spit perk?
Between the La-7, Spit XVI, and N1K, the Spitfire XVI is the only one that has no exploitable weakness other than only having a
good top speed.
The La-7 cannons have poor ballistics, and the lion is tamed above 5k ft, and becomes a kitten above 10k ft.
The N1K cannons also have poor ballistics, but it's less of an issue because it's not a big deal if you miss. Still, its roll rate is poor, and its top speed is mediocre.
The Spitfire XVI performs well up to 20k ft, which is what counts for the main arena. Its weapons package has great ballistics, resulting in a flat trajectory that is easy to aim at most distances. Its climbrate is comparable to the 109K-4, at 200mph it has the best roll-rate in the game, and unlike its brother and sister Spitfires, it rolls very well at 400mph ias. It even accelerates better than the Spitfire VIII (even if you reduce the VIII's fuel load). Did I mention it turns extraordinarily well? Lastly, it carries 1k lbs of bombs, an ability which receives less attention than it should in the game. Admittedly, the XVI is not as fast as the main arena speed demons; its top speed is only in the "good" category.
