Joe Foss was furious when he was pulled from combat and sent back to the States as an instructor. He angrily asked what he needed to do to get another combat billet.
His CO told him “Send me another hundred Joe Fosses”.
The A-7 was a concept looking for an engine until late in the war.
It was certainly good and yes, probably a tighter turner than USN aircraft, but I wouldn’t say superior. US aircraft were still more heavily armed and protected, as well has faster. I would put it on par.
Of course, by the time Japanese engine development made the A-7 viable, the USN was looking at new aircraft. Had the war continued, late 1945 and 1946 were going to see the F8F Bearcat replace the F6F Hellcat, the Boeing F8B, the British Sea Fury, etc. The point being that the Japanese started with a lead and blew it.