Shooting a decent flyer in something as maneuverable as a Wildcat with a D9 is pretty challenging too.
EDIT: Saying one would take "No pride" in shooting down an F4F ace 1v1 in a D9 is actually quite silly. The D9 may enjoy a massive advantage in engine power, but it also has a massive disadvantage in turning ability. I imagine most would be more likely to get the kill Wildcat vs. Wildcat than to actually put lead on him with the Dora.
Insert "Zero" where instead of D9 and the phrase would make more sense, since the Zero DOES hold most of the cards over a Wildcat.
Not like Snaphook's A-20 vs. a Hog or something, he himself pointed out that flying it is instructive because it doesn't hold an advantage over much in either E OR angles tactics.
BnZ has a certain amount of luck. I pick my angle, anticipate which way slap is going to break, take my shot. If Slap is a bit off on his timing, or I get lucky and and pic the right spot and poof he's down. Am I proud of that kill, not really, I got lucky, or Slap was unlucky because he picked the wrong move. But if we fought it all the way to the deck twisting and turning picking pieces of of each other until one of us dies. Would I be proud of that kill heck ya !!
I've killed humble a number of times, most I wasn't to proud of, I played it safe and picked him apart from a distance while he kill many others. One fight we were both in hogs and we fought from 8k to the deck. I knew I was in trouble, and finally got picked by a nik I couldn't avoid due to all the parts humble knocked off. I lost, but that fight was over a year ago and it still gets my heart pumping to think about it.
Those are the kills to be proud of, those are the fights that keep me playing this game. Vulchin, pickin, ganging, no skill kills, but that is what most of the player go for because they are the easiest, takes the least amount of time to learn. Quakers learn the tricks and short cuts, simmers learn something new in each fight.