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Why did early aerial combat usually take place at very short range?

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Bombings in World War II: The first war decided from the air — air warfare Overview of aerial bombardment in Europe during World War II, with a detailed discussion of the Battle of Britain.

Early aerial combat during World War I was primarily conducted at very short range due to the technical limitations of the weaponry employed at the time. Fighter aircraft were equipped with fixed, forward-firing machine guns that required the pilot to aim the entire plane at the target. The effective range of these weapons was limited to no more than approximately 200 yards.1

Because pilots lacked sophisticated targeting systems and relied on simple ring-and-bead sights, they had to close the distance significantly to ensure their fire was accurate enough to hit an enemy craft. Furthermore, because there were no advanced warning systems, combat often relied on surprise attacks, such as approaching from the rear or diving out of the sun, which naturally facilitated engagements at close quarters.21