I chose not to include Italian fighters in the poll because the Italian Air Force was a failure.
That is, I’m afraid, what in the tradition of philosophy is labelled a “catagory error”, since we were not invited to name our favorite air force or to rate or rank the Regia. It’s like judging a Ferrari upon how Mr. Berlusconi is driving it. It also doesn’t make much sense in the light of the fact that the head of the luftwaffe commission for fighters in 1943 declared that the Fiat g.55 Centauro was “the best fighter in the axis.” (note)
I consider the Italian’s best fighter, the macchi mc.202 folgore, a copy of the me 109.
What you consider is in no way true: The Macchi mc.202 Folgore was an entirely different (and in many ways arguebly better) design, developed from the earlier Macchi mc.200 Saetta, to fit a inline Alfa-Romeo built DB601a. Look to the tailwing nicely mounted on the fuselage or to the wide inward retracting landing gear, and compare with ME 109. The frames of ME 109 and MC:202 are completely different from each other.
I believe Japan is also well represented in my poll. Both the Japanese Army’s Ki-43 Oscar and Navy’s A6M Zero are on this list.
It must be fair to point out the imbalance of challenging American late-war designs (P-47 and P-51 etc.) with early japanese designs rather than their true rivals, the late-war Japanese designs such as the inline Ki-61 and the radial Ki-84.
The Soviets also have three fighters on the list, the Lag-3, Yak-9 and P-39. The MiG 3 did not see long service life and could not be listed.
The MIG-3 was the standard high-altitude fighter of VVS during the critical years of 1941-42, and the first allied fighter capable of shooting down the Junkers Ju 86 high-altitude reconnaissance. Many russian aces flew the type which was build in relatively high numbers. More than 1200 had already been delivered at the start of operation Barberossa. (note) The P-39 on the other hand was an american fighter designed by Bell.
In making a poll you must realize that very few people want to read a list of 50 different choices.
I think most educated people want to choose for them self rather than having other people doing it for them. The answer to your problem would be to trim the criterias, fx. to “Favorite American single-seat monoplan fighter of wwII” if it’s important to get below 50 choices.
Nevertheless, even my favorite American fighter of WWII in that catagory was not in the poll. The Vultee P-66 Vanguard.
note:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiat_G.55
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mig-3

