Well, you can't go wrong with British Spitfires, they feature an incredibly strong balance of characteristics to the point they're considered the meta in most situations. They have no real flaws and while not the greatest in anything, they are usually towards the top of their class in everything but raw HP and acceleration (both while cruising and boosting.) Just beware of using them as crutches, I've seen some pilots who've grown so used to Spitfires they cannot fly anything else, especially the last two aircraft in the line, the Attacker and Swift, most Spitfire pilots also end up very turnfight happy meaning they will frequently lack any energy to retaliate against faster aircraft or lack the knowledge of how to deal with anybody beyond "just turn!"
Another great line is the Soviet MiG line. Though the I-210 is painfully undergunned, if you can make it past that the line ends up one of the strongest for solo play with their extremely high speed, solid maneuverability, and punchy guns. They usually lack the heat cycles (how fast guns overheat and cool down) to deal with extremely heavy aircraft and if they take any critical damage they're severely crippled from using their strengths, but if you're flying so fast and at the right angles, how are you getting shot anyways?
The Soviet Lavochkin line is a very rarely played series of aircraft however have hidden potential that very few ever get to see. The LaGG-3 is painfully outclassed by a lot of other tier 5 fighters but with careful positioning that 23 is vicious. The real fun begins at the La-5 where they're the epitome of a balanced aircraft, they have nothing they are strong in (however the guns are slightly above average) but they have no flaws whatsoever (beyond slightly below average acceleration under boost until the La-15.) The La-160 is a massive curveball having a playstyle unlike any other plane in the game but if you can make it past that you end up with one of the strongest tier 10 fighters in the game right now. The barrier to entry for most is the LaGG-3, but if you can survive you'll have one of the most dependable lines of planes you can ever use.
The Imperial Japanese Army (IJA) line aka the "Ki" (pronounced: key) line. While a bit of a struggle to use, they always boast superb killing power and maneuverability, they really come into their own at the Ki-61 where they become medium-high altitude, fast aircraft while still maintaining hard-hitting guns and ridiculous maneuverability. These planes have one, serious flaw however, durability. People will joke the A6M's are made of paper and coated in gasoline, the Ki's are more befitting of this, EVERYTHING is highly vulnerable to critical damage, and you'll get ignited from somebody firing shots in your general direction, the low healthpool does not help this meaning you can get destroyed in mere seconds by every other plane you'll face. Learn what the situation is around you or control the fight, because you stand no chance withstanding enemy attacks unless you manage to take only grazing shots while dodging their pass.
Edited by Reitousair, 05 August 2018 - 04:17 AM.