They havent left because of man guns or P-47:s.
The game is just the same as when there was hundreds of players, it isnt that the gameplay have driven people away but for different reason people stops playing, that is true for all games. Problem is that no new players are filling their place. Whats left is a bunch of the old core that have been flying forever.
The first to leave when numbers drop is the furballers that want swift, instant action. The base takers and win-the-war guys can still do their thing so they stay longer but even they are feeling the low numbers. Euro prime time is dead and gone since ~1½ years ago. When numbers are low enough the player base implodes and that is what have happen to pretty much everyone outside the US. I havent bother to log on on weekdays for well over a year.
No map or plane or man gun will change it. And the problem isnt the gameplay, it is a fantastic game, problem is that people doesnt know it. I havent met anyone here that have heard of Aces high and problem now is that i cannot recruit anyone either because the only thing they will see when they log in is an empty arena..