Su-27 Flanker

Su-27 Flanker is a realistic flight simulator released for the PC (DOS and Microsoft Windows) in 1995 on CD. Developed in Russia by Eagle Dynamics and published by SSI, Su-27 Flanker contained a realistic and detailed flight model in a less competitive graphics shell, allowing the simulation to run on relatively minimal computer system requirements at the time.

Gameplay
Set in the Crimea in modern times, the game offers a chance to pilot the famed Sukhoi Su-27. Air-to-Air combat against other aircraft with notable AI, as well as ground attack missions, can be played.

Su-27 Flanker consists of the front-end Mission Editor and the actual flight simulator.

Mission editor
From the mission editor, the player can create new missions, or select one of the missions from the game CD-ROM disc. Players can also download and share their missions (as files with a '.mis' extension) with others.

The mission editor allows for complex scenarios for gameplay. The editor begins with a blank map of the Crimea with various static, non-military objects (buildings, houses, roads, etc.) already in place. There are a few runways based on the real-life Crimea that you can place your own Su-27 at for take-off in the mission. You are given a library of static and active land, sea, and air objects that can be placed on the map to create a virtual conflict scenario.

Flight simulation
Once a mission has been defined, the mission can be played out through the actual simulator. In the cockpit view, all the control labels are in Cyrillic. Outside the cockpit view, there are several external camera views. In addition to your own aircraft, most other mission objects (placed via the mission editor) can be the center of the camera's view, as well.

The focus of the game was to be an accurate simulation of the Su-27's capabilities and drawbacks, at what some would say, the sacrifice of graphics allure. However this changed significantly with the release of Flanker 2.0 and required a powerful PC with a correspondingly powerful graphics accelerator card.

Documentation
Su-27 Flanker's 203 page installation and comprehensive game manual describes the Flanker and each of its weapons systems, includes chapters on piloting the Su-27, air combat, anti-aircraft defenses & their countermeasures, and more.

System requirements
It is recommended by the manual that Su-27 is played on an IBM PC, 486, 66 MHz or better. A joystick for more realistic gameplay is recommended, but not required.

Version history

 * Su-27 Flanker: Released April 30, 1996
 * Su-27 Flanker: Squadron Commander's Edition: Released 1997
 * Flanker 2.0: Released 1999
 * Flanker 2.5: Released March 26, 2002, released as free patch download in 2001 for Flanker 2.0
 * Lock On: Modern Air Combat: Although not technically a sequel, it is regarded by many to be. Note that this version includes both Russian and American aircraft.
 * LockOn: Flaming Cliffs
 * LockOn: Gold
 * LockOn: Flaming Cliffs 2
 * LockOn: Platinum