OK Zigrat...I agree with what you say, but for sure not at all.
LEt see. You say that up to 1942 Germany had better planes than Britain ,and I must agree.BUT (and in this discussion the but is a BIG one) the gap between British planes and German's was always a very little one, Me109E was better that SpitI, but not by much. Me109F waa better than SpitV but NOT by much. Fw190A was a nightmare for SpitV but SpitIX made again the gap a little one until the point that in mid 1943 SpitfireIX and Fw190A5 were regarded as equals.
When latewar came Britain produced the SPitfireXIV, a plane that far outclassed any German fighter it could find (range was a problem in history, but not in MA)...the gap was immense between German fighters and Spitfire XIV's performance..Germany lasted some 8 months in delivering a plane that could close that gap with the spit and at least to level the game against the P51, the Dora-9. Still if you see the numbers, Spitfire XIV is better in all regards than D9 except rollrate and range. IN ALL REGARDS!!!...
You say that latewar stuff was better in allied side, and that was the reason because they won the war. I agree, zig, It is a sound argument. But THIS IS NOT WWII!! this is a simulator in wich you fly against other planes! so to make it an interesting simulator you have to keep the planeset levelled or you'll end flying allied latewar stuff, and more if you perk low-numbers planes as Ta152 while you dont do it with P47M or Spitfire XIV.
The fun in Aces High is the multiplane environment, you find A LOT of different planes in the air. If Spitfire XIV isnt perked then you'll be flying against Spitfires all day long...
IF you want to keep all sides level in quality (which is the ideal for me), set a high level that wont be trespassed.
P51D for me is the best plane for Main Arena right now. Put the perk level on it. For me a Fw190D9 is the equal of P51, better in some regards, worse in other regards, so let it in. Spitfire XIV is way better than both. Perk it. TempestV is better than both low in the deck but as you go higher its performance falls behind them (and not my that much). dont perk it. P47M is better at all altitudes...perk it...
And so on. Keep a balanced arena, bring newer Spitfires to put RAF level with LW ,USA, russiand and Japanese planes, but dont give ANY side a monster. Perk the monsters (all of them regardless production runs and regardless of inservice date). And keep the arena balanced.
Or you'll end killing this simulator.