realism is spending 6 months training and practicing with a plane and flying only that plane and no others.
realism is spending 6 hours for a 30-minute-hop in both preplanning, preparation, engine starting, taxi, wait, takeoff, formup, navigating by guess, finding no enemy, turning around, and circling the pattern for 15 more minutes before being allowed to land, taxiing to the parking spot, getting out, filling out reports and debriefs for 3 hours, and calling it a day.
Realism is death by accidental failure more than it is finding any enemy combat whatsoever.
Realism is not fun.
EDIT: Not to be confused with historical accuracy, or "being realistic" -- you get my context, though, in reply to your post.