I agree. I like it even more than the F4 (which I like a lot)...but only because of the gondolas option.
I tend to take gondolas despite the hit to agility, climb and speed. The extra firepower is worth it to me because I'm a lousy shot.
Despite the popular opinion, I don't think Gondies really effect the planes performance all the much. IMO it's more important to be able to kill opponents fatser by shooting them more, rather than have a slightly lighter plane, yet have weaker fire power and have to chase them aeouns longer, when they could have have been dead already.
That being said, I think you can still get the same amount of kills with either load out. But IMHO using only 1 cannon allows you to get picked easier having to chase planes around longer.
It really doesn't effect performance as badly as some would like to believe.