Why tactics matter more than aircraft specifications alone

Why did Buffaloes and other apparently inferior aircraft sometimes perform well?

Because trained crews and appropriate tactics could exploit their useful capabilities and avoid unfavorable comparisons on a single metric.

Aircraft such as the Fulmar and Buffalo look weak when compared only through speed and maneuverability. British and Commonwealth tactics instead emphasized coordination and the capabilities those aircraft did possess. The Wildcat-versus-Zero comparison adds the value of radios, structural strength, and the ability to survive damage: the specialized opponent had to exploit its advantage repeatedly, while the balanced fighter needed one successful firing opportunity. Combat results can therefore diverge sharply from paper comparisons built around a single performance metric.