The idiotic statements come from the usual players who endlessly acuse others of "crutch rides" when they fly P-51Ds, N1K2s, Doras, LA-7s, Bf 109K-4s and assorted perk rides pretending they are "fighting the good fight against the odds" when they almost ALL fly 1944-45 rides in one form or another! .So spare me.
If you think a Dora or a K4 is a crutch ride. You havent spent enough time in either.
An argument can be made for the Niki the La7 and to a lessor extent the pony to some extent because the can do everything reasonably well at almost any speed. Yes the Dora and K4 are fast. but get them slow and they turn like crap and if you spend any amount of serious time in either you know at some point you will find yourself in and have to learn to survive low and slow. Not nearly as easy as it is in the crutch rides.Spits. yak3s NIKI etc. which can noty only zoom you but thrive in low and slow situations
Not to mention the Yak3 can catch the Dora.
152 is even more difficult to handle once you get it low and slow. Try any of the 3 K4, Dora, 152 in that situation and you will quickly find out they are anything but EZ mode