F-19 Stealth Fighter #1 - Overview

The design of a "Stealth Fighter" started in the early 70s at the "Lockheed Advanced Development Projects Unit" or Skunk Works as they were called. The first prototype (a little bit smaller in size than the later production units) took of in 1977. The first production unit flew in 1981.

But it was only in 1988 than the US military affirmed it's existence. The F-117A as it was called by the Air Force saw it's first combat experience in december 1989 when six airplanes dropped their ordnance on a mission in Operation Just Cause in Panama.

In January 1991 it was F-117A fighters who opened the bombardment of Operation Desert Storm (well, the first shots were actually fired the the Apaches of Task Force Normandy).

Until today the only active Squadron is the 29th Fighter Wing at Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico.

One year before the Air Force admitted the existence of the Stealth Fighter, Microprose released their first Stealth simulation called "Project: Stealth Fighter" for all of the major 8bit Homecomputers of that era. 

Left side: Box of my original 80s PSF
Right side: Another copy I bought at a flea market in London

In 1990 "Project: Stealth Fighter" saw a rerelease for the upcoming 16bit machines Atari ST, Amiga as well as MS-DOS PCs.

Throughout Project Stealth Fighter, the plane isn't called F-177A, but rather "F-19". The graphical representation doesn't depict the real world F-117A, although you could change some of the graphical libraries at your DOS prompt to get the real Stealth Fighter in game. Microprose F-19 was a formidable dogfighter (you can choose between Strike- and Air-to-Air missions.

Shortly after the 1991 Gulf War Microprose released another version called "F-177A Nighthawk Stealth Fighter 2.0" for MS-DOS and the Amiga. Graphics saw a major update and a Desert Storm campaign was added. 

What's inside the box?

As usual for Microprose sims of that period, the box contained a keyboard overlay, some technical instructions, a superb manual and some maps of the theater of operations.

F-19 box content

Well, it's about time to climb into the cockpit and fly some missions. I already flew six successful missions, rather easy ones I have to admit, but already got promoted to captain.

Rooster

As you might have recognized by the screenshot, I will not play the C-64 version this time, but rather the MS.DOS version.

I will be back some time this week with a mission report and some stuff the gameplay.