Guppy, sitting in a mocked up cockpit and looking through a small window at another, miniature cockpit in a miniature world, is something a lot of us can't accept anymore.
I have no problem deploying the A-10C or the F-18 in VR without a feeling that my control is compromised. I don't know why you insist VR is a 'gimmick' beyond maybe a feeling of buyer's remorse.
I've got the TM Warthog HOTAS, JetSeat, TM pro rudders, all in a nice sim rig. All of the VR 'problems' people put forward, as part of their remorse, have all been solved.
When VR goes 4k, you'll have an 8k. You'll never be happy with VR until it equals or exceeds your monitor fidelity.