You have to fly the USN birds like a Bf 109 vs. a Yak.
Boom and Zoom.
And you MUST extend a LONG way before reengaging the Zero, as it's maneuverability will enable him to keep his guns on you.
It was said in the day that if you engaged a Zero 1 v 1 with a Wildcat you were outnumbered. The Wildcat also suffers because it's top speed in level flight is not as high as a Zero. Early on USMC commanders in the South Pacific even sent a panicked letter to the Navy requesting P40s as they were faster than the Zero, and much faster than the F4F.
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Personally speaking, the P-40 could contend on an equal footing with all the types of Messerschmitts, almost to the end of 1943.
~Nikolay Gerasimovitch Golodnikov
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