Best Freelancer Ships
Between the Eagle, Sabre, and Titan, the Sabre is the best of the big three Very Heavy Fighters. This is because the Sabre's turret can fire forwards, while the Eagle and Titan only have turrets that shoot backwards. A lot of Freelancer players say the Eagle is the best, since it has the best maneuverability at the cost of hull integrity, but the Sabre is just better for offensiveness and suitability.
Phenomenally strong, and can power up with mega shield, and naturally good armour.
When you can't win the fight a rear facing canon can be a life saver.
Just below the three big VHFs are the Hammerhead (Very Heavy Fighter) and Centurion (Heavy Fighter). The Centurion actually has higher armor than the Hammerhead, but lacks good maneuverability (in the same vein as the Titan, actually), while the Hammerhead is probably a bit more welcoming.
Best freighter to get in the game. Not useful for the single player campaign though.
Best ship to get for the single player campaign, which you get rather late, with it's forward firing turret, selection of weapons, and overall cheapness. After the campaign is done though, all of the other ships mentioned above are much stronger than it though.