About perking or not perking planes, the problem is not related to the performance of a plane, but to the popularity generaly derived from that performance. What this means is that performance implies popularity, popularity implies massive usage, massive usage implies a very poor plane diversification in the arena, and that last one implies a boring and monotone arena. IMO, perk system should regulate this effect, and because our MA is not an historic arena, there is no reason to perk a plane based on number of manufactured units. Remember that perk planes may cost as less as 1 or 2 perks, just enough to regulate the "population" in the arena.
Based on this theory, IMO, the perk system should work in an automatic mode increasing or decreasing perks based on plane usage (abuse). This way, even C202 may be unperked now and perked after an hour, and again unperked after two hours, etc.
And a second and more important rule, perk planes may cost 0 perks for people with 0.0 perk points available. This way, someone with 0 perks will be able to pick up a Tempest, but if he lands a single kill, the Tempest will be perked for him for the next sortie, and so on. The "perk" plane at 0 cost also implies the lose of 0 perks if you destroy the aircraft.
