Vanilla Freelancer only. No mods. Verified ship names and locations.
Most first-time Freelancer players stick with whatever ship the campaign hands them for too long. This is understandable — the campaign is guiding you through early Liberty space, and it's easy to assume the ship progression is handled automatically. It isn't. The campaign gives you a starting ship and points you at missions. It does not tell you that there is a Heavy Fighter you can afford significantly earlier than you might think, and it changes everything.
The target is the Hawk — Liberty's entry-level Heavy Fighter, sold in Liberty space. It is a step up from the Light Fighters you start with in every meaningful way: more gun hardpoints, better hull points, a stronger power plant that lets you run more weapons simultaneously. The Hawk is not an end-game ship. It is the ship that makes the middle portion of the game feel different, and you can get there earlier than the campaign implies.
The way to fund the upgrade early is the trade route between Manhattan and Pittsburgh. Consumer goods out of Manhattan sell well in the Pittsburgh system's mining stations. Return cargo — ore or industrial goods — moves back toward New York and sells at a margin. This route stays profitable throughout early Liberty space and doesn't require reputation with anyone dangerous to run. You will get interdicted by Lane Hackers occasionally; that's fine. A Light Fighter that can run cargo can survive a Lane Hacker encounter if you break for the nearest trade lane or trade lane ring.
How many runs to the Hawk? Depends on your starting credits and what equipment you've already spent on. The rough answer is: not many. Five to eight cargo runs at full hold puts you in range. The Hawk is sold in Liberty space — Battleship Missouri in the Texas system is one confirmed location, and Planet Pittsburgh itself has access points for upgrades. Do the research, do the runs, buy the ship.
The difference in how the early game feels after that upgrade is significant. You stop avoiding fights and start taking them. The campaign mission difficulty evens out. The sense that you are outgrowing your starter ship disappears.
Don't wait for the game to give you a better ship. Go get one.