How to Buy Planes in War Thunder

To buy a regular plane in War Thunder, research it and purchase it with Silver Lions. You do not need to spend real money to unlock regular aircraft, including jets. The right purchase method depends on the aircraft, so start by identifying its type before spending currency.

How Plane Purchases Work

Unlocking a plane, owning it, and having it ready to fly are separate stages.

For a regular aircraft, completing research unlocks the purchase. Buying it adds it to your account, but you still need to assign it to a crew and pay any required basic crew-training cost.

The main currencies serve different purposes:

Research advances aircraft research. Vehicle research and modification research are separate.
Silver Lions can be used to purchase new planes.
Golden Eagles (GE) are premium currency used for certain premium aircraft and optional progression shortcuts.

A vehicle pack is different: you buy it through a supported storefront rather than paying its price in Silver Lions or Golden Eagles. Packs may include account time or currency alongside the aircraft.

How to Buy a Regular Tech-Tree Plane

Check the aircraft’s purchase option before starting so you use the right route.

What You Find on the Aircraft	What You Need	Purchase Route
A regular aircraft with research progress	Completed research, required prerequisites, and Silver Lions	Research and buy it in the tech tree
A premium aircraft with a Golden Eagle price	Enough Golden Eagles	Buy it directly in the game
An aircraft offered as a vehicle pack	A compatible store purchase	Buy its pack through the supported storefront
A squadron aircraft	Squadron vehicle research and Silver Lions, or an offered Golden Eagle purchase	Use its squadron research or direct-purchase option

Step 1: Choose Your Nation and Aircraft

From the hangar, select the nation whose aircraft you want to unlock.
Open Research and switch to the aviation tree.
Select the aircraft you want and inspect its research requirement, purchase price, and prerequisites.

If you are comparing aircraft outside the game, use the Status filter in the official aviation catalog to distinguish “Regular vehicle,” “Premium vehicle,” and “Squadron vehicle.” Do not assume every aircraft shown in a nation’s tree is acquired in the same way.

Choose the exact variant you want. Similar aircraft names can refer to different vehicles with different weapons, battle ratings, and purchase methods.

Step 2: Meet the Research Prerequisites

Read the selected aircraft’s locked-node message and follow its connecting research arrows.
Research and buy any required preceding aircraft.
Check the target aircraft’s displayed rank requirements before buying more vehicles.

The game displays the required vehicle count for each rank. Simply researching aircraft without purchasing them may leave the next rank locked.

You do not necessarily need every aircraft in a folder or every branch in the nation. Use the requirements shown for your target aircraft rather than buying unrelated planes at random.

Step 3: Select the Plane for Research and Earn RP

Select the aircraft as your active research target.
Play battles using aircraft from that nation.
Check the vehicle-research progress on the results screen after each battle.

Researching an engine, weapon, or other modification on your current plane does not purchase your next aircraft. Make sure the intended vehicle is receiving the vehicle research.

Also inspect the aircraft you are flying for its efficient research-rank range. An aircraft far outside the appropriate range can be an inefficient choice for progressing toward your target.

Step 4: Purchase the Researched Aircraft

Once vehicle research is complete, select the aircraft.
Choose Order or the purchase option displayed by the game.
Review the price and confirm the purchase.

There is no universal Silver Lion price for a plane: the selected aircraft’s purchase window gives the amount you need. Keep enough Silver Lions for basic crew training as well, or you may own the aircraft without being able to put it into service immediately.

Step 5: Assign a Crew and Put the Plane Into Service

Use the aircraft’s crew-assignment option.
Select the crew slot you want to use.
Confirm and pay any required basic crew-training cost.
Make sure the aircraft appears in that crew slot in your lineup.
Select an appropriate battle mode when you are ready to play.

How to Buy Premium Planes and Store Packs

Premium aircraft are an alternative to the regular research-and-purchase route. Check whether the aircraft is sold in-game or belongs to a store pack.

Premium Planes Sold for Golden Eagles

Find the exact aircraft in its nation’s aviation tree. Confirm that its purchase option shows a Golden Eagle price.
Inspect it before paying. Review its role, weapons, battle rating for your preferred mode, and research efficiency. Take a test flight when available.
Check your Golden Eagle balance. If you need more currency, use the game’s supported purchase route for your account and platform.
Confirm the aircraft purchase. Read the final confirmation so you know which vehicle you are buying.
Assign and train a crew. Pay any required basic crew-training cost and confirm the aircraft is in your lineup before entering a match.

Do not confuse paying to accelerate regular aircraft research with buying a premium plane. Accelerating research can still leave the regular aircraft’s Silver Lion purchase and crew-training costs to pay.

Aircraft Sold in Store Packs

Confirm your account and platform before shopping. Sign in to the account you actually use to play.
Narrow the catalog to aircraft. Select “Aviation only” in the vehicle filters, choose a nation and a rank from Rank I–Rank VIII, and select Apply. To look for the lowest-priced packs, set the sort control to “Inexpensive first.”
Choose a bundle for the nation you want to play. Compare both the aircraft and the included resources, not just the checkout price. Store prices, sales, and availability can change, so verify the final total before paying. For a low-rank US start, the Gaijin.Net Store’s US Starter Pack is listed at $4.99 and includes Rasmussen’s P-36A plane, 7 days of Premium account, and 120,000 Silver Lions. It is a starter bundle, not a shortcut to a modern aircraft. If Germany is your preferred nation, the German Beginner’s Pack is listed at $4.99 and includes the Germany Rank I Ju 87 R-2, 7 days of Premium account, and 120,000 Silver Lions. Choose a starter pack based on the aircraft it includes, not just its price. For the USSR option, the USSR Starter Pack is listed at $7.99 and marked Rank II.
Check higher-rank packs for extras and suitability. For example, Gaijin’s F-4S Phantom II Pack includes the aircraft, 20 days of Premium account, and 2,500 Golden Eagles. Those extras belong to that specific bundle, not to every jet purchase. Inspect the aircraft in the game and take a test flight when available before committing.
Complete the purchase and put the aircraft into service. Review the account, platform, aircraft name, and total at checkout. After payment, launch or restart the game on the supported platform, find the aircraft in the correct nation, assign it to a crew, pay any required basic training cost, and confirm it appears in your lineup. Use a test flight to prepare its controls before joining a battle.

How to Get Jets and Squadron Aircraft

For jets and squadron aircraft, appearance or position in the tech tree alone does not tell you how to unlock them.

Jets and Modern Aircraft

You can get regular jets and modern aircraft without paying real money by progressing through their nation’s aviation tree. Fulfill the rank-purchase requirements, complete the aircraft’s research, buy it with Silver Lions, and train a crew to fly it.

A purchasable jet pack can give you direct access to that particular aircraft without researching the regular aircraft leading up to it. It does not automatically unlock the rest of the nation’s tree.

Before buying one, distinguish its rank from its battle rating:

Rank matters for progression and research requirements.
Battle rating affects the opponents you can meet and can differ between battle modes.

Modern aircraft can also demand unfamiliar radar, missile, countermeasure, and weapon-selection controls. If you buy one, configure those controls and practice in a test flight rather than making your first attempt in a live match.

Squadron Aircraft

Check the selected squadron aircraft’s research requirements and purchase options in the game. Their placement outside the regular branches does not make them premium vehicles.

To obtain one through squadron research:

Join a squadron and select the desired squadron aircraft as your squadron research target.
Participate in eligible gameplay so squadron vehicle research can accumulate.
Complete its research and purchase the aircraft with Silver Lions.
Assign it to a crew, pay any required basic training cost, and confirm it is in your lineup.
Launch a test flight before entering battle.

Some squadron aircraft also offer a direct Golden Eagle purchase. If you choose that option, review the purchase confirmation, buy the aircraft, then assign and train a crew before flying it.

Do not buy a squadron aircraft expecting premium earning bonuses simply because it has a Golden Eagle purchase option.

Check Your Purchase and Fix Common Problems

A successful purchase should leave the aircraft owned on the correct account, assigned to a trained crew, and available in a compatible lineup. For a pack, also check that its included currency and Premium account entitlement have been credited.

Research or Purchase Is Blocked

If the aircraft cannot be researched, inspect the lock message first.

If research is complete but the aircraft is unavailable to your crews, check whether you actually purchased it. A completed research bar does not by itself mean you own the vehicle.

If you own it but cannot put it into service, inspect the crew-training prompt and your Silver Lion balance. If it is already crewed but rejected by the selected battle mode, check that mode’s vehicle and lineup requirements.

An aircraft without a purchase button may be unavailable for sale, tied to a particular pack, or restricted to an event or other acquisition method. Buying more Golden Eagles will not create a purchase option that is not offered.

A Store Purchase Is Missing

Start with the account and nation, not another purchase:

Compare the account used at checkout with the account logged into the game.
Open the nation containing the exact aircraft variant you bought.
Check the receipt for the purchased product and its supported platform.
Restart the game and inspect both the aircraft and the included pack items.

Do not assume a similarly named vehicle in another nation is the one you purchased. If the paid item is still absent, keep the receipt and transaction ID and contact official support rather than buying the pack again.

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the Best Plane to Buy in War Thunder?

The best plane to buy is one that fits your preferred nation, battle mode, and flying style, not necessarily the most expensive aircraft. A fighter, bomber, and strike aircraft can offer very different experiences even at similar prices. Choose the role you enjoy, compare its weapons and handling, and use a test flight before spending money.

How Do You Get Free Planes in War Thunder?

You can get regular planes without spending real money by researching them and purchasing them with Silver Lions. Complete the aircraft’s research and any required prerequisites before buying it, then assign it to a crew and pay any required basic crew-training cost. Some events and free reward tracks also offer aircraft, but eligibility and claim requirements vary. Complete the required tasks and claim or redeem the reward on your account; avoid “free plane” codes from strangers, because illegitimately obtained codes can put your account at risk.

Does Buying Premium Account Time Unlock Planes?

No: Premium account time increases progression earnings but does not automatically give you aircraft or unlock an entire tech tree. A vehicle pack may include both a plane and Premium account time, but they are separate benefits. Check the named aircraft in the bundle rather than treating Premium account time as aircraft ownership.