I'm beginning to get the hang of dealing with the AI. Here are some thoughts:
AI Bombers:
Attack head on; a brief burst into the bomber will often kill it. (Bombers seem to die much faster, like they give up easily for some reason.) After the HO use slashing attacks only. With a slashing attack you can do some damage yet take very few hits. If you attack from the rear it is like a switch is turned on and you will be shredded in a second. It is truly night and day.
AI Fighters:
As Blooz mentioned they are not very good on the deck. Not only are they likely to auger, but even if they don't they don't seem to fire on you if you are very very low. You can outlive them until a friendly AI comes around, or the enemy AI just gets distracted or bored, or, and I've had this happen a couple of times, they actually overshoot you and end up in front of your guns. In open air at altitude, however, it is nearly impossible to get them off your six.
As I mentioned before they have terrible target fixation so I often try to extend briefly from the fight then come back while the AI enemy is fixated on another AI.
AI fighters never take collision damage even when it's their fault. Several times, on the deck, I've had them overtake me and hit me from behind. They fly on undamaged while I take all the collision damage.
