L&S
I'm astonished you find no occasions where ac manoeurvability/performance has been a deciding factor in combat victory! Not one occasion where one ac has outmanoeuvred another?
GOSH! - I guess I've read different combat accounts, or I view what I read differently.
Tactics play to strengths and in a reasonably even fight the strong win.
I practice ACT/DACT on a very regular basis and, given the non-BVR constraint of a relistic scenario, usually find that the outcome of the frequently ensuing visual merge results in BFM. BFM is usually won by the best trained, capable, weaponed, powered and aware guys able to manoeuvre into a weapons envelope
That means turning ace!!!!
Clubbing baby seals from over the horizon doesn't count in the real world we expect to operate in. The bad guys are only infront of you at the push. Things get messy about 30" later! Find em, ID em and MANOEUVRE TO KILL EM or to stay alive. The manoeuvre may not be the only decisive part of the equation but its a huge "warm and fuzzy" to have in the bank. I think your narrow choice of specific ac is obscuring the fact that you will never find a fighter Pilot who wants to merge in a F104 (go on someone say "I do", - bugger!!!).
Follow the thread - it will lead you back into the light.
