Like I said, ya never give the P-40E a chance
Preconceived notions can be a difficult thing to overcome.
If you like I'll go to the DA with ya for some P-40E versus Ki-61 fights. While I'm average at best I think the P-40 would give a better account of itself in a dogfight than you'd expect. Unless of course you're on Shane or Drex's level in which case you could fly a Piper Cub and still spank me.
I am not speaking hypothetically. I speak from experiences. While I'm not a CT regular I do stop by for some setups; I have flown both the Ki-61 and the P-40E quite a bit. Some of the very best fights I've ever had in AH were me in P-40E versus Ki-61.
The Ki-61 is about 20 MPH faster than the P-40E. This is MUCH less difficult to overcome than the F4U-1's 40 MPH speed advantage over the Tony. Yet the F4U-1 vs Tony match is considered "Fair"???
Below 14K the P-40E versus Ki-61 matchup is fine. Above 15K the KI is definately superior but most fights aren't that high and the Americans also would have the F4F available.
At normal altitudes P-40E has generally similar maneuveraility to the Tony and I feel the P-40E has the edge in turning ability although it's very close. The P-40 will also out-climb the Ki-61 below 10K (bet you didn't know that!). Isn't turning ability and climbing ability enough of an advantage for it to be fair?
I've proposed this matchup in the past and it always gets shot down because "the Ki-61 is faster". Why must the Americans always have a speed advantage over the Japanese?
Seriously, aside from the usual assumption that the "P-40 sucks" I don't see why anyone would think the Tony is so much better than it. Yes the Tony is the better plane overall, but the P-40E can hold its own. Give it a chance.
J_A_B