It's also completely beside the point to bang on about Zeros.
Utterly FALSE. It is VERY applicable in this case because (as is always the case) we ignore history at our peril.
The zero was optimized for turn performance. And the designers succeeded brilliantly. The zero could turn inside EVERY allied (and Nazi) fighter. EVERY one. But it did so at some sacrifice. Like pilot armor, self sealing tanks, robust structure, etc etc. Once allied pilots figured out the zero's weaknesses and their aircraft's strengths, the zero's air dominance was wiped out and it was shot out of the skies. Japanese engineers (and Japanese procurement officials) tried valiantly to correct that mistake, but by the time they did, their air forces were in tatters, their Navy was sunk, and their nation was in ruins.
To put this in modern terms: the Flanker can do a Pugachev Cobra maneuver which no Western fighter can do. So of course all those Western fighters are doomed in a dog fight against a Flanker, huh? You're welcome to believe that fantasy.
Bottom line: a fighter has MANY features that make it a good (or bad) weapon system. Turn performance is but ONE of the features. If you are going to evaluate two fighters' dog fighting ability, you have to compare ALL their features, not just one.