very good points, blooz.
just remember, all, that some points aren't always what they SEEM to be.
CLIMB: the Spitfire XVI for example can, at the same given speed, climb vastly faster at a constant angle (if you get what i mean) than the F4U-1A.
HOWEVER, the F4U-1A has so much mass that it dives much more quickly than a spitfire XVI and, when climbing vertically, will, in all likliness out climb the spitfire which will probably be left hanging. Love it when the F4U leaves spitfires gasping for power in those ropes.
TURNING: I was flying a spitfire Mk.IX around one day and was flying against an A6M5 who was a tad higher and about 1K behind me. The spitfire (me) dove in order to get away from it. Being not very smart, the Zeke dove after. The spitfire rolled to its side at about 320 mph. The Zeke attempted to pull along in the turn. Eventually the Spitfire got on the Zeke's tail and i found a shot solution without pulling too hard.
In that example, the Zeke was outturned by a Sptifire ... WHAT? an A6M5?!

indeed so. some aircraft may seem to turn uberly tight, but when the speeds get higher, some aircraft become more sloppy in turning or just dont seem to turn altogether. Usually, the more heavily wingloaded planes will turn tighter at higher speeds and (more often than not) will find quickly pulling the stick as a non-dangerous thing to do. In the spitfires, i would find pulling the stick too hard at almost any speed would cause one wing to stall, rolling the aircraft to the opposite side of the turn or stalling. In the F4U, however, i find that i can pull harder at higher speeds and not flip over. This doesn't seem to apply to the heavily-wing loaded 109's who will flip over as easily as spitfires most of the time, but turn quite well (especially in loops) with flaps.
Yes, Manurin, the F4U is an amazing bird to fly, but it takes a while getting used to - it wasn't called the ensign eliminator for nothing. Pulling hard on the stick at low speeds with a lot of rudder usually ends up in a practically unrecoverable spin of some sort. Plus, a low and slow F4U is a dead F4U - then again, most low and slow planes are dead planes. Just use the vertical and keep practising. The F4U wont always get you out of trouble by turning like most spitfires seem to do, though the Spitfire is also an decent energy fighter.