A minority of vocal hard-core flight sim fanatics will try to convince you that anything prior to Falcon 3.0 is closer to a jazzed-up arcade experience than a true simulation. How ironic it is, then, that MicroProse's later F-117A flight sim hasn't held up nearly as well as F-19 Stealth Fighter, which was published before the government's announcement of the real-life F-117 stealth fighter.
As with his later Red Storm Rising, Sid Meier showed in F-19 Stealth Fighter that he could make a simulation - using declassified data augmented with a sound physics model and some shrewd guesswork - that was accurate enough to please the enthusiast and a great enough game to make flight sim fans out of everyone else. F-19 Stealth Fighter hearkens to an earlier age when a 1MB PC (notably the Amiga) was the hottest gaming machine on the market, and though its gloss is somewhat faded now when compared with more recent Gouraud-shaded simulators, F-19 Stealth Fighter still offers one thrilling ride.
Without the multifunction joysticks and throttles of today, pilots of the mythical F-19 had to manage with keyboard overlays and hot keys; yet the game still provided challenges unique to flight simulations of the day. Although the F-19 was adequately armed (free-fall and guided bombs, Vulcan 20mm cannon, and over a half-dozen missile types for land, sea, and/or air), the electronic profile and stealth elements were so well done that it was often more fun to avoid a dogfight than to engage in one. So, even considering the holes in the simulation - keep in mind that the real stealth fighter wasn't yet built - the game took on the nature of a "thinking man's sim", a real departure from the reflex-heavy simulators of the time. The missions in particular were especially well-designed, as they involved sneaking around through a variety of enemy defenses. Perhaps the most intriguing thing about the game was how surprisingly similar it was to actual Desert Storm sorties years later.
Definitely a must play for all fans of serious flight sims-- two thumbs up!
Review By HOTUD
Comments and reviews
A brand new cockpit and art mod can be found on this website: https://pixelwings.org/military/f19stealth/f19sf.htm
learn dos morons
I've spent hours on this game! had the originals, including M1 Tank Platoon and Red Storm Rising.. you pretty much have to have been a kid in the 80s to really appreciate this one! It was more 'simulatory' than it is 'arcadey' also who remembers the game Super Huey 1 and 2? lol that was some good times as well.
I had this original, of course now I wish that I kept the box and all! I hate moves!
Anyway, I played this for many many hours! Back on my Leading Edge PC....
An ok game......only a few missions to play, though. Would have liked if it had had some campaigns.
this mission is owsome I,d like to load it
manual mult-language:
http://hol.abime.net/478/manual
Got stuck in "please insert f19 disc B". Any tipps?
I can not start the game. I always get an error message about 32/64 bit systems.
Is there a version for 64 bit System?
I loved the game so much as a child and would love to play it a again on a modern computer.
I still love it. Have the orihinal box and floppys and that immensly thick manual.
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Somehow this game, inspired me to be a real pilot. I owe it so much to this game.
I really wish someone bring that game back. The gameplay is fantastic!
Even now I spend hours playing it.
The missions are great, the targets, the AI... really, one of the best games I had.
I've modded so much this game, just like any other that ended in my hands. Within F19 and F15 2 which has more or less the same mechanics one can change hostile borders among maps, aircrafts and other stuff. Moving Cold War borders around Europe is kinda funny. And wrapping it into DX10 seems a good idea...
Man I remember having this as a kid and not even knowing how to get the plane going for the longest time. When I finally did figure it out, making that first flight across the atlantic ocean was awesome :)
the download is not showing any exe file....how can I run this ...help
Games is good
I wish someone can modernize all these old Microprose simulations and bring all those old theaters into a modern setting and dx 10 graphics.
Yes I do Jay, yes I do.
Anyone remember the keyboard overlay that came with it? :)
perfecto ^_^b , i miss them so much
i remember playing it for hours on my amstrad pc1512 in cga.. xD
The best simulation of all the time xD
Wow, I haven't seen this game in ages. I remember this being my first "real" flight simulator, playing it on my dad's brand new 286. These screens look better since we only CGA back then :P Was definitely alot of fun and can't remember how many hours I sunk into this as a kid.
No comment nor review for this game at the moment.