Different colors
Finish the game in ace mode. Note: You may also need to achieve S-class for all missions.

Different opening sequence
To see a different plane other than the F-22 flying lead at the opening, go into a mission or free flight and choose a different plane. Crash your plane or quit the mission and go back to the title screen. When the opening sequence plays once again, whatever plane and secondary weapon you selected will appear instead of the F-22.

Ace mode
Finish the game under the expert difficulty setting to access the ace difficulty setting.

Every aircraft
Use these steps to access all aircraft, including special colors. First, obtain an aircraft by destroying it in battle. This is easy, but not three aircraft. Forget the ground targets and dogfight instead, which is the true nature of any ace. You can obtain three different paint schemes for each aircraft. Two of the paint schemes can be gotten by destroying that color aircraft in battle. To get the special brightly colored third aircraft, you must find and kill the pilot flying it. On each level of the game there is a single hidden aircraft (eighteen total hidden aircraft). Each one of these aircraft has a specific pilot. When you see the aircraft in front of you and lock on, it will display the pilot's name next to the aircraft name and lock on square. For example, "S-37A SMIRNOVA". The hidden aircraft will not show up on radar until you get close to it. On radar, the aircraft will be marked with a red triangle instead of yellow. Each hidden aircraft is always in the same place on their specific level. This is always in an empty spot on the map away from the main combat zone. The aircraft can normally be found directly behind the main combat zone. Last but not least are the three last aircraft. To acquire the Yellow Squadron fighter (SU-37) of your nemesis Yellow-13, you must kill all of the pilots with names flying the special colored aircraft (eighteen total).

You can get the Tiger Striped F-4E by finishing the game once under any difficulty setting, then using the Sp. Continue option. To access the second X-02 aircraft you must receive an "S" rank on all eighteen missions under the hard difficulty setting. The third X-02 is accessed by obtaing an "S" rank on all eighteen missions under the expert difficulty setting.

To access the X-02 Stealth, obtain an "S" rank on all 18 missions under normal mode.

In order to obtain the second X-02, finish the game getting an "S" rank under the hard difficulty setting. This will make a black plane available. Finish the game under the expert difficulty setting with an "S" rank on all missions will access the last X-02. This one is silver.

Hints & Tips

Control view
Hold Triangle to zoom. Now use the Right Analog-stick to pan around.

Aircraft list
This is a complete aircraft list (in order):

F-4E (fighter)
Blue
Camo
Tiger Stripes

Quickly tap the Analog-stick Down as the mission starts. If done properly, the SR-71 (which is the orange triangle) should still be blinking. This is your chance to get the Sr-71. Using the X-02 is suggested, due to its powerful speed.

Whisky Corridor: Second SR-71
There is a second SR-71 Blackbird on this mission. At any time in the mission, fly to the southwest corner of the map at roughly 15,000 feet, just north of the RTB line.

Easier ground battle
The best way to destroy multiple ground targets is to fly the F-15 Active using the FREB (fuel - air explosive bomb). This will destroy six to ten targets if they are close together.

Easy kills
The best way to kill is to get in the cockpit view and go to work. When done properly the kill will happen much quicker and you will save missiles. If done in the HUD view or where you can see the whole plane, then chances are you will waste several missiles trying to kill enemies. Also use your bullets wisely to cut off paths of escape; this will assist you further.

When on a mission and are "dog-fighting" in air-to-air combat, press Circle(2x's). When you do this, you will fire two missiles at the same time. This destroys your target right away with two shots, rather than hitting it only once and still having the risk of it shooting you and your allies.

While you are dogfighting in air-to-air combat, switch to the cockpit view. Lock on to your closest enemy and fire a missile. Immediately after you fire the missile, shoot your guns. However, instead of hitting the enemy fighter, aim for the air in front and around it. The enemy fighter will try to dodge the bullets, and steer into the missile's path.

Fly Erusian planes
After you have shot down an ace on a level, highlight the plane that he was flying in the hangar. Press Down after you have gotten or purchased the color. If it is the correct paint job, you will see the letters IF.I.A.IF. somewhere on the plane. The SU-37 has Yellow 13's paint job, the X-02 is white, since there is not an Erusian version. Also, the F-14 does not have the letters F.E.A.F., but has the Erusian symbol (an orange triangle with a white circle inside).

Missile dodging
Under a few difficulty settings, you can only be hit with a missile two or three times. This is different for the higher difficulty settings. In Ace mode, you will be shot down by just one missile. Immediately when someone locks onto you and fires a missile, look at your radar. The moment when the missile is about to hit you, barrel roll. This is a hard feat to perform but is impressive. This move only happens rarely. If one of the planes lock on and manages to fire a missile and it is on your tail, you can blow a plane right out of the sky with the enemy's missle. Rush towards an enemy that is coming at you. In the split second it is there, try your best to dodge it. if done properly, the enemy missile will hit the enemy. Another way of missile dodging happens when you have a missile on your tail. Dive down, come to roughly six to seven thousand feet, then rise up. The missile should deflect and hit the ground. This is also good when you have ground targets. You can save your own missiles. Note: The X-02 stealth plane is suggested.

Easier X-02s
There is a much easier way to get the three X-02s rather than going through the whole game. After the game is finished, the "Free Mission" option will be available. Select this option and choose a difficulty setting (normal for the gray X-02, hard for the black X-02, or expert for the silver X-02). Select any mission to play on that difficulty setting. If you achieve an "S" rank on all the missions, the X-02 becomes available. This will allow you to skip all of the missions you got an "S" on when you went through the full game. For example, if you got an "S" on all but three missions, you only have to play those missions instead of the whole game.

Dogfighting
When you are in a dogfight, there are some things you can do to help. First, do not pursue the Yellows. Also, choose a plane that does well in air to air attacks. Use the machine gun if the target is close. Do not waste your missiles, as there may be a surprise in the mission (as in the Shattered Skies level). In this level, after the time is up and you have the points, six B2 bombers appear. Finally, Do not remain too low.

You must learn how to control every aspect of your fighter. One thing you must do is learn how to use your airbrakes. Mastering the use of this will help you swing the tail end of your jet around and get behind your enemy quicker. Also, learn how to do is maneuver at high speeds, close to the ground. This not only helps evade missiles (which will crash harmlessly into the ground), but in multi-player mode when your playing someone who is not good at flying low. Even in close range, if you have a straight lock, use it. If you definitely know that the enemy will not move in time, taking them down with a missile is quicker and more efficient than using guns. Besides, you can reload at any point in the mission. Lastly, use your radar to its full advantage, watching for enemies not only behind you, but on your left and right as well. If you know they are coming, then the attacks they send can be easily dodged and have no effect on your fighting. Mastering these things are the main ways to become a top ace at dogfighting.

Broken Arrows: See northern lights
Look up in the night sky and you can find the northern lights.

Breaking Arrows: XB-70
There is an XB-70 at the top left at roughly 30,000 ft.

The enemy XB-70 can be shot down to earn some extra points. The plane can be found at the back of the combat area at high altitude. The plane is visible on radar to the left on the first target.

Easy "Yellow" kills
Use this trick to kill the Yellows during the last missions. First, acquire the SU-37. Then, go into battle with the QAAM (the SU-37's default weapon) equipped. When you engage a Yellow, immediately lock-on and fire a QAAM at him. This weapon will travel to the ends of the earth to hunt down its target. Even if it takes five minutes, the missile is 99% likely to hit the Yellow. With an average of five Yellows a mission (except the final one), they will be easy. This trick also works with other airborne targets.

Note: You may not always hear the Yellows say that they have been shot down. Sometimes you will hear AWACS or a friendly say "A Yellows hit and trailing smoke. Whose kill was that?"

Beating Megalith
Use this trick to beat Megalith with an "S" rank. First, destroy all Yellow aircraft you can. Next, fly past Megalith until you see an red-orange triangle. Shoot that aircraft down and go back to Megalith. Go through the right tunnel and shoot the generator. Continue to destroy the next generator in the left tunnel. Now, go to the side of Megalith and destroy the final generator. After all generators are gone, destroy the two missiles that appear just ahead. Turn around as fast as possible, as the next two missiles will only remain for a minute after the generators are destroyed. Next, destroy the big missile in the center and do not forget to pull up.

Watch missile or bomb when fired
While you are flying any jet, lock on to a target (ground or air) and hold Circle. This will allow you to watch your missile or bomb from the time it leaves the jet until it hits the target. Note: You have to be careful or your jet may also crash.

Fly with missile
Play in free flight mode with a fast jet. Now flip on the afterburners and fly up at a 45 degree angle. Get up to roughly 47,000 ft. When you get up to 1120 mph, do a vertical nose dive with the afterburners still on. Continue in the dive until you get down to 15,000 feet and level off. If you got your speed up to 1375 mph, switch the view to behind the plane and fire a missile. If you are flying fast enough, you should see the missile flying beside your plane.

Nose dive recovery
If you are in a nose dive and your speed is over 700 mph, do not drop below 2,000 feet. There is a small chance that your plane will pull up again because gravity will pull it down into the ground. If you are, lucky you will escape with 98% damage.

Evading SAMs
In order to evade a SAM effectively is to fly directly at it at full speed. If you feel the engagement is not good, then break off. However, do not break off until you have tried at least once. If it works, you will pass over it and any missile fired will miss you. When you pass over the SAM, hit the brakes, turn sharply, and head at it again, but this time fire. Pass the SAM at 100 feet.

Evading AA gunfire
Barrel roll and you will only get hit with one or two bullets maximum. Note: This trick is really useful in Ace mode, when a good round of bullets can get you killed.

Losing tough enemies
Use this tricks when you have a group of enemies on you, or just one that will not give up. Find a really mountainous area and try to lose your enemy in there at full speed. Zigzag in and out until the enemy cannot locate you. They will not follow you into this mountain area. If dealing with multiple enemies, disengage, climb to 40,000 feet at full throttle, take a breather, then re-engage and destroy the enemy. Use this technique against the Yellow Squadron in the second part of the Siege Of Farbanti mission.