The effectiveness of an air force in combat is only limited to the skill of your pilots. There's no use in spending $180million on a plane if you only spend like $100 dollars training your pilot. Its pointless. Hell, if they were good enough, you could have a air force of Sopwith Camels taking on and beating an Air Force with Flankers, Eagles and Tornado's. Unlikely yes, but if they modern jet pilots are unskilled,then the more skilled pilots in older planes would have a better chance, if not the best chance.