Secret Weapons Over Normandy
Encyclopedia
Secret Weapons Over Normandy or (SWON) is a World War II
-based arcade
flight simulation video game released on November 18, 2003. Published by LucasArts
and developed by Totally Games
, the game is composed of 15 objective-based missions set in 1940s European
, North African
, and the Pacific
theatres of war. The story was written by Derek Chester, who is also famous for his work in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
as well as work on Star Trek videogames. The music was composed by Michael Giacchino
.
, in particular the enemies being the Battlehawk's counterpart, the elite squadron of top German pilots, known as Nemesis (similar to the real KG 200
), commanded by Oberst Krieger. The player will also face off against the forces of the Japanese Empire
.
It is notable for the presence of many prototype designs that never flew in combat, or were used in small numbers: the XP-55 Ascender
, XP-56 Black Bullet
,
Chance-Vought Flying Pancake
, the Junkers Ju 390
, and the Daimler Benz C. Several German weapons projects that were either never completed or failed to make a significant impact on the war also feature in the game, such as the Mistel
and the Wasserfall
missile launcher. A brief controversy was also created when the first previews of the game were shown with copyrighted images of ace pilot Erich Hartmann
being portrayed as the main villain. Hartmann's family subsequently threatened legal action, but the images were later removed and replaced with those of Hans-Ulrich Rudel
for use in the actual game.
and missile
that makes an appearance in the course of the game:
Allied aircraft:
United Kingdom
:
United States
:
Soviet Union
:
Unlockables:
Axis aircraft:
Germany
:
Japan
:
* It appears in Campaign mode but is not flyable in either Campaign or Instant Action mode.
° It appears in Campaign mode but is only flyable in Instant Action mode.
Unlockable only after completing all 15 missions and all 20 challenges, and only available in Instant Action mode
. Here is a list of the Conventional and Secret weapons that can be used by the player in the game.
Conventional Weapons
Cannons are used by the player in two main forms, the 37mm Cannon and the 57mm Cannon. These are typically bolted to the underside of the users aircraft.
Rockets are also to be found in SWON. The game features simple rockets which are entitled Small, Medium, and Large, with the latter having the greatest warhead
.
Bombs are also featured in the game, being somewhat similar to the rockets, being named Small, Medium, and Large.
Torpedoes can be found in this game too, often playing an important role in the early missions involving the destruction of ships and landing craft
. The game features the 17.7" Mark XV Torpedo.
Secret Weapons
The game also features a small selection of Secret Weapons, hence the game title. These include the following weapons.
The Fritz X
free-fall guided bomb (also known as the Ruhrstahl/Kramer X-1) has a warhead of 700lbs and was built with the intention of destroying allied capital ships.
The Highball Bouncing bomb
is perhaps the most famous weapon that is to be found in the game. This is due to the fact that it is the same weapon which was used in Operation Chastise
, better known as the Dambusters Raid.
The Henschel 294 makes an appearance in this game as a rocket-propelled flying torpedo
which is used by the player to sink ships from great distances.
Also in this game, is the Henschel 293 air-to-ground rocket. It is designed to destroy Ground Targets at long range.
In the game, this rocket is camera-guided.
Finally, the last of the secret weapons in the game is the Ruhrstahl X-4
air-to-air missile. This was developed by Ruhrstahl AG and was created to bring down Allied B-17 Flying Fortress aircraft.
Krieger. Optionally, before starting a mission the player may take on challenges to unlock new aircraft, or acquire field upgrades to tune their aircraft.
The Campaign begins with a brief introduction movie starting after the German's invade Poland, in September of 1939 and the Blitz that followed. The first mission sets the player in Dunkirk, France during Operation Dynamo
. The player has to defend the Royal Navy as they evacuate as many troops as they can before the Germans surround Dunkirk. After succeeding in defending the evacuation, the remaining pilots from the first mission fall back to England. On August 13, 1941, the first day of the Germans' air campaign against Britain, the Battlehawks airfield is hit by the Luftwaffe in a surprise attack. Chase and squadron mechanic Lyle man two of the airfield's AA guns while the rest of the pilots scramble to intercept the Germans. After fighting off the first wave, the player takes off with his fellow pilots to intercept flights of Ju-88 bombers targeting Britain's radar facilities, as well as engaging Heinkel-111's and Stuka's bombing British cities Hythe
and New Romney
, before a final engagement with an elite German squadron led by Krieger, an ace pilot of the Luftwaffe.
After the bombing runs are halted, the Battlehawk's squadron are soon informed of Operation Sea Lion, the proposed Nazi invasion of Britain. With very little time to organize a proper defense of the British Isles, James Chase, who has earned great respect in the Battlehawks for downing Nemesis commander Krieger over Dunkirk, is sent on a top secret mission to destroy the landing force harbored on the French coast, by using a captured German bomber that crash landed in the previous mission. When the final landing ship is destroyed, the 'Nemesis' squadron arrives, assaulting elements of the French underground that were aiding the Battlehawks from the ground and forcing the Battlehawks, too outnumbered to fight, to withdraw to England.
With his plans of invading Great Britain now out of the question, Adolf Hitler begins operations in North Africa with support of his most experienced general, Erwin Rommel
. In order to support Rommel's advance into North Africa vital supplies are needed from Germany. Stopping both the arrival of these supplies and if possible the arrival in Africa of Rommel himself becomes the Battlehawks' top priority.
Such an opportunity comes around when secret agent 'White Rose' informs the Battlehawks that Rommel is aboard a convoy of ships heading for North Africa, the same convoy White Rose managed to sneak on as well. After sinking the convoy, the Battlehawks learn that Rommel was moved to Africa earlier, and they had missed their chance to neutralize him. The convoy was also a ruse, and White Rose's cover is blown. Providing close support from the air, the Battlehawks aid White Rose in making her way through Tripoli and to a hidden partisan airfield. There, she boards a cargo plane flown by American volunteer Pauline, and is flown out of Africa.
The theater of war then shifts to Asia, where the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor results in the United States joining the war on the side of the Allies. The Battlehawks, along with the famous Flying Tigers
squadron fly to Burma to halt a meeting between German and Japanese forces before they can exchange secret documents to aid each other. The Battlehawks and the Flying Tigers arrive too late to stop a German U-boat from escaping with its half of the exchange, but take advantage of the chance to destroy whatever the Germans left behind for the Japanese in a large number of cargo crates. The Nemesis squadron as well as Krieger appears at the end of the mission, shooting down Pauline.
Refusing to leave one of their own behind, the Battlehawks find and attack the POW camp where Pauline is being held a few days later, aided by the Flying Tigers. They succeed in liberating the camp's entire roster of POW's, including a number of captured Flying Tigers, who steal a handful of Japanese aircraft to escape. A group of nemesis planes, personally led by Krieger, arrives as the three groups of aircraft make their escape. Trevor engages in a fierce duel with the Nemesis commander while the Flying Tigers, Battlehawks, and freed POW's dogfight the rest of Krieger's pilots. Krieger loses all of his pilots, but succeeds in shooting down Trevor, whose fate remains unknown.
Seeking medical attention for an injured Pauline, Chase brings her to the USS Yorktown, as the Battle of Midway
commences. Chase's first duties involve escorting attacks against Japanese aircraft carrier's in the region. American torpedo bombers suffer horrendous casualties, but the Japanese make a fatal error in fully focusing their attention on them- Dauntless dive bombers roar down from above and sink two of the Japanese carriers. The remaining two launch a second attack against the Yorktown's battlegroup. Chase defends the Yorktown against massive waves of air attacks by the Japanese on the Yorktown's anti-aircraft guns whilst his plane is being rearmed and refueled. Yorktown however, is fatally damaged by the torpedo and bomb attacks, and sends her remaining planes against the final Japanese carrier 'Hiryu'. Flying alone and unescorted over the Hiryu and her escorts, Chase and a handful of other Dauntless dive bomber pilots succeed in sinking the Japanese carrier, ensuring American victory at Midway.
Chase and the Battlehawks are soon reassigned after Midway, this time Chase is to fly into Denmark, where he is to escort defected German scientist Nils Bohr. After escorting Bohr's car overland, the scientist transfers to a boat where he can sail to freedom. Chase continuously protects Bohr against the combined efforts of the Luftwaffe, Nemesis, the Kriegsmarine and even the German Army to kill Doctor Bohr. After Chase clears Bohr's path of enemies, the scientist escapes to freedom, vowing to always remember the Battlehawks for their courage and selflessness.
In 1943, almost half a year after Bohr defected, Chase is sent to the Soviet Union to support Russian forces in an attempt to capture a German airfield near Stalingrad housing a highly advanced bomber under secret development. Chase supports a group of T-34 tanks with the help of Lt. Lillia, a Russian pilot, as they assault the German lines. As the Russian arrive at the airfield, the Germans bomb their own hangars and destroy the aircraft, denying them any use to the Allies. A cut scene follows revealing the secret bomber was the Junkers 390, a massive international bomber that could strike America with ease.
Learning of this new threat, Chase is sent on a lone mission flying the experimental Vought XF5U
'Flying Pancake' to a top secret German base housing the Ju-390 bombers. Upon arriving at the base Chase destroys the bombers as they rest in their hangars. Trevor rejoins the Battlehawks after this mission, flying with them again as they halt German operations in Norway, by destroying the German dams that were needed to build up Germany's atomic bombs. In this mission however, the Battlehawks are faced with a new threat, the Me-262, the world's first ever jet-powered fighter.
Learning of the incredible technological advances the Nazi's possess with the Me-262, Chase rides along with a flight of B-17's commanded by Pauline to destroy an Me-262 base deep within Nazi Germany. Chase's plan however, is to para-drop from the B-17's ball turret and capture one of the planes still in the hangar. Once successful, Chase provides support the B-17 squadron by destroying the pursuing Germans, before linking up with a flight of P-51 Mustangs.
White Rose informs the Allied powers of a top secret research base in Peenemunde
, where the Nazi's have begun test launches of the V-2 Rocket
. Chase and Cedrick, a French pilot from Dunkirk fly to the facility to destroy the V-2 rockets, as well as the U-Boat pens using a guided torpedo. During the mission Chase and Cedrick are engaged by Me-163 Komet rocket propelled planes, which shoot down Cedrick with ease. Chase destroys the rockets as well as the Komet's in flight, before embarking on another top secret mission into the Hartz Mountains in Germany, to further disrupt the Nazi rocket program.
An Allied Air raid unsuccessfully destroys the rocket base, as it built partially underground and is only serviceable by a railway. The Battlehawks fly to the base and await the train's arrival. Unknown to them however, that in the forest below are several Wasserfall
surface to air missile launchers. After weaving through the rocket's and destroying their launchers, the train finally arrives and enters the facility. Chase proceeds to enter and fires on the base's rocket fuel tanks, obliterating the facility.
Finally, the Normandy Invasion has begun in Europe, and the Battlehawks are called to attack several V-1 and V-2 rocket positions based around the coastline. As the invasion begins, Chase and the Battlehawks engage a wide variety of targets including Mistel
flying bombs, as well as a final showdown with Krieger, who pilots a Daimler Benz C along with numerous jet aircraft. When Krieger is shot down, a lone Ju-390 equipped with an atomic bomb and heading for the landing craft appears, and is shot down before it can release it's deadly payload. With the landings at Normandy secure, the campaign ends, and the player is introduced to the final cut scene, where the narrator briefly describes the struggle that James Chase and the Battlehawks will face now, now that they have set in motion the liberation of Europe. Chase, ending the journal he has kept throughout the campaign, remarks, "I'm one of the lucky ones, I guess. I've lived to fight one more day."
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
-based arcade
Arcade game
An arcade game is a coin-operated entertainment machine, usually installed in public businesses such as restaurants, bars, and amusement arcades. Most arcade games are video games, pinball machines, electro-mechanical games, redemption games, and merchandisers...
flight simulation video game released on November 18, 2003. Published by LucasArts
LucasArts
LucasArts Entertainment Company, LLC is an American video game developer and publisher. The company was once famous for its innovative line of graphic adventure games, the critical and commercial success of which peaked in the mid 1990s...
and developed by Totally Games
Totally Games
Totally Games is an electronic game developer located in Marin County, California. Their titles included X-Wing, TIE Fighter, X Wing vs. TIE Fighter and X-Wing Alliance , a series of World War II Flight Simulator series, the most recent being Secret Weapons Over Normandy, and Bridge Commander based...
, the game is composed of 15 objective-based missions set in 1940s European
European Theatre of World War II
The European Theatre of World War II was a huge area of heavy fighting across Europe from Germany's invasion of Poland on September 1, 1939 until the end of the war with the German unconditional surrender on May 8, 1945...
, North African
North African campaign
During the Second World War, the North African Campaign took place in North Africa from 10 June 1940 to 13 May 1943. It included campaigns fought in the Libyan and Egyptian deserts and in Morocco and Algeria and Tunisia .The campaign was fought between the Allies and Axis powers, many of whom had...
, and the Pacific
Pacific War
The Pacific War, also sometimes called the Asia-Pacific War refers broadly to the parts of World War II that took place in the Pacific Ocean, its islands, and in East Asia, then called the Far East...
theatres of war. The story was written by Derek Chester, who is also famous for his work in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine is a science fiction television series set in the Star Trek universe...
as well as work on Star Trek videogames. The music was composed by Michael Giacchino
Michael Giacchino
Michael Giacchino is an American composer who has composed scores for movies, television series and video games. Some of his most notable works include the scores to television series such as Lost, Alias and Fringe, games such as the Medal of Honor and Call of Duty series, and films such as...
.
Gameplay
The player controls James Chase, an American pilot volunteering to assist the British, who stand alone at this point of the war. He flies in the classified squadron known as the Battlehawks. Over the course of the game, the player has opportunities to: earn or capture new aircraft, add upgrades to his/her existing aircraft, and as the game puts it: "halt the most insidious plans of the Third Reich." The player's principal opponent is the LuftwaffeLuftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
, in particular the enemies being the Battlehawk's counterpart, the elite squadron of top German pilots, known as Nemesis (similar to the real KG 200
KG 200
Kampfgeschwader 200 was a Luftwaffe unit during World War II. The unit was the Luftwaffe's special operations wing that carried out long-distance reconnaissance flights, tested new aircraft designs, and operated captured aircraft....
), commanded by Oberst Krieger. The player will also face off against the forces of the Japanese Empire
Empire of Japan
The Empire of Japan is the name of the state of Japan that existed from the Meiji Restoration on 3 January 1868 to the enactment of the post-World War II Constitution of...
.
It is notable for the presence of many prototype designs that never flew in combat, or were used in small numbers: the XP-55 Ascender
XP-55 Ascender
|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Balzer, Gerald H. American Secret Pusher Fighters of World War II: XP-54, XP-55, and XP-56. North Branch, Minnesota: Specialty Press, 2008. ISBN 1-58007-125-2....
, XP-56 Black Bullet
XP-56 Black Bullet
|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Allen, R.S. The Northrop Story. New York: Orion, 1990. ISBN 0-517-56677-4.* Andersen, Fred. Northrop - An Aeronautical History: a Commemorative Book Edition of Airplane Designs and Concepts. Century City, California: Northrop Corporation, 1976. Library of...
,
Chance-Vought Flying Pancake
Vought XF5U
|-See also:-Bibliography:* Chant, Christopher. Fantastic Aircraft. New York: Gallery Books, 1984. ISBN 0-8317-3-189-3.* Ginter, Steve. Chance Vought V-173 and XF5U-1 Flying Pancakes . Simi Valley, CA: Steve Ginter Publishing, 1992. ISBN 0-942612-21-3.* Guyton, Boone and Paul Marcus. "The Ups and...
, the Junkers Ju 390
Junkers Ju 390
The Junkers Ju 390 was a German aircraft intended to be used as a heavy transport, maritime patrol aircraft, and long-range bomber, a long-range derivative of the Ju 290...
, and the Daimler Benz C. Several German weapons projects that were either never completed or failed to make a significant impact on the war also feature in the game, such as the Mistel
Mistel
The Mistel , also known as Beethoven-Gerät and Vati und Sohn , was a Luftwaffe composite aircraft type of bomber, that appeared late in World War II....
and the Wasserfall
Wasserfall
The Wasserfall Ferngelenkte Flakrakete , was a World War II guided surface-to-air missile developed at Peenemünde, Germany.-Technical characteristics:...
missile launcher. A brief controversy was also created when the first previews of the game were shown with copyrighted images of ace pilot Erich Hartmann
Erich Hartmann
Erich Alfred Hartmann , nicknamed "Bubi" by his comrades and "The Black Devil" by his Soviet enemies, was a German World War II fighter pilot and is the highest-scoring fighter ace in the history of aerial warfare...
being portrayed as the main villain. Hartmann's family subsequently threatened legal action, but the images were later removed and replaced with those of Hans-Ulrich Rudel
Hans-Ulrich Rudel
Hans-Ulrich Rudel was a Stuka dive-bomber pilot during World War II and a member of the Nazi party. The most highly decorated German serviceman of the war, Rudel was one of only 27 military men to be awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds, and the only...
for use in the actual game.
Aircraft
Throughout the course of the game, the player will have the opportunity to fly many types of WWII aircraft into combat. Here is the list of every aircraftAircraft
An aircraft is a vehicle that is able to fly by gaining support from the air, or, in general, the atmosphere of a planet. An aircraft counters the force of gravity by using either static lift or by using the dynamic lift of an airfoil, or in a few cases the downward thrust from jet engines.Although...
and missile
Missile
Though a missile may be any thrown or launched object, it colloquially almost always refers to a self-propelled guided weapon system.-Etymology:The word missile comes from the Latin verb mittere, meaning "to send"...
that makes an appearance in the course of the game:
Allied aircraft:
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
:
- Hawker Hurricane Mk.IHawker HurricaneThe Hawker Hurricane is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd for the Royal Air Force...
- Supermarine Spitfire Mk.VSupermarine SpitfireThe Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was used by the Royal Air Force and many other Allied countries throughout the Second World War. The Spitfire continued to be used as a front line fighter and in secondary roles into the 1950s...
- Fairey Swordfish Mk.IFairey SwordfishThe Fairey Swordfish was a torpedo bomber built by the Fairey Aviation Company and used by the Fleet Air Arm of the Royal Navy during the Second World War...
- Gloster G.41 Meteor Mk.IIIGloster MeteorThe Gloster Meteor was the first British jet fighter and the Allies' first operational jet. It first flew in 1943 and commenced operations on 27 July 1944 with 616 Squadron of the Royal Air Force...
- De Havilland DH.98 Mosquito Mk.IVDe Havilland MosquitoThe de Havilland DH.98 Mosquito was a British multi-role combat aircraft that served during the Second World War and the postwar era. It was known affectionately as the "Mossie" to its crews and was also nicknamed "The Wooden Wonder"...
United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
:
- Curtiss P-40F Warhawk°
- Lockheed P-38F LightningP-38 LightningThe Lockheed P-38 Lightning was a World War II American fighter aircraft built by Lockheed. Developed to a United States Army Air Corps requirement, the P-38 had distinctive twin booms and a single, central nacelle containing the cockpit and armament...
- North American P-51D MustangP-51 MustangThe North American Aviation P-51 Mustang was an American long-range, single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II, the Korean War and in several other conflicts...
- Grumman F4F-4/FM-3 WildcatF4F WildcatThe Grumman F4F Wildcat was an American carrier-based fighter aircraft that began service with both the United States Navy and the British Royal Navy in 1940...
(Mission 7: Midway & Betty Boom Challenge)
- Douglas SBD-3 Dauntless SBD DauntlessThe Douglas SBD Dauntless was a naval dive bomber made by Douglas during World War II. The SBD was the United States Navy's main dive bomber from mid-1940 until late 1943, when it was largely replaced by the SB2C Helldiver...
(Mission 7: Midway) - Douglas TBD-1 DevastatorTBD DevastatorThe Douglas TBD Devastator was a torpedo bomber of the United States Navy, ordered in 1934, first flying in 1935 and entering service in 1937. At that point, it was the most advanced aircraft flying for the USN and possibly for any navy in the world...
(Devastating Challenge) - Curtis-Wright XP-55 AscenderXP-55 Ascender|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Balzer, Gerald H. American Secret Pusher Fighters of World War II: XP-54, XP-55, and XP-56. North Branch, Minnesota: Specialty Press, 2008. ISBN 1-58007-125-2....
- Northrop XP-56 Black BulletXP-56 Black Bullet|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Allen, R.S. The Northrop Story. New York: Orion, 1990. ISBN 0-517-56677-4.* Andersen, Fred. Northrop - An Aeronautical History: a Commemorative Book Edition of Airplane Designs and Concepts. Century City, California: Northrop Corporation, 1976. Library of...
- Chance-Vought XF5U-1 Flying PancakeVought XF5U|-See also:-Bibliography:* Chant, Christopher. Fantastic Aircraft. New York: Gallery Books, 1984. ISBN 0-8317-3-189-3.* Ginter, Steve. Chance Vought V-173 and XF5U-1 Flying Pancakes . Simi Valley, CA: Steve Ginter Publishing, 1992. ISBN 0-942612-21-3.* Guyton, Boone and Paul Marcus. "The Ups and...
- Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress* (Possible to operate in one as a ball turret gunner)
- Douglas C-47 SkytrainC-47 SkytrainThe Douglas C-47 Skytrain or Dakota is a military transport aircraft that was developed from the Douglas DC-3 airliner. It was used extensively by the Allies during World War II and remained in front line operations through the 1950s with a few remaining in operation to this day.-Design and...
*
Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
:
- Ilyushin IL-2M3 SturmovikIlyushin Il-2The Ilyushin Il-2 was a ground-attack aircraft in the Second World War, produced by the Soviet Union in very large numbers...
Unlockables:
- X-WingX-wingX-wings are fictional starfighters from the original Star Wars trilogy and the expanded universe. They are depicted as the primary interceptor and dogfighter of the Rebel Alliance and the New Republic...
- TIE FighterTIE fighterTIE fighters are fictional starfighters in the Star Wars universe. Propelled by Twin Ion Engines , TIE fighters are depicted as fast, fragile starfighters produced by Sienar Fleet Systems for the Galactic Empire...
Axis aircraft:
Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
:
- Messerschmitt Bf-109E-1Messerschmitt Bf 109The Messerschmitt Bf 109, often called Me 109, was a German World War II fighter aircraft designed by Willy Messerschmitt and Robert Lusser during the early to mid 1930s...
- Messerschmitt Me-262A-1a SchwalbeMesserschmitt Me 262The Messerschmitt Me 262 Schwalbe was the world's first operational jet-powered fighter aircraft. Design work started before World War II began, but engine problems prevented the aircraft from attaining operational status with the Luftwaffe until mid-1944...
- Focke Wulf Fw-190A-1Focke-Wulf Fw 190The Focke-Wulf Fw 190 Würger was a German Second World War single-seat, single-engine fighter aircraft designed by Kurt Tank in the late 1930s. Powered by a radial engine, the 190 had ample power and was able to lift larger loads than its well-known counterpart, the Messerschmitt Bf 109...
- Messerschmitt Bf-110C-4Messerschmitt Bf 110The Messerschmitt Bf 110, often called Me 110, was a twin-engine heavy fighter in the service of the Luftwaffe during World War II. Hermann Göring was a proponent of the Bf 110, and nicknamed it his Eisenseiten...
* - Junkers Ju-88A-4Junkers Ju 88The Junkers Ju 88 was a World War II German Luftwaffe twin-engine, multi-role aircraft. Designed by Hugo Junkers' company through the services of two American aviation engineers in the mid-1930s, it suffered from a number of technical problems during the later stages of its development and early...
° - Heinkel He-111H-2Heinkel He 111The Heinkel He 111 was a German aircraft designed by Siegfried and Walter Günter in the early 1930s in violation of the Treaty of Versailles. Often described as a "Wolf in sheep's clothing", it masqueraded as a transport aircraft, but its purpose was to provide the Luftwaffe with a fast medium...
* - Messerschmitt Me-163B1 KometMesserschmitt Me 163The Messerschmitt Me 163 Komet, designed by Alexander Lippisch, was a German rocket-powered fighter aircraft. It is the only rocket-powered fighter aircraft ever to have been operational. Its design was revolutionary, and the Me 163 was capable of performance unrivaled at the time. Messerschmitt...
° - Junkers Ju-87B-1 Stuka°
- Daimler-Benz Projekt C* external link
- Heinkel He-P1078a° external link
- Dornier Do-335Dornier Do 335The Dornier Do 335 Pfeil was a World War II heavy fighter built by the Dornier company. The two-seater trainer version was also called Ameisenbär . The Pfeils performance was much better than other twin-engine designs due to its unique "push-pull" layout and the much lower drag of the in-line...
° - Junkers Ju-390 V1 Amerika BomberJunkers Ju 390The Junkers Ju 390 was a German aircraft intended to be used as a heavy transport, maritime patrol aircraft, and long-range bomber, a long-range derivative of the Ju 290...
* - Mistel 3AMistelThe Mistel , also known as Beethoven-Gerät and Vati und Sohn , was a Luftwaffe composite aircraft type of bomber, that appeared late in World War II....
* - WasserfallWasserfallThe Wasserfall Ferngelenkte Flakrakete , was a World War II guided surface-to-air missile developed at Peenemünde, Germany.-Technical characteristics:...
* - Fieseler Fi-103 Vergeltungswaffe 1 flying bombV-1 flying bombThe V-1 flying bomb, also known as the Buzz Bomb or Doodlebug, was an early pulse-jet-powered predecessor of the cruise missile....
* - Vergeltungswaffe 2 missileV-2 rocketThe V-2 rocket , technical name Aggregat-4 , was a ballistic missile that was developed at the beginning of the Second World War in Germany, specifically targeted at London and later Antwerp. The liquid-propellant rocket was the world's first long-range combat-ballistic missile and first known...
*
Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
:
- Mitsubishi A6M2 Zero Model 21A6M ZeroThe Mitsubishi A6M Zero was a long-range fighter aircraft operated by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service from 1940 to 1945. The A6M was designated as the , and also designated as the Mitsubishi A6M Rei-sen and Mitsubishi Navy 12-shi Carrier Fighter. The A6M was usually referred to by the...
- Nakajima B5N1 KateNakajima B5N|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Bridgwater, H.C. and Peter Scott. Combat Colours Number 4: Pearl Harbor and Beyond, December 1941 to May 1942. Luton, Bedfordshire, UK: Guideline Publications, 2001. ISBN 0-9539040-6-7....
* - Mitsubishi G4M2 BettyMitsubishi G4MThe Mitsubishi G4M 一式陸上攻撃機, 一式陸攻 Isshiki rikujō kōgeki ki, Isshikirikkō was the main twin-engine, land-based bomber used by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service in World War II. The Allies gave the G4M the reporting name Betty...
- Aichi D3A1 ValAichi D3AThe , Allied reporting name "Val") was a World War II carrier-borne dive bomber of the Imperial Japanese Navy . It was the primary dive bomber in the Imperial Japanese Navy, and participated in almost all actions, including Pearl Harbor....
*
* It appears in Campaign mode but is not flyable in either Campaign or Instant Action mode.
° It appears in Campaign mode but is only flyable in Instant Action mode.
Unlockable only after completing all 15 missions and all 20 challenges, and only available in Instant Action mode
Featured Ammunition and Weaponry
The game features a wide range of actual weapons that were used during World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Here is a list of the Conventional and Secret weapons that can be used by the player in the game.
Conventional Weapons
Rockets are also to be found in SWON. The game features simple rockets which are entitled Small, Medium, and Large, with the latter having the greatest warhead
Warhead
The term warhead refers to the explosive material and detonator that is delivered by a missile, rocket, or torpedo.- Etymology :During the early development of naval torpedoes, they could be equipped with an inert payload that was intended for use during training, test firing and exercises. This...
.
Bombs are also featured in the game, being somewhat similar to the rockets, being named Small, Medium, and Large.
Torpedoes can be found in this game too, often playing an important role in the early missions involving the destruction of ships and landing craft
Landing craft
Landing craft are boats and seagoing vessels used to convey a landing force from the sea to the shore during an amphibious assault. Most renowned are those used to storm the beaches of Normandy, the Mediterranean, and many Pacific islands during WWII...
. The game features the 17.7" Mark XV Torpedo.
Secret Weapons
The Fritz X
Fritz X
Fritz X was the most common name for a German guided anti-ship glide bomb used during World War II. Fritz X was a nickname used both by Allied and Luftwaffe personnel. Alternate names include Ruhrstahl SD 1400 X, Kramer X-1, PC 1400X or FX 1400...
free-fall guided bomb (also known as the Ruhrstahl/Kramer X-1) has a warhead of 700lbs and was built with the intention of destroying allied capital ships.
The Highball Bouncing bomb
Bouncing bomb
A bouncing bomb is a bomb designed specifically to bounce to a target across water in a calculated manner, in order to avoid obstacles such as torpedo nets, and to allow both the bomb's speed on arrival at the target and the timing of its detonation to be pre-determined...
is perhaps the most famous weapon that is to be found in the game. This is due to the fact that it is the same weapon which was used in Operation Chastise
Operation Chastise
Operation Chastise was an attack on German dams carried out on 16–17 May 1943 by Royal Air Force No. 617 Squadron, subsequently known as the "Dambusters", using a specially developed "bouncing bomb" invented and developed by Barnes Wallis...
, better known as the Dambusters Raid.
The Henschel 294 makes an appearance in this game as a rocket-propelled flying torpedo
Torpedo
The modern torpedo is a self-propelled missile weapon with an explosive warhead, launched above or below the water surface, propelled underwater towards a target, and designed to detonate either on contact with it or in proximity to it.The term torpedo was originally employed for...
which is used by the player to sink ships from great distances.
Also in this game, is the Henschel 293 air-to-ground rocket. It is designed to destroy Ground Targets at long range.
In the game, this rocket is camera-guided.
Finally, the last of the secret weapons in the game is the Ruhrstahl X-4
Ruhrstahl X-4
The Ruhrstahl X-4 was a wire guided air-to-air missile designed by Germany during World War II. The X-4 did not see operational service and thus was not proven in combat...
air-to-air missile. This was developed by Ruhrstahl AG and was created to bring down Allied B-17 Flying Fortress aircraft.
Campaign Mode and Historic Missions
Throughout the game, the player assumes the role of James Chase, an American volunteer in the Royal Air Force. After proving himself in the skies over Dunkirk during the evacuation, a senior RAF pilot, Trevor, has Chase assigned to his squadron, the Battlehawks. The Battlehawks soon become an elite special operations unit in the RAF and go on to play a unique role throughout World War II. The Germans counter the skill and resourcefulness of the Battlehawks with an elite squadron of their own, Nemesis, led by the courageous and arrogant OberstOberst
Oberst is a military rank in several German-speaking and Scandinavian countries, equivalent to Colonel. It is currently used by both the ground and air forces of Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Denmark and Norway. The Swedish rank överste is a direct translation, as are the Finnish rank eversti...
Krieger. Optionally, before starting a mission the player may take on challenges to unlock new aircraft, or acquire field upgrades to tune their aircraft.
The Campaign begins with a brief introduction movie starting after the German's invade Poland, in September of 1939 and the Blitz that followed. The first mission sets the player in Dunkirk, France during Operation Dynamo
Operation Dynamo
The Dunkirk evacuation, commonly known as the Miracle of Dunkirk, code-named Operation Dynamo by the British, was the evacuation of Allied soldiers from the beaches and harbour of Dunkirk, France, between 26 May and the early hours of 3 June 1940, because the British, French and Belgian troops were...
. The player has to defend the Royal Navy as they evacuate as many troops as they can before the Germans surround Dunkirk. After succeeding in defending the evacuation, the remaining pilots from the first mission fall back to England. On August 13, 1941, the first day of the Germans' air campaign against Britain, the Battlehawks airfield is hit by the Luftwaffe in a surprise attack. Chase and squadron mechanic Lyle man two of the airfield's AA guns while the rest of the pilots scramble to intercept the Germans. After fighting off the first wave, the player takes off with his fellow pilots to intercept flights of Ju-88 bombers targeting Britain's radar facilities, as well as engaging Heinkel-111's and Stuka's bombing British cities Hythe
Hythe
Hythe may refer to a landing-place, port or haven, or to:Placenames in Canada*Hythe, Alberta Placenames in England*Hythe, Essex *Hythe, Hampshire...
and New Romney
New Romney
New Romney is a small town in Kent, England, on the edge of Romney Marsh, an area of flat, rich agricultural land reclaimed from the sea after the harbour began to be silted up. New Romney was once a sea port, with the harbour adjacent to the church, but is now more than a mile from the sea...
, before a final engagement with an elite German squadron led by Krieger, an ace pilot of the Luftwaffe.
After the bombing runs are halted, the Battlehawk's squadron are soon informed of Operation Sea Lion, the proposed Nazi invasion of Britain. With very little time to organize a proper defense of the British Isles, James Chase, who has earned great respect in the Battlehawks for downing Nemesis commander Krieger over Dunkirk, is sent on a top secret mission to destroy the landing force harbored on the French coast, by using a captured German bomber that crash landed in the previous mission. When the final landing ship is destroyed, the 'Nemesis' squadron arrives, assaulting elements of the French underground that were aiding the Battlehawks from the ground and forcing the Battlehawks, too outnumbered to fight, to withdraw to England.
With his plans of invading Great Britain now out of the question, Adolf Hitler begins operations in North Africa with support of his most experienced general, Erwin Rommel
Erwin Rommel
Erwin Johannes Eugen Rommel , popularly known as the Desert Fox , was a German Field Marshal of World War II. He won the respect of both his own troops and the enemies he fought....
. In order to support Rommel's advance into North Africa vital supplies are needed from Germany. Stopping both the arrival of these supplies and if possible the arrival in Africa of Rommel himself becomes the Battlehawks' top priority.
Such an opportunity comes around when secret agent 'White Rose' informs the Battlehawks that Rommel is aboard a convoy of ships heading for North Africa, the same convoy White Rose managed to sneak on as well. After sinking the convoy, the Battlehawks learn that Rommel was moved to Africa earlier, and they had missed their chance to neutralize him. The convoy was also a ruse, and White Rose's cover is blown. Providing close support from the air, the Battlehawks aid White Rose in making her way through Tripoli and to a hidden partisan airfield. There, she boards a cargo plane flown by American volunteer Pauline, and is flown out of Africa.
The theater of war then shifts to Asia, where the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor results in the United States joining the war on the side of the Allies. The Battlehawks, along with the famous Flying Tigers
Flying Tigers
The 1st American Volunteer Group of the Chinese Air Force in 1941–1942, famously nicknamed the Flying Tigers, was composed of pilots from the United States Army , Navy , and Marine Corps , recruited under presidential sanction and commanded by Claire Lee Chennault. The ground crew and headquarters...
squadron fly to Burma to halt a meeting between German and Japanese forces before they can exchange secret documents to aid each other. The Battlehawks and the Flying Tigers arrive too late to stop a German U-boat from escaping with its half of the exchange, but take advantage of the chance to destroy whatever the Germans left behind for the Japanese in a large number of cargo crates. The Nemesis squadron as well as Krieger appears at the end of the mission, shooting down Pauline.
Refusing to leave one of their own behind, the Battlehawks find and attack the POW camp where Pauline is being held a few days later, aided by the Flying Tigers. They succeed in liberating the camp's entire roster of POW's, including a number of captured Flying Tigers, who steal a handful of Japanese aircraft to escape. A group of nemesis planes, personally led by Krieger, arrives as the three groups of aircraft make their escape. Trevor engages in a fierce duel with the Nemesis commander while the Flying Tigers, Battlehawks, and freed POW's dogfight the rest of Krieger's pilots. Krieger loses all of his pilots, but succeeds in shooting down Trevor, whose fate remains unknown.
Seeking medical attention for an injured Pauline, Chase brings her to the USS Yorktown, as the Battle of Midway
Battle of Midway
The Battle of Midway is widely regarded as the most important naval battle of the Pacific Campaign of World War II. Between 4 and 7 June 1942, approximately one month after the Battle of the Coral Sea and six months after Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor, the United States Navy decisively defeated...
commences. Chase's first duties involve escorting attacks against Japanese aircraft carrier's in the region. American torpedo bombers suffer horrendous casualties, but the Japanese make a fatal error in fully focusing their attention on them- Dauntless dive bombers roar down from above and sink two of the Japanese carriers. The remaining two launch a second attack against the Yorktown's battlegroup. Chase defends the Yorktown against massive waves of air attacks by the Japanese on the Yorktown's anti-aircraft guns whilst his plane is being rearmed and refueled. Yorktown however, is fatally damaged by the torpedo and bomb attacks, and sends her remaining planes against the final Japanese carrier 'Hiryu'. Flying alone and unescorted over the Hiryu and her escorts, Chase and a handful of other Dauntless dive bomber pilots succeed in sinking the Japanese carrier, ensuring American victory at Midway.
Chase and the Battlehawks are soon reassigned after Midway, this time Chase is to fly into Denmark, where he is to escort defected German scientist Nils Bohr. After escorting Bohr's car overland, the scientist transfers to a boat where he can sail to freedom. Chase continuously protects Bohr against the combined efforts of the Luftwaffe, Nemesis, the Kriegsmarine and even the German Army to kill Doctor Bohr. After Chase clears Bohr's path of enemies, the scientist escapes to freedom, vowing to always remember the Battlehawks for their courage and selflessness.
In 1943, almost half a year after Bohr defected, Chase is sent to the Soviet Union to support Russian forces in an attempt to capture a German airfield near Stalingrad housing a highly advanced bomber under secret development. Chase supports a group of T-34 tanks with the help of Lt. Lillia, a Russian pilot, as they assault the German lines. As the Russian arrive at the airfield, the Germans bomb their own hangars and destroy the aircraft, denying them any use to the Allies. A cut scene follows revealing the secret bomber was the Junkers 390, a massive international bomber that could strike America with ease.
Learning of this new threat, Chase is sent on a lone mission flying the experimental Vought XF5U
Vought XF5U
|-See also:-Bibliography:* Chant, Christopher. Fantastic Aircraft. New York: Gallery Books, 1984. ISBN 0-8317-3-189-3.* Ginter, Steve. Chance Vought V-173 and XF5U-1 Flying Pancakes . Simi Valley, CA: Steve Ginter Publishing, 1992. ISBN 0-942612-21-3.* Guyton, Boone and Paul Marcus. "The Ups and...
'Flying Pancake' to a top secret German base housing the Ju-390 bombers. Upon arriving at the base Chase destroys the bombers as they rest in their hangars. Trevor rejoins the Battlehawks after this mission, flying with them again as they halt German operations in Norway, by destroying the German dams that were needed to build up Germany's atomic bombs. In this mission however, the Battlehawks are faced with a new threat, the Me-262, the world's first ever jet-powered fighter.
Learning of the incredible technological advances the Nazi's possess with the Me-262, Chase rides along with a flight of B-17's commanded by Pauline to destroy an Me-262 base deep within Nazi Germany. Chase's plan however, is to para-drop from the B-17's ball turret and capture one of the planes still in the hangar. Once successful, Chase provides support the B-17 squadron by destroying the pursuing Germans, before linking up with a flight of P-51 Mustangs.
White Rose informs the Allied powers of a top secret research base in Peenemunde
Peenemünde
The Peenemünde Army Research Center was founded in 1937 as one of five military proving grounds under the Army Weapons Office ....
, where the Nazi's have begun test launches of the V-2 Rocket
V-2 rocket
The V-2 rocket , technical name Aggregat-4 , was a ballistic missile that was developed at the beginning of the Second World War in Germany, specifically targeted at London and later Antwerp. The liquid-propellant rocket was the world's first long-range combat-ballistic missile and first known...
. Chase and Cedrick, a French pilot from Dunkirk fly to the facility to destroy the V-2 rockets, as well as the U-Boat pens using a guided torpedo. During the mission Chase and Cedrick are engaged by Me-163 Komet rocket propelled planes, which shoot down Cedrick with ease. Chase destroys the rockets as well as the Komet's in flight, before embarking on another top secret mission into the Hartz Mountains in Germany, to further disrupt the Nazi rocket program.
An Allied Air raid unsuccessfully destroys the rocket base, as it built partially underground and is only serviceable by a railway. The Battlehawks fly to the base and await the train's arrival. Unknown to them however, that in the forest below are several Wasserfall
Wasserfall
The Wasserfall Ferngelenkte Flakrakete , was a World War II guided surface-to-air missile developed at Peenemünde, Germany.-Technical characteristics:...
surface to air missile launchers. After weaving through the rocket's and destroying their launchers, the train finally arrives and enters the facility. Chase proceeds to enter and fires on the base's rocket fuel tanks, obliterating the facility.
Finally, the Normandy Invasion has begun in Europe, and the Battlehawks are called to attack several V-1 and V-2 rocket positions based around the coastline. As the invasion begins, Chase and the Battlehawks engage a wide variety of targets including Mistel
Mistel
The Mistel , also known as Beethoven-Gerät and Vati und Sohn , was a Luftwaffe composite aircraft type of bomber, that appeared late in World War II....
flying bombs, as well as a final showdown with Krieger, who pilots a Daimler Benz C along with numerous jet aircraft. When Krieger is shot down, a lone Ju-390 equipped with an atomic bomb and heading for the landing craft appears, and is shot down before it can release it's deadly payload. With the landings at Normandy secure, the campaign ends, and the player is introduced to the final cut scene, where the narrator briefly describes the struggle that James Chase and the Battlehawks will face now, now that they have set in motion the liberation of Europe. Chase, ending the journal he has kept throughout the campaign, remarks, "I'm one of the lucky ones, I guess. I've lived to fight one more day."