Maybe so.. but do u think 90% of planes (in WW2) HO'd on 1st pass putting there life at risk just to kill the other person 1st or do yo think they would avoid and kill them with some skill either in a turn, merge or pick.
actually yes they did. the first rule taught was to turn into your opponent and face him head on. this served multiple purposes.
1 you shorten the distance between you and you opponent faster than he was anticipating
2 you cannot shoot at what is not in front of you, it is better to lose taking the shot than to lose without putting up a fight
3 you have more option engaging an opponent from your 12 than you do from your 6
4 you will spook an untrained uncombat seasoned pilot by the confrontation, increasing the likelihood that he will make a critical error
5 in air combat only the offensive pilot can win
6 maintain constant aggression
7 by turning into your attacker you force him to change his strategy, if he wants to survive he must move, this gives you the advantage of momentum, you have now taken control by forcing him to react to you instead of you reacting to him.
and the reasons go on and on. but the point is that they did teach the HO as a counter tactic to being bounced or attacked from an opponent with advantage. be that advatage superior alt or plane or ect....
but here in AH i have realised that the HO really is just a fight and fun ender. it takes no real skill. it does have its place and its application, but that is not every 1v1 and in every plane you fly. if your in a dog like the TBM and you get a HO shot youd be foolish not to take it, if your in a 110 mossie b25 ect and some tard in a fighter want a nose job then by all means give it to him. but when your 1v1 and your in relatively matched advantage and fighter types then damn it fight dont HO.
well just my $.02