I agree they need a bigger core. Even when a good HF can get behind a bomber, it is still unable to deliver the firepower needed to bring it down (what's worse is the bad HFs also have the same limit, so they are unable to evade and also unable to punch).
Right now the HFs are about 30-40% weaker than VHF in hull, core, bats/bots, etc (not counting the different hardpoints with lower potential damage). My feeling is that the core and hull should be closer to 20% less (still weak enough for a VHF to kill it in a joust but enough for a HF to kill a VHF from behind). If they are supposed to be VHF except in name, they should have the same hull/core.