This has generally puzzled me for years... it makes more tactical sense to let a wing (element) deal with a con instead of the whole flight+ while the rest stay on guard up top for the inevitable incoming. I'm not referring to the hordes at a base-stomp, but skwadz. In general I find poor coordination between the 2-3-4+ on me - it's even more puzzling when you're already dealing with 2 or 3 and then 2 or 3 more come tearing in...
it's nothing new, and there have been at times some skwadz who do have a clue of sorts.
The majority of 'Squad' tactics I have experienced in terms to air combat is this...
1) one plane engages another, (perceived temporary 1v1).
2) that plane loses the advantage, and crys for help
3) The losing plane runs waiting hoping his squad dives down to bnz or gang the defender before he/she is killed.
To sum up, basically its not much of a well thought out 'tactic' and if the 'squad' is placed in a situation where the numerical adv is not in their favor, they either run or get the piss kicked out of them.
IMHO most claims of 'squad tactics' are little more than I called for you to get ganged because you were going to beat the piss out of me. So to place it on a pedestal is stupid, as it doesn't belong there.
Now, when groups actually work together in wingman pairs, which I have seen on rare occasion, well that's different, but you can easily tell the difference, usually right off the bat, but then they are usually not the ones claiming to be liberally using 'squad tactics' either.