Flight games are pretty rare these days. When gamers think of wartime combat action, they think of boots on the ground, fighting on land through war-torn battlefields. World War II hasn’t seen much of a spotlight in the last few years but developer Ace Maddox may change that with Flying Tigers.

Flying Tigers aims to be a polished, action-packed, over-the-top aerial combat experience that takes place over a fictional China, the Himalayas, and various locations of the Far East. It introduces TrazerTime, slow-motion gameplay allowing for detailed, accurate destruction of targets in an up close and personal fashion.

The game is based on an actual, clandestine volunteer group of American pilots that were responsible for engaging the enemy after America joined World War II.

In 1941, with Imperial Japanese military encroaching on Burma, the President of the United States authorized an elite group of volunteer pilots to fly and serve the Chinese Air Force. They were known as The Flying Tigers. The Flying Tigers would be responsible for defending China from Imperial attack and defusing military aggression. Their fighter aircraft were painted to hide their nature as United States citizens. Twelve days after the attack on Pearl Harbor, the Tigers first engaged in aerial combat, shooting down several Japanese bombers, and preventing them from destroying their target. Throughout the course of their service, the Flying Tigers downed 296 enemy aircraft. They were disbanded in 1942. In 1990, they were recognized for their achievements and honored for their bravery in wartime.

Ace Maddox is looking to release Flying Tigers as a digital download for the PC this year.