Okay Steve, you are a nice enough guy under most circumstances. I can give you the benefit of the doubt. Maybe you weren't trying to say "You just want the Spit16 perked because you suck!" or some such ultra melontery. I'm afraid I'm not a good enough person much of the time to suppress my tendency to throw a nuke back when some idiot in the peanut gallery lobs a spitball...
First, I've tried to tell you, saying a plane "helps noobs compete" is irrelevant. The F4U-4 would help noobs compete, boy would it ever, since it can run down practically anything and turn as well or better than practically anything. And hey,hardcore F4U fans need the -4 because too many LW birds can just use their superior acceleration to "stroll away" from the F4U-1 series...see why this argument doesn't work now? You can say the F4U is superior to a greater portion of the plane set than the SpitXVI, which is fair, but that makes it only a difference of degree.
To answer your question, I think I can say that I could go into a duel against 85% of the MA using most any plane type and win. I think I am decent enough in skills and knowledgeable enough in what makes an airplane work well as a fighter to make the judgement about what has the edge in a maneuvering fight, and it only takes reading a chart to know which is fast enough to force that maneuvering fight on other planes. Basically, in my own observation, there are planes which are just as bad/worse to have on your close six, but none of them have nearly the performance and other advantages of the Spit16. Way I see it, if you are in P-47D for example and screw up, loose too much E and get a HurriIIC, Zeke, or even a N1K on your six close enough for the kill, that is your fault. You could clearly have avoided the situation with the correct decision making. But what is the clear solution when the plane that climbs better, turns better, and rolls better is ALSO faster? Answer, there isn't one except to hope the pilot in it absolutely sucks enough to fall for a trick and has no friends to help him. And any pilot who *thinks* realizes that the slower, double-inferior plane's only hope is a trick, so he prepares for it.
Your P-51D is an example of the type of plane that should *not* be presented any insurmountable problems by the Spit16, since the P-51D 20+mph faster. Your P-51D is not something I am talking about when I say the SpitXVI presents viability problems for many planes in the LW MA. I think if the P-51D was 10mph slower, even the History Channel couldn't make it as popular as it is now in the LW MA...not with SpitXVIs around. If the SpitXVI was 10mph slower, I wouldn't think it needed perking. I have the feeling that if it were 10mph faster though, the same people would still be saying to me: "What? Its not all that fast! It's the only competitive Spit we got! You just hate Spits!". When in reality, if the SpitfireXVI was the P-62, or the Bf-209, or the Mitsubishi A9M, etc., I'd still say the perk the thing, because my opinion is based on relative performance in-game, not irrelevancies like nationality or personal preference.
I know. It helps noobs compete. Why does this bother you?? What do you care if people want to fly it? I believe I can answer this for you, since you won't answer it honestly: you are having trouble beating them with your chosen ride... maybe in any ride. I thought you flew the 51 some. I will only speak for this plane since I can't remember specific spixteen encounters I've had in other planes.
I log in, then I up on the team with the fewest numbers and head for the biggest enemy darbar I can find. When I get there I am somewhere between 8 and 10k AGL. In that pile of bad guys will be several spixteens, some higher, some lower. I don't count them as any more dangerous than most other planes with comparable E states. In other words, they do nothing to unbalance the fight. I do OK against spixteens even under these circumstances. So why perk them? No unbalance= no need for a perk.
I don't know who put a bottle in your rectum then kicked you in the butt so hard that it broke but you are a real unpleasant person to have a discussion with. I asked a question so I could try to understand your perspective. Maybe you are just one of those people who isn't happy unless they are arguing or insulting.
