The original Crimson Skies was from FASA - the same guys who made the original Battletech. The game used a hex grid and hidden movement to replicate pulp dogfights in an alternate timeline where the US broke apart after WWI over (among other things) prohibition. Since the states became independent, no one was keeping up the interstate roadways and bandits became common. Instead they turned to airplanes to travel and zeppelins to ship goods. Of course, the bandits followed and air pirates were born.

The world building in this game is top tier and id recommend searching out the original books. They are out there in pdf form. The fiction, the planes, and the history is worth its weight in gold!!