For the record, let me make it clear that I am by no means an "elite pilot", but I can share my observations at least. It seems that the Sabre and the Eagle are the most popular ships for PvP. I like the Eagle myself, but that's just personal preference. The best thing to do is just try them all untill you find one that fits you're particular play style. Each ship has it's good points as well as it's bad. As far as the weapon compatibility issue, the following link will be extremely helpful.
