Bomber Crew can be very frustrating if you don’t know what you’re doing, such as getting easily shot down, running into bad areas, or losing navigation. To help you avoid these scenarios, here are the best five bomber load-outs to help you conquer those pesky enemy planes and aces. 

5. The Survival Bomber

This bomber focuses on getting your crew home safely if you grow attached to them or don’t want to retrain your crew! It focuses on getting the highest possible chance of survival, plane or no plane, whether it be a parachute drop, an emergency landing, or an excellent ol’ dip in the Atlantic. 

Requirements:

• Armored engines Mk 2 will provide adequate protection while keeping your weight down, keeping you safe from most forms of attack.
• 4x .50x2 Mk 3 when flying around mid-altitude is good for keeping your guns pointed at the enemy so nobody gets a surprise attack on you. 
• Armored fuselage towards the rear and mid sections, while keeping the frontal sections lighter, is a good way to keep your plane in one piece.
• Inflatable Dinghy and Pigeons will drastically increase your chances of being rescued if you go down over land and sea. 
• Engine fire extinguishers and self-sealing fuel tanks will help you soak up some damage while easily repairing the damage. This eliminates having to send someone out onto the wing, keeping them safe within the bomber instead.

Potential risks with this setup:

• The slightly lighter, less armored engines are more prone to enemy firepower and can break more easily than armored engines.
• The .50x2 Mk 3, while still effective, only has half the guns of the 4 x .50, leaving you a little less powered than you’d wish to be.

4. Low-Level Bomber

This bomber is designed to deal with low-altitude bombing. It leaves your ventral turret empty in favor of your upper ball turret so you can dodge and weave through flak and dangerous areas until you reach your target. Though be prepared: you’ll take a lot of damage, so armor up and get those medkits on hand.

Requirements:

• 3x .50x4 Mk 3 Turrets: Your upper turret is key for attacking any aircraft screaming down towards you, and the firepower will tear them to shreds.
• Use Mk 3 armored engines on your outer side, and use Mk 3 lightweight for your inner engines to keep the weight down.
• Fully armor your bomber with Mk 4 Armored Fuselage to protect yourself from the shots you’ll endure. 

Potential risks with this setup:

• Being so low, you’re going to encounter everything the enemy has to offer, such as flak, jets, and small arms fire. Be careful where you fly.
• Diving enemy planes can cause major damage to your plane and cause severe injuries, so be sure to stock up on medical kits.

3. High-Level Bomber

This bomber is designed to be very high in the sky, where most planes cannot reach you unless it’s a jet or high-altitude fighter aircraft. The occasional small plane might make an angry small shot at you, though! 

But be warned: navigation, oxygen, and cold temps will be a problem at that height, so prepare your crew for such a journey.

Requirements: 

• Standard Engine Mk 4 on both inner and outer sets will provide you with more than enough lift and weight to accommodate the planes you encounter at high altitudes.
• 3x 50x4 Mk 3 Turrets on the ventral turret is important here; it's your best friend when firing down at the planes circling below you for easy pickings. The other two turrets can be used for when you find the occasional high-flying fighter you may encounter.
• Armor your plane fully with Mk 3 Armored Fuselage to protect yourself from the hard-hitting jets and other fighters you may encounter.

Potential risks with this setup:

• Without an upper turret, you may have issues attacking enemies from above should you need to go down, whether for urgent navigation or emergencies.
• When flying at a very high altitude, you can have serious problems navigating. It's best to fly at night with an experienced navigator who can guide you by the stars.
• Planes flying up towards you have a very clear shot at your bomb load. On rare occasions, it can explode, destroying you instantly.
• Your landing gear is very vulnerable. This can lead to serious problems later in the mission when landing, so pay close attention to them.

2. Balanced Loadout

This bomber is designed to be a middleweight fighter that can punch through most defenses with little compromise. It’s armed with guns that can shoot anything out of the sky, along with enough armor to soak up damage and keep your engines running. Keeping fire extinguishers, medkits, and parachutes available will keep you well-stocked for your missions ahead.

Requirements:

• Armored Engines Mk 3 for your inner engines and Lightweight Engines Mk 3 for your outer engines will ensure that you keep moving even if your less armored ones fail.
• 4x .50x4 Mk 3 turrets should deter most enemy aircraft before they shoot you, leaving them heavily damaged by the time they begin their second run on you.
• Upgrade your rear to Armored Fuselage Mk 3 and the frontal portion of the bomber to Lightweight. This will keep you in a good balance of armor to protect your most effective crew members and keep the skies safe around you.
• Upgrade your radar to Mk 4 so you can quickly locate and tag enemy aircraft. Doing so will help you shoot them down faster.

Potential risks with this setup:

• Although you’re balanced, your armor could be better, leaving you open to more aggressive aircraft such as jets.
• Your chances of survival aren’t too great if you find yourself in an emergency situation where you need to bail out.

1. The Tank Bomber

This bomber is designed to help you punch through most enemy defenses. Along with an experienced crew, this build will help you chop up enemy planes easily as you brute-force your way through.

Additionally, it also focuses on making the bomber tanky and armored, helping you get home safely while you destroy any enemies in your path.

Requirements:

• Armored engines Mk 5 on inner engines to keep them safe and running in the event of outer engine loss.
• Lightweight Engines Mk 3 on outer engines keeps your weight down.  
• Lightweight fuselage on the nose, front, mid, and main rear, and then armored fuselage on your tail and main rear to keep your main gunners safe and prevent it from splitting in two. Armor those wings, too.
• 4x .50x4 Mk 3 Gun Turrets with ammo feed for maximum damage. These quad guns excel in devastating the enemy aircraft that have the nerve to attack you.
• All the system upgrades to level 4 for pinnacle response time and alertness. These help you locate your enemy and upcoming dangers.
• It’s always good to have some survival items in case of eventful flights and when things don’t go to plan, such as wounded crew, accidental crash, or too much damage.

Potential risks with this setup: 

• You’re easily seen by other fighters because you’re flying low and pushing your way through.
• You’re easily spotted on enemy radar because of your low altitude.
• Front crew may be exposed to enemy fire because enemy fighters may penetrate your lightweight front.

Final Thoughts

These loadouts should give you several ways to play Bomber Crew. Whether you want to go in guns blazing and replace your crew upon their unfortunate loss, or have grown attached to them and will do anything to keep them alive so that they may get home safe, these builds are sure to help you achieve that goal. Good luck, and come back safe; your country needs you!

You may also be interested in:

• Top 10 Bomber Crew Upgrades to Have First
• Bomber Crews Best Guns (Ranked)
• Bomber Crew Best Crew Gear For Each Role