for german rides, the 109F-4 is probably the best plane. its turny and fast. once you learn how to ride the stall buzzer, you'd be surprised how slow you can get it. slash has the right idea though, there are many planes that are good for learning. just go with the flow and try them all.
True. One of the nicest features of the AvA is that you are essentially forced to learn new planes.
That said: For German, take whichever 109 is available, as opposed to the Focke-Wulfs. The F-4 is the easiest of the 109s, probably the K-4 is the most difficult. Capabilities follow difficulty levels. For Japanese, the Zekes are the easiest to fly, followed by the Nik, the Ki-84 and the Tony, in that order. Unlike the German rides, capabilities do not follow difficulty levels. The Nik and Ki-84 generally are believed to be the most effective. The Italian choice is far more difficult. The 202 is, IMHO, one of the nicest rides in the game, but is virtually unarmed. The 205 is more difficult to fly but has excellent armament. If you're practicing ACM, take the 202. If you want kills, the 205 is the better choice.
These are nothing more than one person's opinions. To form your own you'll have to fly all of the planes!
- oldman