Be a sad, sad day IF what is essentially a 1943 LF IXe is perked ahead of the late war stuff.
Plus it puts the RAF back to either a 1943 (debateable) Tiff, or a 1942 Spit again as their free fighter rides.
Overused - LA7 has been consistently the most used plane by on average 20% more than its closest rival (N1K), it's not perked.
Of course it's going to get used a lot, better than the IX down low were MA fights are, faster than the V (esp now the V has been neutered).
Now if the F.21 had been introduced, then yeah that would be perked, or maybe even a XII.
Don't know why people compare it to the K-4?
K-4 is a high alt plane, XVI is a down in the dirt beast.
K-4 is more properly compared to the XIV.