Dan - I understand the historical aspect. I'm not arguing for the spit16 being perked (or maybe 1 or 1.5 perks max.), nevermind removed. And I'm not whining either, just answering the surprise at people not liking the spitfire. I don't have any voodoo spitfire toys that I stab before going to sleep, I just genuinely dislike its design. As a designer I wouldn't feel satisfied with it, like when your creative juices are stifled by an employer who wants his gizmo designed in the most orthodox, efficient, cookie cutter way possible.
You can ask... I think it was Rollins, and a zipcode guy... 858626 I think, who rode along a couple of my jet sorties (edit - Zap rode along as well. I didn't fly totally balls out for that one to ensure he got to see a full sortie). I trimmed the horde a lot, by flying the plane to its strengths, but there was just as much tnb dogfighting. I know in total I ran into about half a dozen good sticks who I fought honestly, tnb for all the plane was worth. The 262's a real anchor in knife fights, so the comparison isn't good. Nothing compares to the spit's do-it-all character.
The game does favor the path of least resistance, but I really don't think it's the intention. I can't imaging that more than a small minority of players would like less rather than more variety in the unfriendly skies of AH. The closest thing I can figure would be desire for historical settings, e.g. bare metal USAAF stuff when you're flying luftwaffe.
The way I see it, the spitfire, although admittedly as much part a parcel of the zoo as any other plane, might be the least (tho not by much either) exotic thing you could run into, as far as dogfighting goes. It just doesn't have any unevenness to it.. It doesn't have any deep flaws or outstanding strengths. It just flies around generically. Like a zero without the featherweight good/bad aspects, like a P38's well-roundedness but without the twin engine/fowler flaps oddity, like a P51's stellar manners and crystal clear character but without the level flight acceleration and departure handicap... etc. The nearest thing I could like the spitfire being is a Ki84, but even it's not just a spitfire with character, it's also got a totally different look.
That spitfire players tend to fight more than most is true, no question there. I have no problem with the guys who fly spits, it's their business. I just don't like the plane itself. It's an aberration in the zoo.. Or maybe it's a good solvent for everything else. I never meant to argue against its presence. I'd be sick of any plane seen as often as the spit. I'm just especially sick of the spit because unlike the P51, it thrives on the rest of the planeset getting caught up furballing and begging to be walked all over... by that guy in the 67 Lotus.
