+1 for IL2 and the associated add-ons; the GPL of the flight sim world (yes I know I used that quote once before, but its very true).
Lots of good old fashioned destruction.
Really that X-Plane quote, very PC right-on liberal sentiments. ITS ONLY A GAME! Get over yourselves, X-men! I want craters and smoking ruins, I want burnt tanks and bridges in pieces with huge trains hurtling towards them.
There was a little freeware RC-flightsim game I used to have on my PC a couple of years ago, really nice little game and very compact, good fun for a 10 minute blast. Now what was it called?

Bah! PC smoke-puffing and engine-stopping. If I want to shoot and NOT kill I'll go play paintball. I'm with you Al - great vengeance and fuuurious anger!

BTW, good info in this thread guys - thanks! :up::up:

Microsoft combat flight simulator is my choice, and if you like to add heeps of aircraft go here http://www.simviation.com/cfs2aircraft1.htm

Quote from al heeley :

I want craters and smoking ruins, I want burnt tanks and bridges in pieces with huge trains hurtling towards them.

I'll have to take a brief moment to comment, for those that haven't had the pleasure, that all this and more is available in the IL-2 series. My only peeve was that you didn't get dismemberment animations when a parachutist or ejected pilot hit your prop(s). However, being able to take out an enemy cargo transport by running your landing gear through their prop (and waching said prop realistically frisbee away into the blue) when you're out of ammo makes up for it.

Quote from Xaid0n :

LOMAC:Black Shark seems good to get, saw a vid of it on Google and i wanted to get it... id suggest that

Black Shark is just an addon for LOMAC

still a good add on tho :P would like to get it but i doubt it will work on my comp lol

Typical, I only find this thread after I berated FSX in its thread. Anyway I love combat flight sims. I recommend LockOn Flaming Cliffs. I am eagerly awaiting BlackShark, there hasn’t been a decent helo sim in donkey's years . Lockon can be a strain on your pc if its mid range, but then again I like my eye candy.

Il2 and its add-ons are also great. never been a better time to buy either. it was getting a bit confusing with all the add-ons but now it looks as though the will be releasing a new 1946 theoretical add-on with all previously released content included since Forgotten Battles. Well worth it.

As to joysticks, I have a Saitek X52 and while it is a great stick with limitless options for programmability, build quality is questionable (as was mentioned in this thread already). I had to fix mine out of the box . If you buy Saitek be sure you can get it replaced easily. e.g. not mail order. Although I do believe Saitek are pretty good about returns etc. And even with the probs I've had I love the X52.

Microsoft may not make the best flight Sims, but they sure made some sweet gamming hardware. I wish they were still in that business, would love to see their answer to a fully programmable HOTAS controller.

Yup, Forgotten Battles is already on my "get next payday" list

Looking forward to flying about in a Spitfire or P-51D or Corsair (in Aussie colours if possible) :up: But then there's the Mitsi Zero, BF109, Ju88...sheesh. Thinking about flying the planes that I was/am obsessed with (and built dozens of models of) is kinda sweet

Just noticed there's a Beaufighter in there. Wicked. "Whispering Death" - best nickname ever!

Neither the P-51 nor the Corsair are flyable in Forgotten Battles. The P-51 was made flyable in the Aces Expansion Pack and the Corsair was added as a flyable in the Pacific Fighters add-on.

I knew that about the Corsair, so I'm getting PF :up: I guess I'll have to get the Aces pack as well so I can have the Mustang. Damn! My lady's really gonna miss me

Quote from Hankstar :

Back in the day (1986 - 1999) I played lots of flight games...Afterburner, Red Baron...
So if you're a sim-pilot I want to know your opinions on the best combat flight sims out there

Aaaaah Red Baron! Great game at the time.
This reminds me that I still have the Red Baron 3D CD so I may reinstall it soon
I've also played a lot of Joint Strike Fighter and even won a digital joystick in a world contest as I've finished third after fighting for 10 hours non stop
Afterburner was really fun too but more an arcade game than a simulation.

I've not tried many recent flying sims but Falcon 4.0 Allied Force the remake of original Falcon 4.0 is great and is a simulation.

Quote :

Is there a way you can get those older Win 95/98 games to run on XP?

Shouldn't be a problem in most cases but in case of troubles try to use the Windows 98 compatibility mode: right click the .EXE file -> Properties -> Compatibilty tab
In case of a dual core processor assign the process to only one of the cores.