I’ve never had the D9 to 600, 540 it starts creaking.
Only had the 51 as fast as 590.
A LA and Spit16 on the deck is keeping up with the D9.
Violator, I remember hearing you out of your comfort zone in events with 51B snd Spit1, but ya did it. <S> Going up against 109s in a Spit1 takes some real nads. I got quite a few kills in a Spit1 in BoB, mostly buffs.
Keep in mind that a k4 can only top about 450 in a dive and then you cant pull up easy unless cutting throttle drastically and pushing rudder till you can stop compressing. Planes like the 190D and P51 are much better in the faster game and so much easier to aim. Those planes dont normally give you a fight though so its just a BnZ fest that isnt that fun to fight against. The P51 vs k4 can be a really fun fight if the P51 knows what they are doing (which most dont). I think plane choice matters in the arenas, but there's a reason why the 190D and spit16 are the top killers. They are the easiest planes to get kills without a perk plane and vet players over use them make it very tough for newbies.
The la7 is one of the best all around fighters in the game. It may chase down a 190D on the deck, but its also one of the fastest planes and accelerators in the game, had 3 cannons, and turns fairly well. The spit16 cannot catch a 190D unless the spit16 already has speed vs a 190D that just got out of a turn fight or something. The spit16 isnt that fast overall, but can outurn almost any planes. Best cannons too.
The P51B is incredibly challenging to be successful in special events, mostly do to only 4 50s (what were they thinking). In real life, guns hurt far more. 50s in this game have a lost a lot of power, and that's probably due to internet connections. Time after I put 50-100 rounds in planes and do very little or damage. That makes the planes incredibly tough to get kills. Its one thing to be able to fly higher and faster, but if you cant down them due to weak bullets, all you can really do is chase them out. Which is what the p51B is really meant for. Dont even get me started on the spit1. That damn neg G engine cutoff is so hard to work with, espcially with my game, neg G is my bread and butter

I do wish 50s lethality could be turned up slightly. It makes it very tough for players to get a nice bead shot on someone, only to watch them fly away with little damage. Its giving me a damn hard time lately, even with 20mms.
Overall its about the battles. Ive said time and time again, if a map can create good battles in the early hours, that leads to larger #s in the arena. Those players stay logged in longer and create better battles. If no one wants to defend, or attack the other side of the map, that's when it becomes tough and many log due to lack of action or long flight times. If you have to fly 15 minutes to get alt and enter the fight, than youll only do 2-4 sorties depending on the battle. If you only have to fly 5 minutes to a fight. Depending on the battle, you are much more likely to roll more than 5 times. Thats why CV fights always produce the best battles. Both sides get quicker action and arent worried about taking 10 minutes to get alt and twittle thumbs on the way there. Most gamers today are not patient, which is partially a reason they fly the fastest and easiest non perked planes, and its why the Temp is one of the most over used perk planes relative to other perk planes. A perk plane like a Temp shouldn't be in the top 5 kills and top 5 K/Ds.