Just a 'few' things to add:
WHAT is wrong with flying a Spit16 or Niki or La-7? And please don't give me that 'easy' mode stuff, for almost every new-ish player to the game, every kill is going to be the result of a struggle no matter WHAT they fly.
I've NEVER received a rude PM, and I've never sent one either. I really don't see why anyone should actually feel the need to do so.
I may be a relatively new player, at least compared to you 'old-timers', and I may be relatively young (just turned 17), but I honestly don't see what all the fuss is about. I for one am perfectly happy to dive into a group of multiple enemies, and I honestly couldn't care less about my score. Yeah, it's nice to see the kills rack up, but at the end of the day as long as I've had some fun I'm happy.
So to all you 'old-timers' - why not accept that things are changing, that some of the old attitude to gameplay from the AW era is going away, and just have fun blasting all the noobs out of the sky - I know you're all capable of it. Eventually in the course of your rampaging through the hoards, you will find another 'old-timer' who'll give you a decent fight.
<S>
Yossarian