F4U-4 is not a deck-fighting machine against the likes of an La7, especially if he starts off only D1.2 on your tail. You started out poorly, NOE and no faster, then you let him both out-number you (2 on 1) and get position (D1.2), which pretty much ran you out of options. Even with that, he is only, maybe 1mph faster as long as you are both under WEP. Drag him away from the Spit (it should take him forever to get close enough to you to be a concern had you started early enough). You should leave the Spit in the dust easily. Then, the F4U-4 and La7 are basically in a dead heat. Very similar turn-rates, very similar acceleration. You have a guns advantage in range and volume of fire, he has close range advantage in "instant-damage" with 3 cannons. It'll be a knife fight and pretty even, it'll come down to pilot skill at that point. Overshoots are probably going to be possible, La7's have a problem at slower speeds and hate, to slow down (it can be tough to slow an La7)
SpitXIV is incredible, just not in the weeds. It's a 10K machine (or slightly more), 408mph.... nothing slow about that. Most people just fly the SpitXIV like a SpitIX though, wasting the extra performance in the process. That and the icon, it makes you "suicide perk killer" bait.
-Soda