Let's say you are responsible for picking the planes your country would use in a real WWII setting. You get to pick 5 aircraft, they perform in real life just how they do in Aces High, and whichever 5 you pick, you will get the same number of them (i.e., cost and supply is no object). But -- what you pick will have to work against whatever the enemy develops in tactics, whatever aircraft they end up having, and for different theaters (perhaps some where the fighting is down low, some where the fighting is up high, some where range isn't all that critical, some where range is important, etc.). In other words, you are going to war with those 5 planes, and the war situation can move around and change during its course -- but you are the guy responsible for picking what planes your country will have throughout.
What then would you pick?
I think I'd pick:
P-47N or P-51D (for fighter and fighter-bomber)
F4U-1D (for fighter, fighter-bomber, and from carriers)
B-24 (for heavy bombing)
B-25H (with cannon, for ground attack and anti-gv role)
5th plane -- not sure (Spit 16? La-7? Bf 109K-4? Something that would turnfight and climb well? Or Mossie? Or something with really long range from CV such as a Zero or B5N?)
