Review: Hurricane for Flight Simulator X and 2004 game

The Hurricane is a classic fighter aircraft: without doubt one of the most recognisable British aircraft, both in form and in the unmistakable sound of its Merlin engine.

The closest most of us are ever likely to get to fly a Hurricane is with a flight simulator, which is where this add-on pack for Microsoft's Flight Simulator comes in.

Installation was simple and the CD is not required again to play the game. There is little help supplied, and nothing is needed for installation, but sadly there is not much information supplied about the Hurricane itself for interested pilots. Some basic details are included in the manual but no important flight information such as the stall speed, which is important to know when trying to land the plane.

Still, things improved once we started Flight Simulator X (it's compatible with both this and Flight Simulator 2004). The visual representation of the Hurricane is excellent, with moving parts on the radiator and, of course, the landing gear. One nice touch is the way the pilot's head turns as the joystick is moved from left to right. And yes, the Merlin engine sounds just like the real thing.

Several different marks of the Hurricane are included along with colour schemes from the RAF, Russia and, oddly, Germany (apparently one Hurricane Mk1 was captured and used in German trials).

Missions, which were new to Flight Simulator X, are underrepresented here: there is only one included and it is something of a disappointment, simply simulating an engine failure very soon after take-off. That aside, Hurricane is a good choice for vintage aeroplane fans.

Vista compatibility: Yes