Furthermore, I've been thinking about your analogy Bustr, but I think it doesn't bear close inspection. I was aware of such Army studies, actually those predating the Vietnam conflict, particularly over Victoria Cross recipients. Thing is though, and why I keep belabouring the 'game' aspect, you don't kill anyone at all. This would be bourne out by the percentage of AH players who (assuming their risk of getting shot down was to their own comfort level) would be willing to shoot another AH player down is 100%.
At least I've seldom (in the extreme) ran into an AH player that didn't take every opportunity to shoot me down, Head On, out-numbered 3-1 and they the fourth man in, or the fifth, 88-mm after being shot down near their own base, Vulched relentlessly by the J0ker's types etc... doesn't matter. Rare is the day you run into an opponent that has the class to stay out of a 1-on-1, for instance. Because 'this is war, after all'. Pffft.
I think you've actually inadvertently put your finger on what it is: could it be that most AH players dislike being beaten so much that they simply prefer an arena where that risk is waaaaaay less that 50% (given equal pilots)?
So from a certain perspect AH is $15's-worth of Tom Cruise per month and Pervert was right all those years ago. Thanks Bustr. You've depressed my optimism about the health of the game no end. Sigh.