Dont see as many Nikis by far nowadays. When I first started playing it was all you saw.
Now? The sky is full of Mustangs, 190s, and of course Spit-16s. On the next level of sightseeing I'd put Corsairs, P-47s, 109s "75% K4s", Nikis. After that P-38s, LA-7s, Typhies, Hellcats, other Spits...ect
Im probably wrong about some cause I mostly play defense, and am bound to see more pick & runners. But when I first started playing the Niki was easily in the first category with Spit-16s and Mustangs. Some nights in LW, like last night, you seem to go all night without seeing a 10 eny & under airplane. If your lucky you might find a K4 and if you do, like last night, they are probably very good.
This L/W tour the Niki has accounted for about 25,000 K/Ds. Tour 116 even less. Two years ago this month, LW Tour 93, it accounted for about 56,000. Tour 94 about 63,000 K/Ds. The sky used to be full of Nikis. And back then LW K/D tallies were in the 1,300,000 range. Now, for whatever reason, were usually in the 1,000,000 range. Even still one see's far less Nikis. On defense I hardly ever see them.
So it would seem out of less flying LWAs, far less are flying Nikis. My gut tells me the game has gone more to the speed style. The pick and run style. The B&Z style. The Jug family might even be ready to punch over the Mustang as King of this style.
And LA-7s? 2 years ago in LW they posted in the 63,000 K/D range and so far this tour, which is almost over, they are about 20,000. They just dont have the Legs for the big maps.
The Niki has weaknesses players have learned to exploit. Also I think a lot of the serious Niki sticks have moved on to other planes.