In this game you'll probably want a good turner. The best would probably be the Spit or the La-7. Pro's n cons:
Spit:
+ Nice guns
- Unstable, especially when shot in the wing
La-7:
+ Very stable and easy to fly
+ Fast
- Not the greatest guns, although still effective.
You could also pick an I-16 or I-153, these can turn on a penny (or whatever the official expression is) but they're slow, especially the I-153. I wouldn't advise it for starters.