When you have a 1v1 with 2 very disimilar aircraft, it is unlikely that you will be engaged in a knife fight in a phone booth.
Hog Vs Frank is a good example. Any hog driver who expects to be able to outpower or outurn a Frank at slow speeds is dillusional. To expect that the hog will fight on the Franks terms is wishful thinking.
When I fly the Hog, most of the fights that I end up losing, I lose because I have tried to go toe to toe and slug it out with an aircraft that performs better in a "turn and burn" type of fight.
When I fly smart, I use the hogs diving ability and higher diving speed to an advantage. I want to create a distance between us that I can work with. I want the fight to happen at higher airspeeds than the frank probably does, so if I can control the tempo and distance of the fight to my advantage, I will.
With the Frank, knowing that it will shed parts at 450 or so, I can and do use it as an advantage.
As far as ramming goes....eh, it happens to us all. Generally it happens with me when I am OTD and fast and can't get under my opponent (who is just as committed to keeping his nose pointed at me), or when I am out of E, nose up and wallowing around like a fat pig with no ability to maneuver out of the way. Not something I ever whine about, like I said, it happens to us all occasionally. I also won't give any symapthy to it.
Just my $.02
Cheers,
RTR