I started AW when it was free on AOL (December 94) on my first day of internet in the household. We had a shiny new Dell computer and one of the first versions of AOL that it came with. It took me all of 5 minutes to click on "Games" and see a P-51 Mustang and big red letters spelling out Air Warrior
I joined the 444th Air Mafia shortly after bagging my first kill, LPN, taking off from an AZ base. I of course was an AZ player and was quickly educated on why it was a bad idea to shoot the blue players if I was one. *PAK* was the CO then and I flew with them including MugZ, PYRO, LPN, MDJOE and others until joining the ~U.S.M.C.~
Our rivalry with the MAWs was legendary and hands down the most fun I've ever had playing flight sims.
I was the exception rather than the rule back then as one of the youngest players. I signed up in December of '94 at the tender age of 11 and have been hooked ever since. I received $10/month allowance back then so I was able to afford my Gamestorm account when it shifted there. When it went to $15 I negotiated a raise in allowance and continued.
Played on through EA and into AH since the demise of AW in 2001. I signed up springtime of '02 for AH after not being happy with Warbirds and WWIIOL.
Since then the game has evolved, the community has developed and I have to say I long for the good old days when Bingo Fuel and Winchester calls were honored. z12345 flew the goons out of the mainlands, you could blow up Spitfire factories and one map was good enough for each arena.
I'm proud to have been in the ~U.S.M.C.~ squadron who lives on today as "Grim's Reapers" still flying for, you guessed it...Grim.
I will miss fighting the MAWs. I enjoyed fighting against xbrit in his F6F. 40MAW could make a P-51 dance and my voice was more squeaky than it is now. I grew up with this game and I wouldn't have had it any other way.
December 7th. Remember Pearl Harbor and remember Air Warrior.
