User Guide
ENGINE & FLIGHT CONTROLS
You must use both flight and throttle controls simultaneously if you want
to become an ace pilot.
ALTIMETER
This gauge indicates your plane’s current height above
sea level. If it flashes red, you are close to “augering in”
to the ground or sea.
ARTIFICIAL HORIZON
This instrument lets you gauge the attitude of your plane
in relation to the horizon — ideal for flying in your straps
during dog-fights.
Green segment = Ground or ocean surface
Blue segment = Sky
Central line = Horizon
RADAR/COMPASS
As in ships, the plane’s radar shows all units within a certain
distance of the plane, as well as your current heading.
AIRCRAFT WEAPONS SYSTEMS
AIRCRAFT MACHINE GUNS & CANNONS
Both aircraft machine guns and cannons have dynamic
crosshairs to show whether or not your shots are on target.
• Use the flight controls to aim.
• Press
w
to fire weapon.
If you are leading a squadron, the other aircraft in the squadron will attack
the targets you specify for them. If they have no specific target, they’ll
attack the same unit you’re attacking.
17
BOMB MODE
Bombs are primed and aimed using Bomb Mode. The crosshairs is
calibrated to compensate for your forward movement, so be ready
to drop bombs when the crosshairs is on your target.
•Pull and hold
w
to activate the Bomb mode crosshairs.
•Pull
x
to release the bomb(s) when the target is under the crosshairs.
•After dropping bombs, if you hold down
x
, you can follow the trajectory
of the ordnance with the Bomber cam.
PLANE STATUS
The Unit window tracks the health of the squadron
leader; the number indicates total squadron members.
• Keep an eye on your damage status. To repair damaged units automatically,
order them to land on their carrier or airfield.
For a full walkthrough on bombing, play the Naval Academy mission “Aerial
Ordnance.” Learn general flying and dogfighting in “Piloting a Plane.”
WEAPONS ICONS
The machine gun is the default weapon on most aircraft.
Dive bombers and level bombers are equipped with a payload
of bombs, which are aimed using the bombing reticle.
You must drop torpedoes just above the water. Once launched,
they cannot be aimed, so make sure you line them up effectively.
16
bsm xb360 final.qxd 12/22/06 9:21 PM Page 16