And about Luke not actually being a great pilot because he gets helped a couple times, agree you forgetting he and wedge are the only ones who even survive?
There’s a Y-wing flying away at the end too.
If only three Rebel pilots survived the DS battle, then who the heck are all these guys?
I presume they were keeping the majority of TIE fighters occupied elsewhere while designated squadrons made the trench runs, and flew off in a different direction once Luke made a successful torpedo shot.
Maybe the pilots at the end of A New Hope are brand new pilots that jumped ship from the Imperial Academy and they just finished their Rebel indoctrination. The awards ceremony at the end of the movie could’ve taken place a few days after the Battle of Yavin unless otherwise stated in the shooting script.