You're angry with Rodent57 for that (rather mild) comment, aren't you?
"Thank you for buying Joo Janta 2000 confirmation bias reading glasses. We are sure you will enjoy endless hours of prejudice reinforcing and self-stroking smugness reading any text while looking stylish at the same time".
And with this observation I will indeed leave this deceptive thread
What are the chances.
I will use the HO on a plane with a much better turn rate. If I head towards a Zeke (or a brewster) and he sees me, he will turn towards me. The ho will be the only shot I get, because I can't turn with those planes.
This is quite an interesting case to discuss, as I know Mr. Vinkman to be a competent (mostly) K-4 stick. Of course he is free to take any shot he pleases. He's a big boy and pays his subscription. I'd be curious to know your estimated jousting success rate? Better than 50/50?
Let's analyse this match up. Let's say A6M vs K-4, just picking one arbitrarily. The tactical aspect is suggested by some of the relative attributes of the planes. Assuming reasonable set up for a merge the K-4 is an energy builder, has a higher top speed, better vertical stability and torque manoeuvring and a much higher power loading. Plus the armament is particularly well suited to the kinds of shot solutions the airframe generates and very decisive. The A6M of course a famous TnBer, has also a pretty good sustained climb and is pretty well armed with an armament also well suited to the solutions it makes (but very different to the K-4). Assuming your opponent had Rud3boi / Bruv119 aim let's just leave toughness out of the question and try not to get shot at all.
Neither of these aircraft have particularly good energy retention but the K-4 being faster and both planes above corner speed in the merge suggests it's inconceivable that a K-4 cannot top-out higher and in a safe position above the A6M. Assuming the K-4 pilot plays his cards right with a good set of opening moves. Let's look what's changed at the top. The K-4 will be nose-high or even nose-vert when he stalls, even if you don't know post-stall manoeuvres it will self correct to nose-low by itself with a roll or two. Very rapid DPS is available if you do learn to post stall. The A6M will have lost its turn rate advantage temporarily because without much airspeed there is no surplus lift. It does not share the K-4s aility to torque manoeuvre. Plus the K-4 is above with both an energetic and positional advantage to descend at a slower rate, needing less thrust vector manipulation to make an angle. Now the A6M is defensive. The K-4 should have little difficulty cutting inside the initial turns of the A6M and generate snap shots. the A6M pilot's job is to establish a turn rate fight to get safe and then bring his guns to bear. The K-4 should turn away from the one-circle and engaging full flap nose-to-nose manoeuvring with a good amount of vert thrown in should enable it to cut inside the early phases with a smaller and out-of-plane radius. Even if the A6M reduces angle-off-tail on the K-4, its higher power loading allows it to out turn the A6M into the vert and generate overshoots. Especially if the K-4 stick can get more wings-level on his pull up (which he should because he's initiating the turns). The longer the K-4 pilot can sustain this kind of vertical scissors, the longer his superior power-loading will announce over the A6M.
Classic power-loading vs wing-loading battle. I'd have to give the edge to a prepared competent K-4 stick, even though his fight is much harder (and I think more rewarding).
