Okay, when your in the map controls menu you have a function called, "Autoselect mode at start of flight." What this does is tells the game you want one of four control modes depending on the plane/vehicle your in. Control Mode 1 is the default mode, its also used for all aircraft, CM 2 is used for vehicles I believe. Three and four are blanks, presumably for things like AA guns and bomber/fighter specifics.
To test whether this is causing your zoom issue deselect this option, make sure to do this only after you have end sortied in a fighter. You should be in control mode 1 and zoom should function all the time. Otherwise you can copy control mode one on the others as well using the function CopyMode1 on the same screen. Either should fix your zoom issue if its being caused by the control mode changing.
Lastly, you have to manual assign the key command to change to each control mode. Most use the /*- on the keypad, or at least the few I have talked to.....
Strip
