The reasons people complain about the LA-7:
1. Numbers. Many almost never fly a sortie without seeing at least a couple.
2. Performance. There are planes that have no where near the LA-7's performance at low altitudes and in the standard MA environment that are perked.
3. Useage. Meaning the way it is used the majority of the time. Most often, the LA-7 is used to cherry pick people out of a good fight. Or to kill them after they win a good fight. Or to force a single plane to face a horde of friends of the LA-7 pilot. And finally, to attempt a cherry pick and then run, spoiling a good fight, usually with an HO.
The three planes I see most these days are the LA-7, the Spit V (now that many know about the revised performance with higher boost), and the Tempest. They all have a decided edge over a lot of the planes in the MA Quake with planes environment.
Will perking the LA-7 solve the balance issue? Possibly. Is perking the LA-7 fair on the basis of performance and numbers? Going by the supposedly valid reasons for perking other planes, YES.
Let's face it, the MA has nothing at all to do with history or reality. It is for some, likely the majority, Quake with planes. That's sad. But it's true. More and more I look forward to events, and TOD.
These days I look at what plane killed me, and realize that when I consider the plane and the circumstances, it is a hollow victory in my opinion when I get killed by a Quake pilot in a Quake plane.
My secret to enjoying the game despite the Quake pilots in their Quake rides is knowing that under most circumstances, I kill them when they aren't in their Quake ride, and I hold a positive K/D ratio against most everything but the Quake planes. And usually when I die to them, I start out with at least a marked disadvantage to them in one way or another.
It ain't that I'm all that good, I'm not. But I figure I ain't all that bad either.