Originally posted by Urchin
P-47 (all of them), P-38, F6F, P-40 (both), F4F (both), Hurricane (all), Mosquito (?), 109 (except G-10), 190 (except D9), 110 (both), C202/205, and Ki-61.
That's all I could pick out in my brief run-through. Also keep in mind that my list is purely A2A combat, I know the Spitfire doesn't carry any sort of heavy A2G load. Now, when I say that these planes become "useless" I don't mean that a Spit IX will utterly dominate these planes in a fight (although it will, assuming the pilot skill is even), I mean that if someone takes the time to compare the planes, he would almost invariably go with the Spitfire (or N1K2, as the case may be, below 10k the planes have almost identical performance). The Hurricane is 'useless' for a different reason- The Hurricane out-turns almost every plane, but then so does the Spit IX and it has much better performance in other areas so there is no point in flying a Hurricane. The rest of them are lacking in speed (the slight top speed advantage doesn't justify the huge losses in the following), acceleration, turning, firepower for most of the planes.
In some cases you are correct, but others, no.
P-40B: Come on, the N1K2 and Spit IX aren't rendering it obsolete, it is rendering itself obsolete. The P-40B is obsolete compared to the C.202. You can hardly blame it's obsolesence on the N1K2 and Spit IX.
P-40E: The Spitfire Mk V and C.205 are markedly better. The P-40E's obsolesence cannot be blamed on the Spit IX or N1K2.
Mosquito: I actually feel fine in combat against either of these aircraft as I know that I out perform them. I know most people probably wouldn't feel that way, but I suspect from the Mossie's K/D ratio that most people think it can't fight back and simply give up when an airbourne enemy fighter shows up. I do not think the Spit IX or N1K2 make the Mossie obsolete.
Fw190s (except the D-9): Like the Mossie they out perform the Spit IX and N1K2. I don't know if they do so as well though. I'd have to play with them more. I will say that I feel quite comfortable in a melee while flying the Fw190A-5.
P-38L: It is the same story as the Mossie, except more so. The P-38L has marked performance advantages that can be relatively easily exploited in order to beat the Spit IX or N1K2.
F4F-4: This is an out dated aircraft, and like the P-40's it can't simply be blamed on the Spit IX and N1K2 as removing those would not remove it from the list of obsolete aircraft. In fact it's performance is so poor that removing those two aircraft wouldn't affect its usage at all.
FM2: This think is a built N1K2 killer. If anything, the N1K2 gives the FM2 a reason to be used. Don't know how it stacks up with the Spit IX.
P-47s: See Mossie: They are, so far as I can tell, essentially used the same and should have the same success.
Hurri I: See P-40B and F4F-4.
Hurri IIc: See FM2.
Bf110s: Spitfire Mk IXs should, based on historical anctedotes, make this obsolete. Every Allied fighter pilot I've ever heard a comment regarding the Bf110 from considered it a free kill essentially. The N1K2 being a similar aircraft should have much the same affect on it. The only way to change this is to artificially promote the Bf110 by removing all those things which would otherwise stomp it.
C.202: See P-40B and F4F-4.
C.205: Yes, this one is rendered obsolete by the Spitfire IX and N1K2 if selecting only the best is the criteria.
F6F-5; See C.205, except that it retains usefulness even with the Spit IX and N1K2 in existance because it is carrier based.
Bf109s (except G-10): The F-4 is pretty well screwed, but the G-2 has some advantages and I imagine the G-6 probably does too.
Ki-61: It is too underpowered to really be in the running. I put it about on the level of the Bf109F-4. It is good, but there are other things (like the C.205) that are between it and the Spit IX and N1K2.
For me, it is the fast planes that are damaging the game. They are the things that allow the one way fuel pork trips to be a sure bet. They are the things that force most of the aircraft on your list to turn and become meat for the N1K2s and Spit IXs. If not for the fast, 1944 kites most of those aircraft could play with the Spit IX and N1K2 at their leisure. The La-7 is my single biggest gripe, and it is becoming more and more common. It actually overtook the P-51D and is closing on the Spit IX. The La-7 has far more impact on my game than the other three of the big four combined. P-51Ds I respect, but Spitfire Mk IXs and N1K2-Js I simply regard as juicier kills because of their low ENY values.
Tilt,
As to the La-7's disadvantage is poor performance at altitude:
Cry me a river.
A) The vast, vast, vast majority of fighting in AH is at low altitude.
B) It is far,far easier to escape to low altitude than it is to escape to high altitude.
The La-7's low altitude optimization is an advantage, not a disadvantage. The Ta152H-1 and Spitfire Mk XIV got jacked because they are perked due to their performance at high altitude, even though that is pretty useless in AH.
The guns on the La-7 are nothing special, good or bad. They are simply adequate.
