diff --git a/Makefile.am b/Makefile.am
index 33469a78a..a4a794e7c 100644
--- a/Makefile.am
+++ b/Makefile.am
@@ -5,3 +5,83 @@ EXTRA_DIST = Makefile.extra README.Unix README.Linux README.Win32 \
 
 dist-hook:
 	tar cf - Hints | (cd $(distdir); tar xvf -)
+
+
+##########################################################################
+# extra targets to do various things ...
+#
+# Use "make <target>"
+##########################################################################
+
+FG_ROOT=$(HOME)/FlightGear
+
+# make the base distribution with textures, sounds and a bit of
+# scenery, and all the other associated files
+fgfs-base: fgfs-base-tar fgfs-base-zip
+
+fgfs-base-tar:
+	(cd $(HOME); \
+	tar czvf fgfs-base-$(VERSION).tar.gz \
+	FlightGear/[A-R]* \
+	FlightGear/Scenery/w120n030/w111n033 \
+	FlightGear/Sounds \
+	FlightGear/Textures FlightGear/Thanks \
+	FlightGear/[m-r]* )
+
+fgfs-base-zip:
+	(cd $(HOME); \
+	zip -r fgfs-base-$(VERSION).zip \
+	FlightGear/[A-R]* \
+	FlightGear/Scenery/w120n030/w111n033 \
+	FlightGear/Sounds \
+	FlightGear/Textures FlightGear/Thanks \
+	FlightGear/[m-r]* )
+
+# make the documentation distribution
+fgfs-docs: fgfs-docs-tar fgfs-docs-zip
+
+fgfs-docs-tar:
+	tar czvf fgfs-docs-$(VERSION).tar.gz Docs
+
+# make the documentation distribution
+fgfs-docs-zip:
+	zip -r fgfs-docs-$(VERSION).zip Docs
+
+# make the win32-bin distribution
+fgfs-win32-bin:
+	(cd $(HOME); \
+	zip -r fgfs-win32-bin-$(VERSION).zip FlightGear/bin )
+
+# make the win32-libs distribution
+win32-libs:
+	( zip -r win32-libs-$(VERSION).zip Win32/Makefile \
+	Win32/README.glut Win32/cygwinb19.dll Win32/def \
+	Win32/*.exp Win32/gen-def-from-errors.pl \
+	Win32/glut.dll Win32/glut32.dll Win32/impdef.cpp \
+	Win32/impdef.exe Win32/include \
+	Win32/install.exe \
+	Win32/lib Win32/zlib.lib )
+
+# clean up dependencies
+clean-deps:
+	rm -rf .deps \
+	Lib/.deps Simulator/.deps Tools/.deps Test/.deps \
+	Lib/*/.deps Simulator/*/.deps Tools/*/.deps \
+	Lib/*/*/.deps Simulator/*/*/.deps Tools/*/*/.deps \
+	Tests/.deps
+
+# clean up after libtool
+clean-libs:
+	rm -rf .libs Lib/.libs Simulator/.libs Tools/.libs \
+		Lib/*/.libs Simulator/*/.libs Tools/*/.libs \
+		Lib/*/*/.libs Simulator/*/*/.libs Tools/*/*/.libs
+	rm -f Simulator/*/so_locations Lib/*/so_locations \
+		Simulator/*/*/so_locations Lib/*/*/so_locations
+
+# clean up after winbloze spews random case for file names :-(
+clean-winbloze: clean-deps clean-libs
+	rm -f makefile Include/makefile Lib/makefile Simulator/makefile \
+		Tools/makefile \
+		Lib/*/makefile Simulator/*/makefile Tools/*/makefile \
+		Lib/*/*/makefile Simulator/*/*/makefile Tools/*/*/makefile
+	rm -f Src/Main/fg.exe Tools/*/*.exe