F29 Retaliator Digital Image Design, 1989

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F29 Retaliator 1989

Digital Image Design of the U.K. released F29 Retaliator for the Atari ST  and Amiga in 1989. An IBM PC version was released in 1991.

As you can see from the above infographic, the presentation and graphics of F29 are immaculate. Note also the low-level detail in the bottom-right frame. While not the most realistic combat flight sim available in 1989, F29 Retaliator had the smoothest 3D graphics at the time of its release. F29 Retaliator was the polygon-pusher until the advent of Falcon 3.0.

In F29 Retaliator players can pilot the Lockheed F-22 Advanced Tactical Fighter or the Grumman F-29 Next Generation Tactical Fighter.

F29 was followed up by TFX of 1993 and EF2000 of 1995.

F29 Retaliator was conceived, designed and drawn by Martin Kenwright. Atari ST F29 was programmed by Russell Payne whereas Amiga F29 was programmed by Phil Allsopp and PC F29 was programmed by Jas C. Brooke.

F29 Retaliator Features

• Entry-level combat flight simulator with easy controls
• Fast flat-shaded 3D depth-cued rendering engine
• Drop-shadowed clouds, fighters and structures
• Zulu-alert fast-start
• 94x missions
• 10x Arizona Test Range missions
• 15x Pacific Scenario missions
• 27x Middle East Conflict missions
• 42x European Battleground missions
• Top-10 pilots & pilot log
• 7x zoomable external views
• Full-screen front-view (drop-away cockpit interior)
• Head-Up Display with 12x indicators
• Cockpit display with 26x indicators
• Multi-function Displays: 3x MFDs with 3x modes each
• Supercruise at high altitude
• Autopilot, ECM & Stealth toggles
• Auto-level wings
• 6x Medals

F29 Retaliator Armaments

• AIAAM 196 Fire Bolt
• AMRAAM AIM 130-A Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile
• AIM 9M-R Sidewinder
• AIM 132 Advanced Short Range Air-to-Air Missile
• Backwinder-9X
• MRASM AGM 190K Medium-Range Air-to-Surface Missile (Cruise Missile)
• ASLAM BDM Advanced Strategic Air-Launched Missile
• AGM-1 Maverick air-to-ground missile
• CSW Conventional Stand-Off Weapon
• 220 Fuel Pod
• Chaff, Flare, ECM, Stealth

How to take off in F-29 Retaliator

• Increase throttle to 50% with + key
• Hit B to disengage brakes
• Increase throttle to 80-90%
• Pull back to take off at 200 MPH
• Hit G key to retract landing gear before hitting 300 MPH

The IBM PC version of F29 Retaliator was distributed on 1x 3.5" 720kB diskette or 2x 5.25" 360kB floppy disks. The install size is 680K. F29 Retaliator displays in 16-color EGA, VGA or Tandy graphics mode.

F29 Retaliator was published by Ocean.

F29 Retaliator manual: 38 pages

F29 copy protection: manual reference (sector).

See also: Combat Flight Simulators --- WinUAE Amiga Emulator --- Best Amiga Games.