when it comes to fighting I dont think about what the other plane can do, I think about what the other plane IS doing, yes you need to understand every plane's capabilities, to be able to put up a good fight, or to understand what to do when The nme does this or that, to say "this is how you beat plane x with plane y" is a misnomer, it all depends on initial situation, E states,advantages/disadvantages, you are not fighting the plane, you are fighting the pilot controlling the plane.
learning to judge your nme's E-state, is utmost important, understanding the other planes capabilities is also important, to know that when a Zero gets fast it's controls seize up, same with the 109, not with the 51 or LA ECT ECT....
To me the merge is the most important aspect of any fight, this is where you will most likely win or loose the fight, judging what your nme's E-state is before the merge, so you can place yourself in a good firing position.