You should be rightly scared in August 1917 when you meet any of the Jasta 11, Jasta 5 crowd... They have some dangerous people in them... but if they are shot down early in a career and then 'killed' you won't meet them will you frown they will just be any old Jasta with no fearsome aces in place.
As the game stands it's great. You may be lucky enough to shoot down a famous flyer, but he will not be killed. I just take it I have forced them down and they are wounded or have survived, and that is how it should be. (and that is my lowly and humble take on the matter) I'd like historical accuracy please, not 'what if' scenarios...
Have to say though, the dev's will be working hard on their expansion packs after this last patch, so it will be all historical stuff they churn out smile