"Everything, but everything, in that film was crass, unrealistic, and bloody awful"
I can't argue with much of that, except to say that any film which calls attention to the bravery, deeds, and aircraft of WW2 is generally a good thing. In that respect, I think Pearl Harbor served its purpose.
That said, on-screen dogfighting sequences will always have an element of "unrealism" because, well, they aren't real. The challenges faced by filmmakers in trying to convey the three-dimensionality of air combat on a 2D screen are legion.
One thing I disliked about PH is how they rather brushed over the aircraft themselves. Just another element in a shot, like a control tower. We're taking into account Tuck's (and Britain's) justifiable love affair with the Spitfire. And yes, Hurricanes will get attention as well.