Hell, I don't ever consider 3 on 1 a real gang-bang.(I don't consider cons in a fight if they aren't attacking me actively, with equal or better E; these experiences were all within D-2k, and heading at me guns hot, unless I put them off angle)
Well I've I won 1 on 7 in an la7 ... speed was kept relatively high, started at like 7k, killed 6... sent a tempest running hurt.
But then I've been low on the deck many times, with 5-6 cons close on me in a p47, and blasted em all in the end. There are less options there though, so the victory was harder won than with the la7.
Or I've handled similar swarms in a spit, but you can move a spit in ways that can force the fight to be 2-3 on you at once...instead of 4-5, due to it's maneuverability.
Well my end point is, if you know how to fly, you probably have a favorite, in a particular style. I consider these three planes some of the best all around for their style. I'd mention the F4u and 109, but both aren't such great swarm killers IMHO, but against more reasonable odds, they are phenomenal.
All things being equal. Spit is the best pure defensive plane I think, but that is not all that matters, even with a horde on you. So I can't limit it to one plane honestly.
The question for me is... do I want to out-think them, or out-fly them? Not that they are mutually exclusive. For instance, in the la7 fight I recalled that I used what I assumed would be an expectation of an la7 to run, against the horde. I'd set angles that made it look like I was trying to extend out of the fight, right before a quick overshoot maneuver. You can imagine the surprise. In the end though, the la7 is my least favorite choice. It can work well though.
Complex question "favorite". I'd venture to say most experienced folks don't have a single favorite, but many.
