Russ,
You could also consider "durability" as one of your fighter attributes. In WWI this would speak directly to airframe strength (such as an aircraft's ability to perform high-G maneuvers like the diving pull-out), and for the WW2 era and later periods to strengths such as armor protection, self-sealing tanks, and things like back-ups for control systems. This also segues nicely into how other weapon system's are judged, such as how armored fighting vehicles are rated; by mobility, firepower, & protection.
Whenever I get the opportunity, I always try to link the online article
Aerial Fighting, a short paper written by Captain
Arthur Cobby, Australia's leading WWI ace of the Great War. What I find illuminating about Cobby's explanation of air combat tactics, is how he illustrates his own evolution from early dogfighting novice, to that of the deliberating hunter. The article hosted on the Australian Flying Corps website is certainly a good read, and it details an early dogfight where Cobby was engaged in combat with a Pfalz D.III-type too.
Aerial Fighting, by Capt. Arthur Cobby