There were and are a lot of pilots that can take what is considered an inferior aircraft and score victories against "superior" aircraft. Even when it comes down to equal pilot skill and unequal capabilities, say a guy in a Mig 21 vs a guy in an F-16, tactics, the mechanics of the engagement, weather, and luck figure into who comes out victorious......

And is there really a difference between manuverable and aerobatic? A TBM Avenger, while fairly manuverable as required to land on a carrier, was prohibited from performing aerobatic manuvers.