Combat Air Patrol (1993)

Combat Air Patrol is a flight simulator video game edited by Psygnosis in 1993. Set during the first Gulf War, the simulation takes place on board the USS Theodore Roosevelt where players flew sorties with the aim of defeating the Iraq armed forces and liberating Kuwait. Players had the choice of two aircraft; the F14 Tomcat, and the F18 Hornet with the former primarily focusing on escort missions and patrols and the latter bombing runs such as destroying patrol boats, bridges and SCUD missile bases. Unlike more modern games the player was able to play the entire mission from take-off, cruise, the mission itself, return cruise and landing. Landing on the aircraft carrier required a great deal of precision and skill and was not for casual gamers, especially when flying at night. In-flight refuelling was also a feature of the game during longer missions. Again, this was extremely difficult not least owing to joysticks of...