Prez-Mobiles - A Guide to Dual Seated Aircraft

To all those who want a second pilot in the back seat

Intro

I noticed that no one had an aircraft guide, so I kind of just made one. It only goes over the details of the aircraft that you can take your WSO President (Prez for short) in. Yes I am a simp. This information comes from my own first and only (so far) play through of the game on Hard difficulty, which was actually surprisingly difficult in some missions.

As for any additional two seater aircraft that I hope get added to the game, I'll continue doing tests on hard difficulty and update the guide accordingly

Kind of jealous that none of the Ace Combat games had a voiced/acknowledged WSO

T/F-4 Phantom Trainer

This is probably the first aircraft your going to choose if you want to have Prez with you. Really you'll only be able to equip the UGB or an empty hardpoint if you're taking this thing out. But you really won't have it for long once you upgrade to the non-trainer F-4.

Response Rating	2.1
Max Speed	2500
Acceleration	50
Roll Rate	250
Turn Rate	75
Yaw Rate	10

Loadouts

Not much to talk about here. To be honest, just take the UGB whenever your use this aircraft, there's not reason not to, even when there are no ground targets.

F-4 Phantom

This will most likely be your next aircraft after the trainer F-4. It's a really nice aircraft for when you're in between the trainer F-4 and the F-14. But I believe that it can be better than the F-14 in some situations. The heavy gun pod (HGP) is something that the Tomcat doesn't have, and it rips right though naval ships if you come in at a vertical approach. I even used it on some of the later missions even though I had the Tomcat.

Response Rating	1.9
Max Speed	2500
Acceleration	50
Roll Rate	250
Turn Rate	75
Yaw Rate	10

Loadouts

Minor level design spoilers if you want to avoid it: I actually took this aircraft as a joke to Red Sea (Mission 19) instead of the Tomcat. Needless to say, I was impressed and scared at the efficiency of HGP against ships.

• SAA + HGP + MLAA is a nice load out for both air and small amounts of ground forces.
  
• HISM + HGP + MLAA is good for a mix of ground targets and air.
  
• HISM + UGBL + MLAA is good for mostly ground targets.

You can swap the bombs and the heavy gun pod as needed. Both can shred though ground targets and ships, but I prefer HGP over UGBL

CF 105 Arrow

I didn't know this was a two seater aircraft when I was starting the game, but I sure wish I had. The CF 105 is kind of like a mixture of the F-4 and MiG 31. It's really fast and still offers a good variety of armaments unlike the MiG 31. It also has a good amount of maneuverability that allows it to keep up in some missions in the mid campaign. I'd recommend this if you felt bored F-4 but didn't want to be bottle-necked by the Su-25's low maneuverability.

One more thing to mention: if you like the cockpit camera, good luck.

Response Rating	1.6
Max Speed	3500
Acceleration	100
Roll Rate	150
Turn Rate	65
Yaw Rate	10

Loadouts

This is an aircraft that I didn't mind taking SAA on, it's fast enough to get away from enemies so that you can use SAA.

• SAA+MLAA+SAA is what I'd recommend for air to air. You should boom and zoom in order to effectively use this.
  
• SAA+UGBL+UGBL for a mix of ground and air targets.
  
• UGBS+UGBL+UGBL for ground targets if you aren't taking the SU-25

Su-25 Frogfoot

Originally posted by Kuronan32:

"This ship handles like a comatose patient, but it's ATG firepower would make a Dreadnought look like a kid with a squirtgun."

To be honest, I kind of neglected this plane a lot. It's noticeably slower in both turning and speed than the rest of the aircraft in the game. But when you have more ground forces than air targets, this thing can tear right through missions. Especially when it's equipped with heavy gun pods (HGP), MLAGS, and possibly even anti-ship missiles (ASM) if you're dealing with the occasional airship.

Response Rating	2.0
Max Speed	1600
Acceleration	65
Roll Rate	150
Turn Rate	55
Yaw Rate	5

Loadouts

This thing gives you enough ground munitions to arm a small country. You can swap MLAG and MLAG-2 if you want.

Originally posted by Kuronan32:

Specifically, I recommend MLAG-2, CGP-1, and ASMs (in whatever order you have to get them for that to work) Only thing you'll be fighting is your controller, everything else can take a ticket because you'll be sending them to hell in a straight and orderly line.

• MLAG + HGP + ASM is my go-to if I know that there will be airships.
  
• MLAG + UBGL + HGP is great if there are ground targets or naval targets.

To be honest, I'm kind of heavily biased towards heavy gun pod. Not only does the Frogfoot come with one attached, but you can also carry extra ones as well. If you're really good at guns then ground targets don't stand a chance.

I never really tried out rockets yet, but I'll update this when I do.

Originally posted by Kuronan32:

Also, should REALLY try the Canister Gunpod if you haven't. Who needs to aim when you throw an entire wall of bullets at your target?

MiG 31 Foxhound

I had a mixed feelings about this aircraft after I failed one of the earlier missions with it. The overall maneuverability of the MiG 31 isn't as good as the CF-105, which would be the comparable aircraft to this one. I'll admit, I had a problem getting used to it until after I played the CF-105. Again, you want to use Boom and Zoom tactics when flying interceptors. The MiG-31 feels really different from the F-14, but once you can get used to flying it you can even take down crimson squadron with it.

Response Rating	2.5
Max Speed	3600
Acceleration	80
Roll Rate	100
Turn Rate	65
Yaw Rate	8

Loadouts

The MiG is kinda limited on its armament, with a quick glance you'll notice that there are no ground weapons. SAA is still really nice on the MiG as you can run away from targets.

• SAA+MLAA is a good air to air loadout, its useful when damaging boss aircraft from long range
  
• STDM+MLAA goes great if there are a lot of targets or if you feel like you run out of missiles too quickly Cold War + Double Time Modifier = Bad Time
  
• MLAA+MLAA is circumstantial, but when there are clusters of enemies it is a good loadout

F-14 Tomcat

For all those who played Ace Combat 5 with only F-14, this will be a familiar experience. This plane can get you through the entire game once you buy it, and it's a good all around-er that you can take on all your missions.

Response Rating	2.4
Max Speed	3500
Acceleration	75
Roll Rate	180
Turn Rate	88
Yaw Rate	10

Loadout

This is honestly my favorite aircraft in the game, and I've taken it through most of the missions on Hard difficulty.

Originally posted by sd501st:

Quick note, the typical(Combat Air Patrol and such) real life loadout for the F-14 would be SAA on the wing hardpoint and MLAA on the first body hardpoint, with the second body hardpoint empty.
The wartime or "crisis" loadout would either be STDM,SLAA,MLAA,MLAA or STDM,MLAA,MLAA,MLAA.

• HISM + MLAA + MLAA for a regular air to air loadout
  
• HISM + MLAA + UBGL for ground oriented missions if you aren't using Frogfoot or Phantom
  
• MLAA + MLAA + MLAA is also cool too as you can fire off 6 at once. Really useful for taking down large amounts of air enemies Cough...Cough...Cold War

You can also substitute SAA for one of the MLAAs if you want more range on missiles. But if it's close air-to-air, then MLAAs are the better choice.

I never really liked HVSM and UGBS-3, HVSM doesn't do as much damage as HISM or STDM, and UGBS-3 is a bit tricky to use. Even though HVSM reloads faster, i found that just using STDM is simpler and more effective.

Kinda bullied Crimson Squadron using this...

[SpartanChief17C]

The F-4 is my baby. It's carried me through the entire campaign on Hard several times, and it is a MONSTER when using both Glass Cannon and Budget Cuts. I'd also argue that it's better than the F-14: It can fire the same amount of MLAAs as the Tomcat, while also carrying the HGP! Also, for some reason, I have an easier time avoiding missiles in it (meanwhile the F-14 seems to be a missile magnet). It is easily my favorite 2-seater, if not my favorite jet, in all of PW.
(Just don't fly the F-4 when using both HOTAS and VR. The high roll rate can be disorienting as hell, and the joystick makes it harder to handle and react than a controller thumbstick)

[thecrafter354]

you could mod your game and it'll give you a couple more 2 seaters at the expense of not as high quality aircraft models, most notably the SK.30 and the F-18 (properly 2 seater version)

[Headlessgenie]

I only need the F/E-4 and SK25U to beat the game on hard.
My first time doing KIngs on Merc, I specifcally wanted to do it in a 2 seater. I found of all the planes, that i was having the most consistent success with the F/E-4. SERIOUSLY. And it worked. It fucking worked. I get shredded doing the same life saving maneuvers i use in the E-4 when using the F-14. There was a period of attempts where i would get final phase with the E-4, decided to check the statistically superior 14, and didnt even break the first phase. Skill issue obviously, but seriously thats what worked. I kicked his fucking ASS

[RampantCellar30]

Wang dont be shameful. we all share the same opinions

[The Wang]

WSO waifu fr

I hate myself for typing that out, it hurts

[Astaroth870]

vr with the 105 arrow is certainly a way to play the game

[shadowghost64]

lmao, just download the mod that adds Strike Eagle on Nexus

[TheBigD]

i just beat the game on mercenary difficulty using only the f-14, kings took me three weeks.
do i recommend it? no
was it worth it? yes

[Strawberrymilk]

@☪Al3xM3rc3r✠ just bad

[☪Al3xM3rc3r0✠]

i would like remove mod.