Download Blazing Angels: Squadrons of WWII (Windows)

Be careful! The game was using infamous StarForce DRM that can break your system. DO NOT run the game right after installation, or you will launch the automatical installation of StarForce DRM drivers. Make sure to install all patches and NoCD before the first launch of the game! Read our Guide and Notes for details

Also, a year later, in 2007, Ubisoft re-released the game in DVD-box, with the game patched to the latest version and with no DRM. We recommend to use DVD version

The game version 1.02 with NoCD has been tested on Windows 7 64-bit and Windows 10, works fine. The game supports widescreen and high resolutions up to 1920x1200

Install & play guide (for CD version):

• Mount the disc image. You will need the utility for mounting disc image files, like WinCDEmu, UltraISO, Alcohol 52%/Alcohol 120% or Daemon Tools Lite
• Install the game (if autorun doesn't work - simply launch the installation from Setup.exe inside the disc)
• Skip product registration at the end, click "Never register". Also, make sure to UNCHECK the box "Run Blazing Angels", otherwise the game will run after you close the installation process, and StarForce drivers will be automatically installed
• Also it is recommended to install DirectX from the disc (if you're using Windows 10 - enable DirectPlay, read this or this guide how to do it)
• After you installed the game - install all patches, first install patch v1.01, then v1.02
• Then install NoCD (simply copy files from the archive and put it into directory with installed game, agree to replace original files)
• Open the directory with the game and find SettingsApplication.exe. Right click on SettingsApplication.exe - Properties - Compatibility - Set "Run this app in compatibility mode with Windows XP SP3" and "Run as administrator"
• Open the directory Blazing Angels Squadrons of WWII/bin and find MainR.exe. Right click on MainR.exe - Properties - Compatibility - Set "Run this app in compatibility mode with Windows XP SP3" and "Run as administrator"
• Run the launcher (from desktop shortcut or SettingsApplication.exe), choose the setting you need, and play. If the game doesn't work in compatibility mode with Windows XP - try to launch it in compatibility mode with other version of Windows (Win98/ME, Win2000, Vista, etc.)

DVD release installs very simple - just mount ISO image and run Setup.exe. Then run the game in compatibility mode with Windows XP SP3

Notes:

• If the installation doesn't start - try to launch Setup.exe in compatibility mode with old version of Windows (98, 2000 or XP)
• The game was using infamous StarForce DRM protection that doesn't work on modern systems and can break your PC. Make sure to install all patches and NoCD before the first launch of the game!
• It is recommended to install the game not by default path C:/Program Files/Ubisoft/Blazing Angels Squadrons of WWII, but in non-system folder, like C:/Games/Blazing Angels Squadrons of WWII, because sometimes Windows antivirus doesn't allow to replace files in C:/Program Files directory
• It is recommended to install all versions of Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable for the correct work of the game
• Also it is recommended to install RAD Video Tools and K-Lite Codec Pack for the correct work of the game
• The game works on DirectX 9, so if you're using Windows 8, 8.1, 10 or 11 - you need to enable DirectPlay: Go to Control Panel, and select 'Programs'. Select 'Turn Windows features on and off', click on 'Legacy Components' and check the box 'DirectPlay'. Select OK, once the installation is done, restart your computer
• Probably at launch of the game you will see the warning "Your graphics card drivers are not up-to-date" - just click "OK", the game will work fine. It simply happens because the game cannot recognize the models of modern video cards
• If the game isn't running - try to run it in compatibility mode with Windows 98, it helped some users. Also, you can try to run the game directly from MainR.exe, if the game doesn't launch when you press "Play" in Launcher
• If you see only black screen after you launched the game - press Alt+Tab to minimize the window, then press Alt+Tab again, the game should start working fine
• The game controls and graphics can be changed in Blazing Angels Settings app (SettingsApplication.exe), also you can change the language of the game in it
• If you have any graphical glitches - try to lower graphics settings in Launcher. Also, if the game works in window - make sure to check that windowed mode is disabled
• Online servers were shut down years ago, but you still can play in multiplayer via LAN game, with LAN emulators like Hamachi, Tunngle or Garena
• For users of Windows 64-bit systems: if the game doesn't work after you launched it - open Task Manager (Ctrl+Alt+Del by default) and check for processes MainR.exe and rundll32.exe. Close MainR.exe but don't touch rundll32.exe (it's a Windows app for running old apps from 32-bit operational systems, most old games running through rundll32.exe). Now try to launch the game again, it should work. Don't forget to close rundll32.exe process in Task Manager after finishing playing
• Don't forget to check PCGamingWiki if you have troubles