An interview with the creators of "In Defense of Australia 1942"
You've survived countless naval battles in the Pacific theater, stayed alive through all the dogfights and bomber intercepts, and even sunk a ship or two. So now what? Is that all there is to do in Combat Flight Simulator 2? Not by a long shot!

Advanced Image Quality/Performance Settings for Combat Flight Simulator 2
Because there are so many combinations of hardware and software available, we've added more graphics settings which can be adjusted to achieve the look and feel you want. This article will help you adjust those settings, which will help you create the best CFS2 experience.

How to Create Ground Attack Missions
Ever wonder what it's like to dive into a maelstrom of flak to attack a crippled battleship? Or to strafe an enemy airfield before any aircraft can scramble to defend it? Now you can find out! You can download the missions we've already created, or learn how to create your own. There are hundreds of possible missions and scenarios, and thousands of battles yet to be determined!

An Interview with Major John L. Smith, Guadalcanal Ace
By all accounts Major John L. Smith was one tough Marine-he had to be to accumulate 19 victories in 50 days on Guadalcanal during 1942, and to win the Medal of Honor.

Excerpts from a 1942 Interview with Lt. Cdr. John S. "Jimmy" Thach
Best remembered as the co-inventor of the "Thach Weave" defensive maneuver, Thach was a veteran of the hard, early days of the air war in the Pacific, including the Battle of Midway.

SDK 1: Setting and Changing Aircraft Parameters
This is the first in a series of SDK-based articles for Combat Flight Simulator 2.

Some Straight Talk from Major Renner, USMC
One of the archival documents that came to our attention during the research for CFS2 was this interview with Major J.N. Renner, USMC, conducted at the Bureau of Aeronautics in Washington, D.C. in July 1943.

Navy Fighter Flight Training
At the Naval Historical Center in Washington, D.C. we found a wealth of specific information about the activities of U.S. Navy fighter squadrons. Among the documents we were able to reproduce was the Official History of Fighting Squadron Six (VF-6), which includes a summary of training received by members of the squadron in California and Hawaii during 1944.

CFS2 Selected as Codie Award Finalist
The Pacific Theater version of Combat Flight Simulator is up for another award: The Software & Information Industry Association (SIAA) has released its list of finalists for the 2001 Codie Awards and Microsoft® Combat Flight Simulator 2: World War II Pacific Theater (CFS2) made the list.

64 Things Pappy Told Us About Air Combat
During our research for Microsoft Combat Flight Simulator 2, WWII Pacific Series we had an opportunity to examine historical documents from the air war in the Pacific. Among the gems we mined at the Naval Historical Center in Washington, D.C. was the "War Diary of VMF-214," "Pappy" Boyington's "Black Sheep" squadron.

November 28, 1941: The Enterprise's Battle Order Number One
Among the U.S. Navy records in the National Archives is the document shown below, the carrier Enterprise's Battle Order Number One.

Understanding WWII Japanese Navy Aircraft Designations
From the 1920s through WWII the Imperial Japanese Navy devised a number of aircraft designation systems. This article describes two of the most familiar: the alphanumeric short system (which was similar to the U.S. Navy's system) and the type number system.

Understanding WWII U.S. Navy Aircraft Designations
The U.S. Navy's WWII-era system of aircraft designation can seem confusing, but with a bit of background you'll be able to decode F4F-3 and F4U-1A fighters, the PBY, R4D and others with ease.

An Interview with Bud Anderson
Bud is a WWII Triple Ace who flew the P-51 Mustang, "Old Crow" while assigned to the 357th Fighter Group "Yoxford Boys", 8th Air Force, Leiston Field, United Kingdom.
[Updated with Part III / October 18, 2000]

An Interview with Saburo Sakai
The most famous Japanese veteran of the air war in the Pacific, Saburo Sakai scored his first aerial victory in China in 1938. Read the fascinating interview with Mr. Sakai.

Saburo Sakai: in Memoriam
We recently received the sad news that Saburo Sakai, probably the most famous Japanese veteran of the air war in the Pacific, and a historical advisor to Microsoft during the production of Combat Flight Simulator 2, died in Tokyo on September 22, 2000 at the age of 84.

Earlier this year we were able to interview Mr. Sakai to enhance our understanding of the Pacific air war. His patience and good humor made this memorable interview extraordinarily helpful, and his willingness to share mementos, memories, and insights from his military career helped us make Combat Flight Simulator 2 a richer and more immersive experience.

For an account of his wartime exploits and a transcription of his interview, see the profile posted previously, An Interview with Saburo Sakai .

The time we spent with Mr. Sakai was a rare privilege, a fact sadly underlined by his passing. We extend our deepest sympathy to his family.

An Interview with Joe Foss
Joe Foss was born in South Dakota, completed a bachelor's degree and civilian flight training in 1940, and immediately enlisted in the Marine Corps. Shortly after the Pearl Harbor attack he became executive officer of VMF-121. We had a great opportunity to talk with Mr. Foss.

Fighter Tactics
Take a look at an historical overview of American and Japanese fighter tactics. Lessons from history may help you as you fly your own battles in Combat Flight Simulator 2.

WW2 Pilots Help Make Combat Flight Simulator 2 As Real As It Gets
During our research for Microsoft Combat Flight Simulator 2, we were fortunate to find two WWII veteran naval aviators in our own backyard. Bob Campbell and Mike Weide were members of composite squadron VC-78 in 1944-45, flying Grumman Wildcats from the escort carrier Saginaw Bay (CVE-82.)

The Battles
The Pacific Theater version of Combat Flight Simulator recreates some of the intense battles of 1942-1944. Take a look at historical briefs and maps for these battles.

In addition to articles specific to Combat Flight Simulator 2: WW2 Pacific Theater you may also be interested in additional articles related to Combat Flight Simulator: WWII Europe Series. You can find more articles on the Combat Flight Simulator: WWII Europe Series site .