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Andrew - it happens "all the time" in online combat sims like Warbirds and Aces High.

Typical scenario - 190G vs F4U-1D (or C).  The outcome ALWAYS depends on the skill of the pilot(s) involved and the specific dynamics.

Ex.  Who wins a dogfight between a Bf.110 fully loaded with bombs and a La-7?  Situation, 110 and La.7 are heading towards each other, 110 about 3000ft higher. at about 27K

Answer:  Bf.110.  - the La-7 never even realized I was in the area, so I split-essed and popped him at 500 yds (and slightly below) before he knew what was going on.

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LOL - If you do the *test*, don't let me be the 109 pilot, I'd sorely disappoint you!

<And I won't even tell you about the time I got a Hog (F4U) driver low and slow, and plinked him to death in a Ki.43 (Oscar w/2 mgs)>

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"plinked" comes from the sound "plink" made when you shoot at tin (or aluminium cans) with smal caliber (bb, pellet, etc) guns.

You bring an interesting point on the Japanese planes.   The design philosophy behind the Japanese fighters was maneouverability and range.  The main Japanese Army fighters, the Ki.27 and Ki.43, were armed with just two machine guns, typically 2x 7.7mm or 1x7.7mm and 1x12.7mm.  Cannon armament, in response to the heavier armored US bombers, was introduced with the Ki.44, Ki.84 later in the war.  By the end of the war, the Army had the Ki.61 (Hien) and Ki.100 and others, but it was too little too late.

A similar philosophy in the Imperial japanese Navy produced the A6M Zero series.  It's main strengths were range and maneouverability - and pilots that could make that plane dance.  As the war progressed, and more armor, guns, etc. was added to the basic design, performance suffered.  Again, teh IJN came out with some excellent planes (Mitsubishi Raiden, for example) but too little, too late.  Towards the middle/end of the war, the design philosophy was becoming " Americanized"  - tough, heavy guns, with speed and armor, but the production logistics were too much in shambles to support the needed level of activity.

I wouldn't say the Japanese planes were "a cut below"  but rather, they were made to a different drum beat.

The same thing happened back in WWI -- even  Manfred vonRichthofen made the complaint. A pilot gets used to the handling of one plane and then has to get used to the charactersitics of a new one.