OP reminds me of when I first started flying the Tomcat module, one of the very first things I wanted to understand was the F-14's handling, and how to use every bit of the air frames limit to maximize the Tomcat in BFM, I did non-stop BFM fights against AI for weeks (granted that the AI needs work), until I could get it down to a T. I'm probably rusty now, due to the amount of BVR the F-14 does in DCS (longest ranged missiles, using the AIM-54 and maximizing their potential i.e avoiding close in fights), but man were those first few weeks of flying the F-14 were nothing short of amazing a true testament to Heatblur's modelling. Each day I jumped onto DCS I was trying to understand the little details, how much push and pull could I give to the F-14, without snapping my wings, or breaking the INS, If I pull X amount of AOA, can I still keep a sustained turn, etc, etc.
On a side note, I've never got into a flat spin unintentionally.