Hostile Skies Plane Tier List

Below is the full Hostile Skies plane tier list for the current patch (v3.5.1 “Phantom”). Each placement includes role tags (dogfighter, bomber, multi-role, jet) and the unlock method so you know whether to grind credits, XP, or buy outright.

S tier

Plane	Team	Role	Unlock
P-51D Mustang	Allied	Dogfighter	Level 35 or 75,000 credits
FW 190 D-13	Axis	Dogfighter	Level 35 or 75,000 credits
P-38 Lightning	Allied	Multi-role	Level 30 or 60,000 credits
Ho 229	Axis	Multi-role	Level 30 or 60,000 credits
Gloster Meteor	Allied	Jet	Level 50 or 150,000 credits
Me 262	Axis	Jet	Level 50 or 150,000 credits
M60 Starfighter	Allied	Jet	Level 55 or 200,000 credits
Horten 229 jet	Axis	Jet	Level 55 or 200,000 credits
M22	Allied	Multi-role	Level 50 or 200,000 credits
Phantom	Axis	Jet	Level 55 or 250,000 credits

A tier

Plane	Team	Role	Unlock
Spitfire Mk IX	Allied	Dogfighter	Level 25
Bf 109 G-6	Axis	Dogfighter	Level 25
P-47 Thunderbolt	Allied	Multi-role	Level 28
Fw 190 A-8	Axis	Multi-role	Level 28
Mosquito Mk VI	Allied	Bomber	Level 32
Ju 88	Axis	Bomber	Level 32
F4U Corsair	Allied	Multi-role	Level 35
Ta 152	Axis	Multi-role	Level 35

B tier

Plane	Team	Role	Unlock
P-40 Warhawk	Allied	Dogfighter	Level 18
A6M Zero	Axis	Dogfighter	Level 20
P-39 Airacobra	Allied	Multi-role	Level 18
Ki-43 Oscar	Axis	Dogfighter	Level 16
B-25 Mitchell	Allied	Bomber	Level 26
G4M Betty	Axis	Bomber	Level 26
P-36 Hawk	Allied	Starter	Level 5
He 112	Axis	Starter	Level 5

C tier

Plane	Team	Role	Unlock
P-26 Peashooter	Allied	Starter	Default
Ki-10	Axis	Starter	Default

Rationale

S-tier planes combine top-tier speed, firepower, and turn rate. The Mustang and FW 190 D-13 are the dogfighter kings. The Gloster Meteor and Me 262 dominate jet lobbies because their top speed is unreachable by props. The M60 and Horten 229 jet round out the high-tier jet list.

The v3.5.1 patch added the M22 (Allied apex multi-role) and the Phantom (Axis apex jet). The M22 combines long-range rockets with a forgiving ammo count, making it the best multi-role for both dogfighting and ground attack. The Phantom has the highest top speed of any plane in the game and turns worse than every other jet. Both are S-tier because they are the best at their role; they are not interchangeable with each other.

A-tier planes are 90% as good and easier to unlock. B-tier planes shine with a skilled pilot. C-tier planes are starter aircraft only.

When this list changes

Tiers shift with major patches. The current list is accurate for v3.5.1 “Phantom”. Check the Latest patch page when a new patch lands. The v3.6 patch is not expected to add planes, so the tier list is stable through the next release window.

How to read the role tags

The role tags are: starter (level 1 to 10), dogfighter (turn-focused props), multi-role (mix of dogfighting and ground attack), bomber (bomb-load focused), and jet (jet engine with rocket and gun loadouts). Pick the role that matches your playstyle; the tier is the same within role brackets.

How faction choice affects your tier list

The Allied and Axis rosters mirror each other across every role bracket. If you main Allied you have access to the M22 as the apex multi-role; if you main Axis you have access to the Phantom as the apex jet. They are not perfectly symmetric - the M22 plays as a forgiving multi-role, while the Phantom plays as an unforgiving boom-and-zoom jet. Read the Axis vs Allied guide for a side-by-side comparison.

How to read the unlock column

The unlock column lists the level requirement and the credit cost. Most planes unlock at the listed level for free, or you can shortcut the level grind by paying the credit cost. The credit shortcut costs more than grinding XP, so it is a premium option for pilots who want to skip the early levels.

Looking for how to unlock these? See the How to unlock planes guide. Looking for what to fly first? See the Best starter plane guide.

Deep dive guides

For the planes that matter most in v3.5.1, we have full dedicated walkthroughs covering unlock paths, upgrade orders, and how to fly them in mixed lobbies:

• ME 262 guide — Axis first jet, energy-fighter playstyle, how to take down the Gloster.
• Gloster Meteor guide — Allied counter-jet, energy-fighting tactics, unlock and upgrade order.
• Phantom jet guide — the apex Axis jet, what makes it the closing-word in v3.5.1.
• FW 190 guide — the top Axis prop, dominant turn-fighter vs every Allied prop until jets arrive.
• P-51 Mustang guide — the Allied energy-fighter workhorse, how to fly it against turn opponents.
• Horton Ho 229 guide — the flying-wing TDM monster, anti-air dodging, late-game carry.
• Turn vs energy fighting — the core decision tree that decides every dogfight outcome.