All War Thunder Tiers Explained (Planes)

Updated:

09 Jul 2022

In War Thunder, there are 7 tiers in total. The lowest is tier 1, here are WW2-era planes and all the way up is tier 7, fast and agile modern jets and all that jazz. I will analyze every single tier, try to mention some of the best planes in each tier, and explain what are the biggest features in each tier. Without further blabbing, let’s get started:

7. Tier I

The most fun and worst there is!

In this tier, you just started your first game of War Thunder. You don’t know know what the hell is going on, you’re trying to shoot down a heavy bomber with your pathetic biplane that’s equipped with 7.7mm Vickers that wouldn’t hurt a fly, everyone is flaming you, screaming, crying - it’s basically hell. BUT, this is where it all began, your first adventure in War Thunder, a good old time when you just started learning the basics in this game. Planes in this tier are… garbage. For modern standards, I mean. You can expect all types of players on this tier - smurfs, noobs, flamers, and other degenerates!

Some awesome planes from this tier:

Sea Gladiator Mk I - A British biplane, flexible, easy to learn, and fun as hell to fly
Bf 109 E-1 - Excellent for boom and zoom tactics, can even switch to a bomber
Ki-27 otsu - the most maneuverable plane in this tier, with few precise shots you can easily end up on top of the scoreboard

6. Tier II

Less terrible.

Tier II is filled with many iconic planes that are more agile, fast, and maneuverable than planes from the previous tier, although there are sometimes exceptions. The most dominant factions in this tier are the Germans, The British, and maybe the USA, don’t be discouraged to try other factions though - the Japanese planes, for example, still have top-notch maneuverability and their armaments are slightly improved. Bombers are also a bit more sturdy, have better and plentiful payloads, and can be played in more versatile ways.

Some dope planes from this tier:

Fw 190 A-1 - A German energy fighter, with excellent armaments and maneuverability, even at high speeds
Spitfire Mk IIb - A British plane, one of the most recognizable planes in this tier, known for its excellent speed+short bursts that can severely damage other aircraft
I-16 type 27 - A funny-looking plane that can out-maneuver even the most feared German planes

5. Tier III

We’re slowly gettin’ there..

In the third tier, factions such as Britain, and Germany are still on the top, yet there are some exceptions from different factions, the Soviets are known for their Yaks, the best one being Yak-3 in this tier - it’s fast, maneuvrable and armed well enough to shoot down other fighters in short bursts, Americans, on the other hand, have the infamous P-47D-28 with plenty of HVAR rockets and armaments(x8 M2 Brownings) - a plane made both for shooting down ground targets, as well as other aircraft. Keep in mind that new Spitfires are also in this tier and they won’t be anything easy to deal with!

Some of the planes that are cool in this tier:

Yak-3 - A decent Soviet plane, maneuverable and if you’re skilled enough, you could shoot down other Spitfires
Spitfire Mk IIb - Another Spitfire variant, this one is known for it’s powerful ammunition that should be used conservatively and in short bursts in order to decimate your enemy
Fw 190 A-5 - Resilient, can climb up and dive pretty well, which makes this plane excellent for BnZ

4. Tier IV

ALMOST early jets.

Babies in this tier can reach speeds of almost 800 KM/H, they’re far better armed than in previous tiers. These planes are still from World War 2, although this is the last tier before we switch to early jets. Soviets, Brits, and Germans excel in this tier - Ruskies are known for their La-9, which I love for its high rate of fire, while the British still have the good old Spitfires but a Tempest Mk II as well, which is considered by some to be better than the Spitfires. And there are the Germans, who despite producing some of the most powerful and unique fighters out there, still ended up getting their asses kicked. You can expect decent fighters, as well as Bombers that can evaporate bases in one go if you’re accurate enough. Have fun!

Some of the cool planes in this tier:

Fw 190 D-12 - Maneuvrable, can carry a payload of 500KG and still call itself a fighter
La-9 - The Soviet sweetheart, the airframe is quite durable and the armaments are mounted on the nose, which makes it easy to aim with
Tempest Mk II - Best flown below 3,000 meters, can cause serious mayhem on the battlefield due to having powerful armaments, excellent for BnZ action

3. Tier V

Early jets!

Planes in the previous tier could reach speeds of around 700-800 KM/H, but now that we are switching to the next tier, a plane such as Venom FB.4 can reach speeds of even 1,030 KM/H if upgraded. Soviets are known for their iconic Migs, while the Americans have their F-86F-25s, which are kings at BnZ tactics. In this tier, countries such as Germany, and Britain begin to lose their importance and are replaced by other behemoths - don’t get discouraged from trying other factions though, there are some great underdogs. Also, at all costs, avoid the He 162 A-2!

Some of the cool planes in this tier:

Ho 229 V3 - A unique-looking German plane, with powerful armaments and plenty of ammunition
MiG-17 - Fast, bursts can easily annihilate the heaviest bombers
F-86F-25 Sabre - Easy to aim with, keeps its maneuvrability decent at highest of speeds and effective airbrakes

2. Tier VI

Better jets.

In this tier, we no longer have to deal with jets that have flat noses. Instead, we get nice, pointy noses. They’re fast as hell, just in one tier, jets went from 1,000 KM/H to over 2,300 KM/H! That’s pretty crazy but there are a few more things to discuss - the jets get a massive boost in maneuverability, armaments(both guns and rockets), and acceleration. You’re now capable of firing fast-moving rockets at other aircraft or ground targets, just realize that the same can be done to you - you’ll have to learn, depending on the enemy plane, which rockets have been deployed on you and what you have to do to not get hit - out-maneuver the rocket and hope it runs out of fuel, simply fly straight or just crash land into another plane to avoid the shame of getting hit with a rocket. Probably the most fun tier to play in, so grind for it!

Cool planes to check out:

MiG-21F-13 - Can withstand heavy G-force, sometimes even up to 12Gs, armaments are plentiful in ammunition and can destroy everything in short bursts
F-4C Phantom II - Plenty of payload options, can drop a barrage of bombs and is equipped with air-to-air missiles

1. Tier VII

Goodbye, sweet prince.

This is the last tier, this is the tier in which you don’t know what to grind for once you unlocked everything in your favorite faction. So far, these are the best jets that you can fly in this tier. Some jets are equipped with flares, which are used for evading enemy missiles. Planes in this tier are frankly made out of paper and armaments are so top-notch, that they will just annihilate everything they touch. Ballistic computers are becoming more and more common and they assist you with things such as rockets, bombs, or cannons. The fastest speed that you can reach is 2,380 KM/H, which is the speed of the excellent MiG-23M. If you’re looking for the most modern jet gameplay in War Thunder, that’s as close as you’re gonna get it. It’s fun, FAST AS HELL, and many other things. Good luck grinding for it though…

Some of the most badass planes in this tier:

MiG-23M - can easily outrun your opponents thanks to its speed, also armed with R-60M AAMs.
F-14A - 60 countermeasures in total, OP M61 Vulcan cannon that destroys pretty much everything
F-4J Phantom II - Payloads open up possibilities for versatile play styles, have access to air-to-air missiles, can track and engage with ground targets

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