You're right partly in my opinion. The first IL-2 had the problem in North America of being held in Russia. I've asked quite a few people around here about WWII and how much fighting went on in Russia and many of them don't have the foggiest idea. The first 2001 IL-2 had one of the best box arts I've ever seen.
http://pwned.com/gamecovers/pc/165be...Sturmovik_.jpg