The fantastic stats of the F4U-1C probably has something to do with the circumstances it is used.
I've seen some excellent pilots flying F4U-1Cs on land sorties, but most usually the F4U-1C is used as a vulch-jabo plane when CV planes effectively suppress the targetted shore field. Even if a hectic fight evolves around the CV, the F4U-1C always has its own diabolic AA platform floating nearby it within a 15 mile radius. The F4U-1C is not a slow plane, and as long as it has about 5k alt even La-7s cannot catch up to it before it makes it to the safety of CV ack and 5" guns.
Add in to the fact that their guns are so much powerful over the F4U-1D, and the success of the Chog is nothing strange in particular. It's a good plane, a cheap perked plane too, which happens to almost always fly under promising situations.
If I am correct, our AH2 Ta152H-1 is directly derived from the AH1 Ta. The only real difference is that the Ta wings don't fall off so easily in AH2, which is a good thing.
However, like in AH1, under typical MA conditions of low-mid alt engagements, the Ta152H-1 is indeed, uninspiring. The only real edge it has against its contemporaries is the wonderful armament, long range, and the best of diving capabilty there is. In my experience it's the only plane that can really catch up to a P-51 in a dive. The rest of its specs are quite average at best;
If we compare the speed(AH1 values by Whels);
-Deck Speed with WEP usage-
TEMPEST 386
LA-7 380
F4U-4 378
190D-9 375
TYPHOON 370
P-51D 367
109G-10 366
TA-152 361
SPIT-14 358
F4U-1 358
P-51B 358
F4U-1D 357
F4U-1C 356
LA-5 356
YAK9-U 355
190A-8 349
....
IMO, +15mph advantage is the point where a faster plane can really be considered to be able to "disengage at will" when fighting a slower plane. If the speed difference is within 10mph, it is barely noticeable. With the exception of the Tempest and the 4hog, every fighter faster than the Ta, is also a free plane. Most every MA competent fighter will run it down under some circumstances.
It climbs much slower than the Fw190D-9, roll rate is about half that of the D-9, and general speed between 0~25,000ft is all slower than the D-9 too. Despite the significantly larger wing area, it only turns just a little bit better than the D-9. It is also prone to fall under an almost unrecoverable flat spin when it goes vertical upto under 100mph. (the "Falling Cruciform" stall)
I am aware that they Ta152 was produced in low numbers. But that begs the question. Does that simple fact make it a perk plane?
And yes, that is the real question.
IMO, low production numbers should be a just reason for perkage. Keeping a rare plane rare in the MA, is also one of the objectives the perk point system is trying to accomplish, I believe. But as it is, my guess is it'd be pretty rare even if it was perked.
The Chog is perked at 8 points, the Ta is at 20.
IMO, the Ta should be lowered to about 10.
