My coming into AH was a little different than most. I was lured in with the aspect of the free H2H multiplayer. That limited each arena to 8 players. I started off flying everything, seeing what worked for me. In H2H Free For All type arenas were popular, everyone on one team shooting down everyone else. On team based maps, it was difficult for 4 people to take an airfield, there were no squads or missions. You soon learned who was good because of the small numbers, you would often be shot down by the same people. What else was there to do than to try to kill that person. First, you try to kill them however you can. You feel better about yourself even if it wasn't a fair kill. As your skill progressed, you would eventually try to single out that one person who shot you down, and try to kill them in a one on one fight (plane type doesn't matter at this point). The next phase would be to up what that person was flying and shoot them down in the same plane in a single 1 on 1 combat. H2H arenas were much smaller than the MA arenas so it didn't take long to find someone. Next, you start flying more difficult planes, because sure you have bragging rights saying you shot down someone in the same plane, however bragging rights intensified if you were flying something conceivably more difficult, which is how I eventually ended up flying the P38.
To me honor in AH is not killing any way I can, but being delicate about it. If someone shoots me down, I will not gang them in hopes of revenge. Instead I would prefer to try to get them 1 on 1. If they have significant damage, let them land. I am respectful to those that deserve it, if someone is running their mouth I often don't care what they have to say. There are some people who I have fought have damaged my plane to the point where I was missing an engine/wing yet still flying, they could kill me but they pull off and tell me to go land. If that is the case I will auger to reward them the kill, because they deserved it. That is a bit more extreme than myself, however if I come across a lone con missing a wing, I will disengage.
Earlier in my career in AH I saw more GK's and GS's being exchanged than I do now. Now I seem to see excuses.