Perk the N1k?!
I guess us Japanese fans will just have to migrate to the ki-61 en mass... ohh the joy (actually its a great bird, but against d-9s/ ponys...uuggg)
Right.
That's why the total section of late-war birds should be perked. Besides, a perk doesn't necessarily mean punitive prices like on the Tempy - 8 points brought the Chog down to about the "average" level of 2~3%. Planes such as the La-7 and the N1K2 should be brought down to par compared to the other planes, with about 3~5 perk cost.
The D-9's probably the only plane besides the "Big4+1" which sees over 5% use. No doubt in me that both the G-10 and the D-9 needs simular perk costs.
It's only redeeming trait is that at medium speeds its a good turner with cannons. Other than that, it's no better than any other plane. A lot of planes can out accelerate it, out dive it, out climb it and even out turn it.
Again, they may not be a real problem to you on a personal level, however, step out of the top pilot's seat and look at it from the perspective of an average pilot - frankly, to an average pilot, the N1K2 or an La-7 is more than a handful.
Only a limited people have personal favorites to what planes they like - like you, for example, who loves the P-38, or like me, who loves the 109.
However, for the vast majority of people, their sense of "favorites" is most usually dictated by which plane allows them to be successful to their personal level of content - in that sense, some planes, are vastly easier to fly than others.
A very maneuverable plane with average speed and 900 rounds of quad-cannon layout, means very very much to the average pilot. As much, a plane that has a fair maneuverability, top notch acceleration and speed, and three cannons, is a dream for the inexperienced.
Those planes aren't any different from others, you say. But we must inevitably return to the question; "then why are they so exclusively favored among others, when they aren't really better than other planes?"
Answer: "because, to the average people out there, they indeed, are better than others."