As Hristo said the A8 is faster on the deck than the A5 - that, and the fact that it is a "pig" saved my life many times! Seems I die in an A5 much quicklier cause I am always under the impression it's a Zeke after coming from the A8

I fly A8 whenever I can (maybe not for close base defense) and it's truly a pilots plane - it does not live up to the stories I read and it's surely outclassed by most AH planes but nothing beats the Wuerger in attitude!
Watch for the blazing quadruple cannons!