Fergus Nash
People of all ages are familiar with Capcom’s arcade game “1942.” I played it on a cabinet in the mid 80’s. Or download the mobile app, and the scrolling shooter is burned into the collective consciousness of gamers. Loosely based on the Battle of Midway, the game’s simple mechanics and the bright green Pacific islands below make it an incredibly addictive coin-drinking game. With the game’s 40th anniversary looming, young pilot brand AVI-8 has released a limited edition watch in collaboration with Capcom. The AVI-8 AV-4104 Flyboy Capcom 1942 is a sturdy, affordable offering for fans of retro games and fighter planes.
Incident
As a brand, it’s clear that AVI-8 isn’t just using the aviation industry as a popular market – all of their watches are full of attention to detail that many more expensive brands fail to incorporate, and they draw influences from a wide range of disciplines. The History of Pilot’s WatchesA particularly nice detail is the vintage-style conical crown that, when pressed closed, provides 50m of water resistance. Depending on your preference for a bright and fun watch, or a dark and tactical one, the AVI-8 AV-4104 Flyboy Capcom 1942 is available in a stainless steel or black coated finish.
The AV-4104 Flyboy Capcom 1942 case is sturdy at 41mm in diameter, but the slender, short lugs give it a larger appearance. This ensures a large wrist presence like a traditional pilot’s watch, approaching 50mm in width, without sacrificing wearability or comfort. At 12mm thick, it feels thick, but doesn’t strain the wrist like some chronographs.
Dial
While the Blue Ace and Black Ace versions have distinct personalities, both dials are full of references to 1942 and the game. The dial itself has a rough grain finish and depicts a playable P-38 Lightning battling enemy fighter planes in a vertical flurry of bullets. A Super Ace also flies around the dial and can be seen as a counterbalance to the seconds hand. The hour and minute hands are skeletonized to better highlight the dogfight below them, and are coated in cream-colored lume, as are the applied indexes and stenciled numerals.
You may notice that the red Limited Edition text and date display at 6 o’clock are written in 8-bit style lettering, reinforcing the retro feel. Finally, the triangle and two dots at 12 o’clock bring the whole thing back to its pilot’s watch origins, despite the lighter elements. These outer markers are supported by small pillars that rise from the curved chapter ring, contributing to a great sense of depth to the dial.
motion
AVI-8 AV-4104 Flyboy Capcom 1942 Power The King of Affordable Movements — Seiko NH35This is a great choice for a watch like this. Its combination of affordability and reliability makes for a watch that is fun to design without being overly expensive. It’s also suitable for daily wear and has a premium feel due to being mechanical. With a 3Hz beat rate and 41-hour power reserve, it also has all the usual features, such as a stop-seconds function and manual winding. And if you don’t mind the DIY challenges, it’s easily adjustable, so you can keep good time even if it’s not quite as accurate as the factory version.
strap
The AV-4104 Flyboy Capcom 1942 comes by default with a stainless steel Oyster-style bracelet with solid links and a foldover clasp. The clasp is etched with another plane flying over an aircraft carrier, giving the watch’s owner a little nudge. There are only two micro-adjustment holes, so it may be difficult to get a perfect fit, but a nylon strap is also included if you want to swap it out. The lug width is 22mm, with plenty of other options available.
AVI-8 AV-4104 Flyboy Capcom 1942 Price and Availability:
AVI-8 AV-4104 Flyboy Capcom 1942 is a limited edition of 300 pieces of each color. Price: $365 USD (Blue Ace) / $385 USD (Black Ace)
Brand AVI-8 Model AV-4104 Flyboy Capcom 1942 Case Size 41mm x 12mm Case Material Stainless Steel Water Resistance 50m Crystal Sapphire Dial Blue or Black Lug Width 22mm Strap Steel bracelet and nylon strap with etched buckle Movement Seiko NH35 Power Reserve 41 hours Availability Limited to 300 pieces per color Price US$365 (Blue Ace) / US$385 (Black Ace)
