Stats compiled from the AH plane stats page:
http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/scores/planes.php Top fighter (most kills in) per Late War Tour ....
P-51D - 99 tours - 33-35, 83-85, 89-95, 97, 102-116,
121-189Spit IX - 34 tours - 1-7, 16, 21-28, 31-32, 36-51
La-7 - 24 tours - 52, 54-69, 73-74, 77-80, 96
Spit XVI - 13 tours - 70-72, 75-76, 98-101, 117-120
N1K2-J - 11 tours - 17-20, 29, 53, 81-82, 86-88
F4U-1C - 8 tours - 8-15
- The C-hog was unperked at the time it was #1.
- As for the Spit IX, the plane set was much smaller than today and perhaps the player mindset was more about TnB than BnZ.
- IIRC, there were some adjustments made to the La-7's flight model, which might explain it's deterioration in popularity.
- Player numbers have risen and fallen and the predominant trend in recent memory is the popularity of faster planes over the turners.