Aircraft Tip pls

[The Terra Phoenix]

I am new to the game, and I request tips to help me learn how to learn aircraft and aviation warfare.

[Dedelblute3]

Originally posted by The Terra Phoenix:

I am new to the game, and I request tips to help me learn how to learn aircraft and aviation warfare.

My personal meta for fighters is:
As many 2x Cannon IIs as can fit on the frame (For earlier techs, sub in weapon with highest air attack)
2x Axial Jet Engines (For earlier techs, sub in the cheapest engine that gets you more thrust than weight)
The remaining slots at the bottom are recommendations with overlap:
*1x Self Sealing fuel tanks: Use if you have a good supply of rubber
*1x Non Strategic Materials: Use if you have a poor supply of aluminum or you can't afford the extra 7.5% production cost
*Remaining slots -> Extra Fuel Tanks: Use if you're planning to start an air war far away
*Remaining slots -> Extra Armor & Fuel Tanks & 1x Drop Tanks: Use if you want the extra defense and a bit extra range
*Remaining slots -> empty: Cheap! (Or you don't have enough thrust for extra)

Trades very favorably (Shoots down more enemy fighters than you lose)

[HappySack]

-Make fighters for air superiority, assign them to your divisions so they automatically follow them (the downside to this is they will spread out and be vulnerable to concentrated attacks) or manually control them if you really need to or don't have that many to manage
-Air superiority is the ideal air mission unless you're outmatched in which case use interception
-CAS only fly during combat when doing ground support but will act outside of combat when doing logistics strikes

-When training or doing anything else always set all aircraft to fly during the day, you will not only lose less from air accidents but will cut your fuel costs when doing any other missions (the only exception is using bombers)
-When heavily investing in aircraft it would be a good idea to also invest in synthetic refineries and the rubber upgrades for the fuel and rubber needed
-Lastly when using naval bombers be sure to always assign them to naval patrol to look for ships and naval strike and port strike to be able to attack them, but it wouldn't hurt to use some radars to help them spot (for balance reasons you need about 400 in a location before they do meaningful damage)

When making managing airwings use D to divide them in half, G to merge them, and S to select half of them, if making new airwings from scratch then select them in the aircraft hotbar to make 1, 5, or 10 at a time.

[Bored Peon]

Produce fighters faster than the enemy, literally what it boils down to.
The AI also cheats and will only place air units in an air region if there is someone else in it.

Naval bombers are a waste of resources and manpower, because land based naval wings only do 20% of their naval damage. Carrier naval bomber wings are the only naval bombers to do full damage.

Find places to engage the enemy in air battles where you can drain their numbers and just maintain until the AI stops sending planes.

Avoid port bombing as it always ends in massive losses for tiny amounts of damage.

[mlmcdougal]

https://gamerempire.net/hearts-of-iron-4-best-fighter-plane-designs/

https://gamerempire.net/hearts-of-iron-4-how-to-get-air-superiority/

https://gamerempire.net/hearts-of-iron-4-best-air-doctrine/

https://gamerempire.net/hearts-of-iron-4-how-to-put-planes-on-carriers/

[Helium God]

Regardless of how you design your planes (you've gotten great suggestions here already), I would also recommend that you put approximately 50% of your factories on aircraft production (with at least half of those on fighter production). People having trouble with the air game, even when playing major nations like Germany, are typically not building enough aircraft to claim air superiority, which you generally want to be able to maintain and/or at least contest to the point of victory (in the case of the invasions of France and the Soviet Union).

[Bored Peon]

Originally posted by Helium God:

....are typically not building enough aircraft to claim air superiority, which you generally want to be able to maintain....

This is because unless someone has read the wiki or have been told they do not understand air superiority affects breakthrough. Which breakthrough determines avoiding damage while attacking.

[Helium God]

Originally posted by Bored Peon:

Originally posted by Helium God:

....are typically not building enough aircraft to claim air superiority, which you generally want to be able to maintain....

This is because unless someone has read the wiki or have been told they do not understand air superiority affects breakthrough. Which breakthrough determines avoiding damage while attacking.

Right. In my "combat doctrine" as a major nation like Germany, Soviets, UK, et al., I always prioritize air superiority first and let literally all other production decisions flow from that.