On on the level (i thinks it's 8) where you have two face the squadron of like 9 with you're wing men, here is a tip that makes it fun:
Fly straight into them, and just as you are passing each other pull up sharply above them so you're wing men are in front of you are you are above all the enemy's. Then real release all of you're bombs onto them. It will kill most of them without hitting you're wing men. Then have fun killing the last 1 0r 2, and enjoy a victory without either of you're wing men dieing, and no smoke coming out you or you're wing mens tail fins
tips about bombs (the best way to kill enemies) for squadrons: fly straight up as soon as they appear and drop a line of bombs. they will run into them and all get destroyed.
for aces: fly straight upwards and let the ace get on your tail. drop a bomb. he will get hit in the face and die (if he has ANY damage at all on him) or go straight to black smoke.
for bombers: drop ONE bomb and then shoot them and they will die easily. NOTE: you get extra points for shooting planes as they fall, and bombers are especially good for this because they fall slow and are big targets. drop one bomb on them and then fly up to the top of the screen and past the edge. You should come flying straight down at the bomber, guns blazing and it will get taken out after a couple of shots and then you can earn upto 3000 points with the right multiplier for shooting up his body.
for barrage baloons: one bomb, one gun burst. seeing a pattern yet?
for 'the convoy' mission: kill the plane fast and then take out the lead truck. the whole convoy will stop so you can go back along and wipe them out with your bombs.
for 'breaking the line' use your ace tactics while flying right in this order: cloud cover (second cloud) evasive loop, ground dive, low level. then, when you near the end, turn around and destroy the pursuing planes with a curtain of bombs.
