What is the best top tier premium aircraft?

The Academy - Players helping Players
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For any nation, what is the best top-tier aircraft? I’m currently leaning towards the MiG-23ML as I’m currently grinding USSR tanks, but the F-4S seems very good, and I wouldn’t mind switching to the US tech tree.

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I have an entire sale guide on this covering every rank 6+ premium and a bunch of lower tier ones.

As always though, I recommend waiting for a sale and getting a full year of premium account time when it is 50% off meaning it is $40 USD for premium account for a full year. Best investment in WT and it will get you infinitely more than any singular vehicle, while also being cheaper than a top tier premium now, and only $5 more expensive on sale.

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IMO top tier premiums are means to the end, as they usually have near identical TT counterpart.

As such best premium top tier plane is the one that allows you to reach the planes you actually want in the most efficient way.

Beyond that, what is actually “best” as in most capable can change drastically between patches.

To give example, Mig-23s. I grinded Mig-23MLA last may and i found near unusable in BVR.

Then i tried it around this january and found its radar mightly buffed and actually better tahn F-4S.

Nowqdays, after its radar nerf, its once again bad.

And as far as i now this issue affects all MiG-23s.

As of current patch, id personally say the F-4S is actually best one. With multipath reduction it turned from bomb truck into BVR monster. Only other plane at its own tier im actually afraid of is Mirage F-1CT with its 2x IRCCM missiles, but as long as you keep it at distance, you should be golden.

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I ve had the mig23ml for quite a while and it was a great plane, especially before its radar got nerfed and its g limits too. However i just put my hands on the f4s and its MILES above the mig23ml . Here is why:

  1. Radar. The f4s has pdv hdn radar which only works when the enemy plane is flying towards you but it might get a good lock even from the sides . The velocity search can be confusing but once u get the hang of it its fine. Also it has no range limitation and u can get some crazy locks from insane distances (albeit, u might lose it ) On the topic of range compared to the mig23ml the range is much better and i found that the locks seem to be better and more reliable. Its more user friendly in my opinion

  2. Missles. To be honest r24rs have less range but they are much more reliable than the aim7fs. The biggest limitation to the r24rs is the launch platform and they could be very good if the mig23ml had a better radar. However , the f4s is an absolute missle bus and can carry up to 6 sparrows compared to just 2 r24rs on the mig.

  3. Better electronics. The f4s has a much better rwr (though not the best at the br miles above the spo-10) , eegs (basically lead calculator requires a radar lock but its quite reliable and makes headons a piece of cake) , ccip for rockets, guns and bombs (mig23ml only has ccip for guns and rockets but not for bombs)

  4. Much better ordonance. The phantom can carry a decent amount of bombs and rockets that make it a decent cas plane.

That’s it really a fantastic and versatile plane that doesn’t require a huge amount of skill unlike say the mig23ml . However the mig23 has 2 advantages over the phantom:

  1. Better handling. The flogger is much more manouvrable compared to the phantom thanks to its variable sweep wings and easily outperforms the f4 in dogfights

  2. Better ir missles. While the f4s has got better sarhs due to amount and better launch platform, the aim9h sidewinders aren’t all aspect and can’t pull 30gs like the r60ms . it can also carry up to 6 of these compared to 4 sidewinders. However while they are very good in dogfights they lack range and are very very flare hungry (the aim9h is no exeption but less flare hungry in my opinion)

So yeah thats my opinion on the 2 most popular rank 7 premium jets in war thunder. :)