Well due mostly to all the whining from ALL the people about the poor La7. I have quit flying it entirely in favor of its slow brother, the La5fn.
You know what, I STILL chase down slow low ponys in it. I STILL dive through furballs again and again till I'm out of fuel or ammo.
I get just as many kills in the la5 as I did the 7. When I'm outnumbered anything still goes, from HO to drag em through the trees till they die.
I agree that the guys who really get bent about the la7 are flying the other fast planes. So if you want to perk it, better perk the 190D9, and the 109G10 and the pony the same.
Otherwise, leave em be and just learn to cope.
BTW wingman tatics will kill la7's all day long as will disimilar planes working together, ie spit & a pony or tiffy.
In fact wingman tatics work against everything as a general rule. If your struggling, you should be winging up with someone. 2 sets of eyes is always better than 1.