Did pilots' preference for the Dauntless settle the Helldiver comparison?

Did pilots' preference for the Dauntless show that the Helldiver's technical advantages did not make it a better aircraft to fly?

The early Helldiver had real problems, but pilots compared its first versions with the Dauntless they already knew. The Albacore example shows how reactions could change after a new aircraft's faults were corrected.

The first Helldiver versions in 1943 had genuine faults, and crews added to their difficulties by trying to load all the available ammunition. Pilots also knew the Dauntless well, making familiarity part of the comparison. Fleet Air Arm pilots initially reacted similarly when the Albacore replaced the Swordfish. Their songbook even included a song asking for the Swordfish back. A year later, once the Albacore worked properly, those pilots would not have exchanged its advantages for their old aircraft. The example distinguishes an aircraft's difficult introduction from the judgment formed after its faults have been corrected.