Hi Y'all.. I get asked this in World Chat quite a lot so I thought I would start a thread about it. Newer & even more experienced players ask about this plane or that one & "should I get this one or save up for that one?"
So this is my take on each of the different planes in Dogfight.. their strengths & weaknesses & characteristics. These are MY opinions only & DO include each plane being fully upgraded! Feel free to chime in if you have different opinions to mine as this info can only help people to make informed plane buying choices (wish I had been more informed before I bought my first plane!)

Free Planes - there are THREE of them!



1. Airco DH2 - the plane you pilot in the practice missions. Many people look down on this plane but it has a couple of things going for it.. it is difficult to hit because of the empty space behind the prop & it turns well. In capable hands it can shoot other planes down because of its maneuverability & since it's slow, faster planes if they miss it often fly right in front of you so you can blast them! When carrying a bomb though, it can barely fly lol!



2. Fokker Dr.I - The first of the two tri-planes.. very capable plane as in it maneuvers very well although it's slow. Able to bring down the Airco more times than not.. as well as being able to bring down the one tier up Fokker tri-plane Red Baron plane due to this maneuverability! (but that only happens in the dogfight mission)



3. Albatros D.V.a - The zebra striped M.O.R.A.F plane.. you get it for free I am told (*edit: as I know now) when you make MORAF. It's a Albatros D.V. with a black & white striped paint job as flown by Bruno Loerzer in WWI. Does it have any advantages over the standard D.V. besides it being piloted by a VERY experienced player? I do know that the way it turns I [THOUGHT] it got an additional star in the maneuver category but now that I am a moraf I know that it doesn't.. yet it's TOUGH to shoot down lol!

Tier 2 Planes



1. Red Baron - aka Redbaron (2-guns) - aka the flying Red Brick - aka pretty Red Target - grrr! Many of you know this plane is my pet peeve.. the first plane I ever bought with earned coins.. I HATE IT! Carrys a lot of ammo though.. so good for shooting zeppelins & in head to head shooting going across the Valley of Death - but other than that it's just a flying target for experienced (& inexperienced pilots) to bring down. Can't turn for poop despite its speed advantage over the free planes & the Nieuport XI in the same tier can shoot it down 2 out of 3 times in a dogfight.. ESPECIALLY once both planes have passed each other and it becomes a turning battle. I would give mine away if I could to a new player except I wouldn't want to handicap one.. it's pretty red & 2 guns & added speed & ammo draws the unwary into purchasing it.. grrrr! Big Mistake! I would choose the free Fokker over this or DEFINATELY the Nieuport that is in the same tier.



2. Nieuport XI - my first 'favorite' plane. Despite being shot down TONS in the Red Baron I finally earned some more coins and got this plane & quickly upgraded it.. then I FINALLY had something that could compete, even if on a limited basis. This plane can shoot down the free planes (although the free Fokker does give it a run for it's money!) & can take down the Red Baron plane 2 out of every 3 goes. Flying with a bomb on it sucks, but hey, you do what you gotta do. For me in bombing missions I was often sneaky in it.. going high or around or whatever it took to help my team win that mission. This plane earned me the coins to buy my Spad as well as got me a little known as people would say "Where's Zebra?" & somebody else would say, "Look Up!" lol!

Tier 3 Planes



1. Spad S.XIII (2 guns) - Best bang for the buck in Dogfight! This plane can shoot down ANY plane in the air in capable hands.. it's fast enough (when not carrying a bomb lol!) and highly maneuverable and it is the cream of the crop in Tier 1-4 planes.. yes, you heard that right, I like it better than either of the 2 planes in the tier above it! I LOVE my Spad! a Zebra approved BEST BUY



2. Fokker E.III - aka german mono-winged plane - the only mono-winged plane in Dogfight it's low profile makes it more difficult to hit which is it's primary strength. Slightly less maneuverable than the Spad yet in head on shooting or trying to shoot it while you are on its six, it takes better aim or more ammo to bring one down. [*edit-despite it's 2 star speed rating it is actually a little faster than the other 2 star planes, probably due to its lesser weight without that second wing & struts] If you go head to head with it you better be a good shot!

Tier 4 Planes



1. Albatross D.III - fine plane with good maneuverability & speed & carries plenty of ammo.. great for most all missions.. it works well! Although WAY more expensive than the Spad I give the edge to the Spad over both this plane & the other plane in this fourth tier, the Nieport XVII, yet this plane CAN & DOES shoot down all planes in Dogfight in capable hands.



2. Nieport XVII - aka the Ferrari plane (the prancing stallion/horse symbol on this plane flown by Francesco Baracca actually DID become the symbol of Ferrari after being presented to Enzo Ferrari by Baracca's mother.) Good handling plane that carries plenty of ammo.. I rate it TIED with the other plane in Tier 4, the D.III (Actually some may argue differently, so as I don't own it I can't truly say, my experiences come from shooting 'em down in that case) Anyone who has one can feel free to give us their impressions. (*edit: in retrospect I rank this tied with the Spad.. it is fast and handles great in a turning battle)

Tier 5 Planes



1. SE5a - the allieds top tier plane. Now that I have one & flown it quite a bit if there's one thing to say about this plane is that it is smooth! It handles well but flies differently then other the other top planes.. & it is tough to shoot down as I have seen from the other perspective.. and dives FAST! When carrying a bomb it's nearly on par with tier 3 planes WITHOUT bombs loL! But it does seem to be a little slower turning than the D.V. when bombless.



2. Albatros D.V. - german top tier plane. Fast.. maneuverable.. plenty of ammo.. what's not to like? Oh! the purple (or lilac) paint.. lol. Like who really sees purple/lilac as a camouflage color?!? In shooting it down I give this plane the edge over the SE5a.. seems harder to kill in a turning battle than the SE5a [*edit-I own one now & it's FAST!]



3. Albatros D.V.a - MORAF zebra striped plane - yes, I know I already spoke of it earlier, but it deserves additional mention due to the fact you have to EARN it! I will hopefully earn one someday.. & be a Zebra in a zebra! (*edit: I got one of my own now! )


Speed Chart
with bomb / without bomb
2 Stars = 120/150 [ Airco DH2 / Fokker Dr.I / Nieuport XI ]
2 Stars = 115/155 [*Fokker E.III (Eindecker mono-wing) ]
3 Stars = 125/160 [Spad S.XIII / Red Baron / Albatros D.III / Nieport XVII ]
4 Stars = 130/165 [Albatros D.V. / SE5a / Albatros D.V.a ]

Upgrading Planes
To upgrade a plane is to turn each silver star to gold. The cost for each of these upgrades is 1/2 the cost of the plane! For EACH UPGRADED STAR!
*Tip - Always upgrade SPEED FIRST! Armament is merely the number of bullets you are carrying onboard. But all the bullets in the world won't help you if you are shot down because you are too slow!!

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Do your opinions on these planes differ from mine? Well if so, then speak up! =)

Here is a good website listing the planes of WWI in order of top speed.. WWI aircraft ranked by speed

Z

I like the se5a, I wonder what MAX uses.

I don't know? Did anyone get close enough? All those fancy new planes look the same to me.

This is just to clear things up here on the moraf plane.
Its hard to hit mainly because the pilots r some of the most experienced in the game. If u c me, i mainly fly the spad 13, Nueport 17, albotros DIII and the DV. Those r what i fly, I will fly the red Dr1 every now and then too.

This is just to clear things up here on the moraf plane.
Its hard to hit mainly because the pilots r some of the most experienced in the game. If u c me, i mainly fly the spad 13, Nueport 17, albotros DIII and the DV. Those r what i fly, I will fly the red Dr1 every now and then too.

Sadly one of the many updates ruined the differences in the planes abilities. Around the time we got the update that made the planes fly like bricks. When every plane felt like it had a bomb on it. The Red Fokker used to be, in my opinion, the best in the game. I flew it well beyond getting the top tier Albatross, which at that time I did not like. It turned inside everything else here, as it should. Now, as you say it is a huge red target. Even the EIII Used to turn inside the top tier planes. If you stayed in a flat turn with either of them you got killed. Now it is choose the best(read fastest) or die. The SPAD is a killer and the Red Baron can be, but they are extreme work. They used to be a much better choice than they are now. A good Dogfighter will almost always kill you. Atleast 95% of the time. You just run out of room to maneuver. Always running and never chasing.

Good thread. Good reviews.

Albatross DV over the Se5, any day. No difference in the performance of the Black and white, just more seasoned players behind the paint. All top 100 guys.

It would be cool to see a Teir 1 plane day/ Teir 2 plane day/ Tier 3, etc......where we all had to fly the same plane.

I only have 4 or 5 planes in my hanger, only the se5a has the most armament so i take it. HOW DO I GET MORE PLANES

When i first signed up i bought all the planes but I don't know how to find them

SO HOW DO I GET ANOTHER PLANE.

Hit the arrows to the side, on the choose plane screen.

Thanks tKestrel for the screenshots to clarify things.. although the way those planes are flown by many of the MORAFs I honestly thought the D.V.a might have gotten an additional upgrade star in the maneuver category loL!

And thanks to you also MaX for letting those of us who are new in on what it used to be like here. I also hear that there was a train here at one time going from the bridge building to the mountain building.. did you shoot it or bomb it or ???

Hi guys, my personal take, the only allied plane worth buying other than the SE5a is the Spad. The others just don't offer enough advantage. The German side, the D.III is the only plane I would bother purchasing. I flew the red baron a bit, it's faster than the basic triplane, but it's not very manoeuvrable.

I've been playing only in the triplane and Airco the last 2 days with excellent results, both turn well, and the only downside is the lack of ammo, my K:D was the same as usual and if you are defending against greater numbers you have a real advantage in these slower planes.

ZebraUp wrote: And thanks to you also MaX for letting those of us who are new in on what it used to be like here. I also hear that there was a train here at one time going from the bridge building to the mountain building.. did you shoot it or bomb it or ???

There was a train, I think only Android players got to see it. you didn't do anything with it it just steamed around the map, and if you put your plane on the tracks in front of it you died. Would have been cool to keep and integrate with a mission, but i think the train was impacting many users graphics

nice thread zebra thanks

Great thread Zebra, accurate reviews - you just ain't wrong!
I love my Albatross DV, its supposed to be the same as the 5a but I always do better in it for some reason. Maybe its the horrible paint that makes me not care about getting shot down so I just go for the gold?
I'll write a review on unicorns vs My Little Pony as soon as Zup finishes the next update

Porkfinger wrote: Great thread Zebra, accurate reviews - you just ain't wrong!
I love my Albatross DV, its supposed to be the same as the 5a but I always do better in it for some reason. Maybe its the horrible paint that makes me not care about getting shot down so I just go for the gold?
I'll write a review on unicorns vs My Little Pony as soon as Zup finishes the next update

I will be looking forward to that review Reck... especially your impressions on riding the Apocalypse Pony bareback naked.. just please, NO PICS!

Max ain't wrong either - when I started playing DF the faster planes would turn so hard they were actually too fast for me to learn with. Now they are sluggish in the turns, and if I turn my sensitivity up any higher my shots don't connect. I've heard from a few players things like "Reck, you're really getting good", but the truth is I simply turned down my sensitivity and now my shots are just hitting the target.

Wicked and weird....

Hey if anyone has both the D.III AND the Nieport XVII please post if you think they are tied like I think or if one plane is better than the other.. as I don't have the XVII
Thanks!

anyone? ...anyone? Bueller? Bueller? lol!

Zeeb, thank you for this thread. It is very helpful. I'm not sure about the 2 you have mentioned, I'll fly both, and let you know.

[M]VonKopp wrote: Zeeb, thank you for this thread. It is very helpful. I'm not sure about the 2 you have mentioned, I'll fly both, and let you know.

Thanks Hulk.. it's mainly written for newer players so that they have some hopefully accurate information on the various planes so they can make an informed choice.. so I appreciate your assistance there.. I only have the D.III so not having the Ferrari plane makes reviewing it difficult since I can only judge by how difficult it is to shoot down.

Also this thread hopefully serves as an "in" to get more pilots to read/join the forum as well...

Hey Hulk, you get a chance to fly them both yet & come to a conclusion? or anyone else who has both planes please give an opinion of which is better or if they are tied? (Speaking of the D.III & the Ferrari plane, both one down from the top tier)

Great topic and info Zebra! Any other information you can give?

Example 1: If one plane but has the same stars, how much faster by how many KPH? (I assume it's KPH rather then MPH?)
Descriptions of related things like. What's the max speed with and with out a bomb when -flying level-. Spad with a bomb is around 125, allied 1 tier plane is around 118. Spad without is 165, can't remember the tier one non bomb speed of hand but I think it's close to 150.

Example 2: Does having more stars in armaments mean anything other then more ammo? Or does it also increase the size of a successful hit field? Is the fire rate any faster?

I wish practice missions would let you use all the plane. Great for testing what works best for your style of flying, or if a plane is worth the cost.

If you are going to buy a plane on allied side go for the spad. The se5 is a really bad choice if you can't afford to fully upgrade it, and that's expensive.
Fly the spad then buy the se5 and continue to fly the spad until you maxed out the speed upgrades on the se5. I'd rather fly the free allied plane then a basic se5.

And on the Germans side I'd go for the first albatross first then do the same as I explained for the allied side.

Good advice Bells.. I did a slightly different route but your advice is good!

I stupidly got the Red Baron plane with my first 25K coins. I was drawn by its pretty red color & added ammo & speed & of course the history behind the plane.. then when after a gazillion deaths I earned enough I got the Nieuport XI next, which is a far better plane & earned me the coins for my Spad.. it earned me the coins for the D.III & now I am working on getting the DV. But the Spad is definitely the best choice for a good plane without having a ton of coins!

"bump" so players I have been speaking to in world chat can find it easily...

I would like to get my SE5 in zebra color when the time comes..

[M] Mike cann wrote: I would like to get my SE5 in zebra color when the time comes..

Me too Mike.. Zebra in a zebra!

Thanks this has really helped my next plane purchase and hope this helps others in there search for plane information

I'm sorry to tell you that the SE5 wont have the stipes from the Zebra.

|111th| On_Wings_oF wrote:
Example 2: Does having more stars in armaments mean anything other then more ammo? Or does it also increase the size of a successful hit field? Is the fire rate any faster?

Gooood question

FADACO wrote:

|111th| On_Wings_oF wrote:
Example 2: Does having more stars in armaments mean anything other then more ammo? Or does it also increase the size of a successful hit field? Is the fire rate any faster?

Gooood question

Although I am not positive about this, I believe that as far as armament goes that the additional stars stand for more ammo only.. in the plane description (2-guns) SHOULD BE the describing factor that means the ammo is used up more quickly as 2 guns eat it up more quickly than a single gun. Hence you would have twice as many hits when successfully aiming at a red than you would with a single gun plane. But I have no way of confirming this.
If anyone has any definitive proof on this please speak up! Thanks!