why dont you have a few scout flights of c47s as pbys (who get second lives). You could have them patrol a given sector and once the pby calls contact the fighters roll. Ask nuttz if he will add an air start at 1 of the ac entry points so the c47s can start with alt. As a back up you could have radar at max and as soon as radar picks umm up launch is called.
50 mile radar would be fine. An f4f can get to alt (20k)in 15 min and could certainly be at 10k by the time the fight starts. Im not sure about the p40s but I bet its close. You could force the ijn attack planes to roll at t+10 or so. This will have them come in behind the fighters and allow the allies a chance to be at a modest alt before the strike starts on Pearl.
You could set an alt limit on the ijn planes so they dont come in at 50k. Zekes cant dive for toejame anyway. The controls stiffen pretty quickly.
You might try it in a snapshot 1st to see how it plays out.
If you are just going to have planes (a6m2 vals kates f4f p40e etc..) at alt when they meet then you dont need a Pearl Hardor map. The midway or the slot map is already available.
Sorry I dont mean to jump in on your set up but figured I would share my thoughts.

BTW I miss tod badly, once I get a few more pilots I will sign back up.