The world's leading jet ace -- Colonel Giora Epstein, an Israeli -- had to wangle his way into jets after doing a stint with the paratroopers & then applying to helicopter school because he wasn't considered physically fit enough for fighter training.
Hartmann, Epstein -- gotta be a lesson in there on sheer determination!
Pilots? (if that is an aside discussion on this thread) Absolutely!
Frankly speaking, an Israeli pilot would be the greatest demise to an American pilot in real time IMO.
Epstein has shown and blown and proved himself to be one of the greatest.