Ace of Aces

Ace of Aces - the 1986 flight combat simulator for Commodore 64 from
Accolade.

Fly RAF Mosquito missions over occupied Europe, switching between
cockpit stations to intercept enemy bombers and trains before they
reach their targets.

Core loop
- plan missions and choose routes for bombing or interception
- manage throttle, altitude, and heading from the pilot’s view
- switch between navigation, radar, and gunner positions
- shoot down enemy aircraft or strafe ground targets, then return home

Systems and items
- five mission types - bomb train, destroy sub, dogfight, escort, intercept
- limited ammo and fuel - balance aggression with return range
- damage model - engine hits, fuel leaks, and crew injury affect control
- training mode - practice before risking a full campaign

Level design and feel
Tight cockpit windows with smooth instrument transitions. The radar and
map screens demand constant awareness under time pressure, while the
gunner view brings bursts of arcade-style action against swarming
fighters.

Why it is notable
- one of Accolade’s “Power Up” series of semi-realistic simulators
- praised for its multi-view cockpit and cinematic mission structure

Tips
- check radar often - unseen fighters can flank fast
- switch to navigator view after each attack run to stay oriented
- keep fuel reserve for the return leg - overshooting base ends the sortie

At a glance
Year - 1986
Developer - Artech Digital Entertainment
Design and programming - Rick Banks - Paul Butler - Rob Waldo
Graphics - Artech team
Music - Paul Butler
Publisher - Accolade
Genre - Flight combat simulator
Players - 1
Controls - Joystick in port 2 - keyboard for secondary functions