lol!... yes, I find it very difficult with this aircraft.
I set them as enemy against the early Alb DI, and had a hell of a time taking them on as the AI were flinging them all over the place...

This impressed me, so I decided to fly them myself... I have flown them several times now, and I'm getting away with it by the skin of my teeth each time.
I don't know what magic the AI has got when you see them in the DH-5, but it's a different kettle of fish when you fly them yourself.
That staggered wing gives you great forward vision, but that essential area above and behind (the one place where you need good visibility is nil!)...

I consider myself a pretty good pilot, and I'm quite confident in most aircraft that I fly, but not so in the DH-5.
I know they had problems in real life, and that they were relegated to ground attack roles (where they shined, and were good for that role) but as a pure scout aircraft, you really are taking your life in your hands when you take on even early enemy aircraft of the same time period...