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A typical fighter pilot thinks he shooting at 300 yards but it is actually 600 yards.
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While this sounds like terrible performance on the part of our pilots, there are other factors involved that most people who aren't combat pilots don't think about.
Consider this, if your plane is doing 300mph, it will travel 300 yards in about two seconds. If your plane is doing 400mph, it will travel that same 300 yards in about 1.5 seconds.
So, if the closure rate between you and your enemy is 300mph, and you open fire at 600, two seconds later you are at 300 and if no one moves two seconds after that you collide.
Consider two fighters going head on, each doing a "mere" 300mph. That's a closure rate of 600mph, and at that speed, there is only barely over 2 seconds between 600yards apart and impact. And don't forget the amount of time needed for your aircraft to move enough to avoid striking the enemy aircraft.
The time needed between getting close enough for a successful attack and needing to break off to avoid collision depends on the aircraft speeds and angle of attack. Stern attacks give you the most time, head on the least, and beam attacks are in the middle, somewhere.
The greatest aces had the eyesight, reflexes and concentration to learn to use them effectively, and repeatedly.
The guys who didn't, scored lower, if at all, and some never survived their first mistake. Also remember that for every expert ace, there were squadrons worth of guys who never got anywhere near that good.
even the great aces started out as green pilots They just learned their OJT better and usually quicker than most.