote camera) M Toggle Manual/Computer Control P Pause Game/ Resume Game Alt/C Configuration Screen Alt/A Accelerated Time Alt/T Skip Time Alt/D Adjust Detail Level (cycle through) Alt/M Film Director Mode Toggle CTRL/Q Quit Game Alt/S Sound Levels Alt/B Hide Game PILOT / CO-PILOT W Pilot / Co-Pilot Window View - must be controlled using PgUp , PgDn, Ins or Del JOYSTICK Control Column (elevator, ailerons) < > Rudder Left / Right [ View to the left (cockpit View/Pilots Instrument panel) ] View to the right (cockpit View/Pilots Instrument Panel) 1,2,3,4 Increase Power on Individual engines 1-4 SHIFT 1,2,3,4 Maximum Power on engines 1-4 5,6,7,8 Decrease Power on Individual engines 1-4 SHIFT 5,6,7,8 Minimum Power on engines 1-4 + Increase Power on all engines SHIFT + Maximum Power on all engines - Decrease Power on all engines SHIFT - Minimum Power on all engines CTRL 1,2,3,4 Start/Stop engines 1-4 Alt 1,2,3,4 Fire Extinguisher on engines 1-4 G Landing Gear Up/Down (starts motors) F Flaps Up/Down Toggle B Brakes On/Off D Bomb Bay Doors Open/ Closed (starts motors) THE BOMBARDIER C Compartment / Crew Position View I The Bombsight View W Window View - controlled by PgUp, PgDn, Ins, Del E External View M Manual/ Computer control toggle D Bomb Bay Doors (open/closed) O Bomb Sight On/Off JOYSTICK Adjust bombsight tracking motor speeds left, right, up, down. Plus SHIFT for fine control Spacebar, Return or Selector to release Bombs BOMB BAY VIEWS ( only accessible if crew man taken to compartment) C A crew mans view of the bombs E External View W Return to bomb bay view THE NAVIGATOR C Compartment / Crew position View E External View I Map View B Mission Briefing Details MOUSE, point and click to set estimated position THE RADIO OPERATOR AND INTERCOM SYSTEMS C Compartment/ Crew Position View MOUSE Point and click on various Icons/ Messages THE CREW Viewing the Ten Crew Positions F1 Bombardier F2 Navigator F3 Pilot F4 Co-Pilot F5 Engineer/ Top Turret Gunner F6 Radio Operator F7 Ball Turret Gunner F8 Left Waist Gunner F9 Right Waist Gunner F10 Tail Gunner THE GUNNERS: DEFENDING THE B-17 JOYSTICK Move turret/ gun SHIFT/CTRL Fine Tracking on Target JOYSTICK BUTTON / Spacebar / Return = FIRE U Unjam gun (manual control) THE PILOTS CONTROL COLUMN A joystick controller is recommended for flying the B-17 but you may also fly it using a Keyboard Controller Ailerons are lateral control flaps at the rear of the airplane main wing tips. When raised or lowered by moving the Control Column left/right they will make the plane turn to the left or right. Elevators are the horizontal portions of the tail. When pushed up/down by pushing the control column up/down they will make the plane dive or climb. RUDDER LEFT/RIGHT < > Rudder controls left/right will swing the nose of the plane left/right by moving the trailing edge vertical segment of the tail left/right. THE FOUR ENGINES The Flying Fortress is a large four engined bomber and this simulation provides separate controls for each of the four engines. Engine number 1 is the left outboard engine from the Pilots view followed by 2,3,4 in sequence. All numeric keys are on the top row of the main computer keyboard. 1,2,3,4 Increase Power on individual engines 1-4 SHIFT 1,2,3,4 Maximum Power on engines 1-4 5,6,7,8 Decrease Power on engines 1-4 SHIFT 5,6,7,8 Minimum Power on engines 1-4 + Increase Power on all engines SHIFT + Maximum Power on all engines - Decrease Power on all engines SHIFT - Minimum Power on all engines CTRL 1,2,3,4 Start/ Stop engines 1-4 Alt 1,2,3,4 Extinguish fires on engines 1-4 OTHER PILOT CONTROLS G Landing Gear Up/Down (starts Motors) F Flaps Up/Down Toggle B Brakes On /Off D Bomb Bay Doors Open/Closed (starts Motors) NB Any control that starts a motor will take time to function. THE TAKE OFF You will begin every mission in the pilots seat under player control. Your Flying Fortress will be at its starting point on the airfield. Ahead of you the two other B-17s in your V will be preparing to take off. You must take off and join the other two planes. On your first mission, you may find it easier to watch while the computer takes control. To activate computer control, press the M key. Repress the M key again to regain control. If you set the plane under computer control, you can jump around any of the views or screens to watch the take off. The following pages describe how to take off manually. STARTING ENGINES Start all four engines in the sequence CTRL/ 1,2,3,4 Increase the Engine Throttle Controls 1,2,3,4 Release the Brake B The B-17 will now begin to move Check that you can easily flip from Pilots Instrument Panel, I to Window View, W to see flight information. TAXIING AND STEERING Select an appropriate External View, E then PgUp, PgDn, Ins, Del and steer the B-17 by using your Controller. Gentle left/right will produce a slow turn in the chosen direction. Stay on the correct path. Do not stray onto the grass. Steer the bomber carefully to the edge of the take off runway. Try to line up the B-17 along the white dotted line. FLAPS Check the flaps are down, F TAKING OFF Return to the Pilots View, W. Apply maximum power to all four engines, SHIFT +. Do not try to pull the plane into the air. Normally, when you reach an airspeed of 110-115 mph a gentle pulling back on the Controller will allow the plane to lift itself off the ground. The B-17 controls may feel sluggish compared to other flight simulators, but remember that this is a big, heavy airplane. After the airplane has left the ground and you are sure that you have sufficient flying speed, raise the Landing Gear, G. Check that this has happened with any appropriate outside view, then change flaps to up, F. After reaching an airspeed of 130-150 mph, adopt a normal climb attitude with the rate of climb indicator pointer at 200 feet per minute and watch the Altimeter rise gently. CLIMBING AND CRUISING Make your climb at 130-150 mph. Steady smooth flying is important. this will cut fuel consumption, increase rate of climb and reduce engine wear. Always check your instruments. they are there to tell you how your plane is performing. You will find the first two planes with which you must join up circling the irfield at about 1000 feet. Form a group of 3 in a V formation. IF YOU EXPERIENCE DIFFICULTY IN FINDING THE OTHER PLANES SWITCH TO COMPUTER CONTROL OR USE ALT/T SKIP TIME. Once you have joined the other planes of your squadron in formation, the flight will strike out towards the first Waypoint. LANDINGS When you are near the English base, you will receive a signal over the intercom system giving you a heading to land on. The other planes in the formation, and yours if under computer control will begin to move into their final traffic pattern ( a flight path in which they circle the airfield in a rectangular pattern at approximately 1000 feet). The landing procedure differs depending on whether you are in formation or not when you reach Alconbury (home base) In formation the formation will circle Alconbury descending to an altitude of about 2000 ft. At this point, the Alconbury control tower will radio Permission to Land. When this happens, the computer controlled pilot will break away from the formation to begin his landing approach and will land the aircraft unless you take manual control ( by selecting the Pilot and Key M). If you wish to land immediately, before landing permission is granted, you must send a radio message requesting permission to land then wait for the reply from the tower to start the landing sequence. Out of formation The Control Tower will ask whether you want permission to land. You should reply with a radio message requesting permission, then perform a normal landing: Lower your flaps, F and drop your Landing Gear, G. Keep the engines rpms to 2000 at about 130 mph. FINAL APPROACH The approach is basically a controlled glide, with flaps down, and in whick power is used to maintain accurate landing position. Reduce power gradually, - until the desired airspeed (about 100-120 mph) and rate of descent have been established. Touch down gently trying to land all wheels on the runway at the same time. Drop to minimum throttle. LANDING ROLL When you have landed make sure you use the entire runway for the landing roll. Do not apply the brakes too early. Apply the brakes, B when you feel the plane slowing down from its roll. The B-17 should then slow down and stop. -------------------------------END-----------------------------------