Is red baron 3D 3rd person if you want? Can you see your plane?
Update: This says it is: http://www.mobygames.com/game/red-baron-ii

Yes it is. Most people who play use various in cockpit and outside of airplane views in a dogfight.
I fly more inside the cockpit then out side it, but I do use outside views. I have a number of RB3D videos on YouTube, which were recorded as I played the game. My Favorite one is this one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O5C-cq_io2I
It will give you an idea how most fly.

I'm fairly new to this but here is my take: since the AI doesn't co-operate when you fly the plane (the AI planes won't slow down if you fall behind, etc), I generally let the autopilot fly until an enemy is in sight. During that time, I am generally in F5 (third-person) view and since the autopilot is flying the plane, one can use the slew view (you look in the direction you move the stick to) providing you change the view to first-person. Even flying a plane, it is easy in third person by dead reckoning (altimeter and compass will not be visible). However, I find it hard to aim and keep track of enemy planes that get beside or behind you and using the numbers pad puts you back into the cockpit so I fight in first person and, if separated from my flight, I use first-person (so I can see the gauges) until I find them or land.