Surely, someone with your background and experience can discern between the ability of the CiC to recognize, prepare, and execute over the perceived deficiencies of the weapons system.
The Zero was only good because our aircraft were substandard when comparing the Zero to the P-39 and -40. Our pilots were inexperienced at the outset of WWII. It's many weaknesses were quickly exposed once we were fully engaged in combat and our war production came online. The Corsair and Hellcat were hardly the pinnacle of our piston engine designs and they chewed up the Zero.
Thirteen .50 cal guns don't mean much when you're flying a predictable course at a predictable altitude and speed through heavy flak.
The MiG-15's existence was no secret or surprise. The fact the Soviets exported it to NK, China, and even flew it in combat against us was, but should not have been.
The F-4 only failed in its BVR capability during Vietnam because it was not allowed to be used. Visual ID was required. Dumb command decisions can't be blamed on the aircraft.
We never lost an SR-71 and probably wouldn't have lost a Valkyrie, had it been continued. That said, I am glad that drove us in the direction of stealth. It would probably be wise to have a combination of high and fast with low and slow. Future UCAVs may give us that.
Hell, we may even have something, for all I know. I remember distincly how off base people were about the F-117 when they thought it was going to be something like the rendering of the F-19.
Precisely my point, now we can add Obama & Gates to that list.
Regarding your summary:
The F-6F was designed specifically to beat the zero. The Hellcat was an air superiority fighter by birth, by design and in application.
Most B-17 and B-24 combat losses were to fighters, not antiaircraft fire. The daylight strategic bombing campaign in the ETO was almost stopped because of losses. It did not shift to the USAAF's favor until the P-51 arrived. The P-51 was designed as an air superiority fighter and long range escort.
In Korea. the F-86 was outclassed in performance by the MiG-15. What earned the spectacular kill ratio was the pilot skill in the USAF and the absolute incompetence of the NKAF.
The 1:1 parity in early air-to- air combat in Vietnam was because the F-105 and F-4 could not engage the enemy on clearly superior terms. The F-14 and F-15 were designed with one mission. Air superiority based on what was learned with the F-4 in combat.
The legacy of the SR-71 was that it could outrun SAMs and intercepters, not that it could defend itself or outfly them in ACM.