Were you strapped securely in place with all the belts? So securely that you wouldn't shift in your seat when slammed around by high-G manuvers? Sitting in my chair here, without taking the pressure off my shoulders, I can't move my head too far forward. In fact, I think HTC is a tad too generous with sideways movement, but I don't mind (otherwise we'd not be able to see squat).
I'm not trying to be argumentative, mind you. I've seen photos from the side of pilots sitting in spitfires, and of 109s. The gunsight on the 109 is just closer to the pilot's face. This is why it has a huge padded leather protector on it, to prevent beaning the pilot at times.
Perspective wise, anything that's closer is going to look larger in a 2D surface (like a monitor displaying AH). So it looks like the view moves a heluvva lot further but that's just perspective and distortion, maybe?
Only HTC can really say why this is, but I don't think you'll get a response unless you ask really nicely (where is that "Bribes" link??)