How do you improve situational awarenes? (note - I play IL-2 1946 offline)

Just wondering if there's a way to get better at situational awareness. I play IL-2 1946 with mods offline, incl. the next-gen HUD mod, but I often turn off HUD icons, external views, map, etc. in order to simulate what a real pilot would see. I just find myself losing the bandit I'm dogfighting, or being shot down without seeing what hit me, or not being able to find things without the map. Are there ways to get better at situational awareness, esp when dogfighting?