In article . com,
WaltBJ wrote:

A few corrections. Yes the later P51s had an 85 gallon fuel tank
behind the cocpit. However, this tank was supposed to be used up first
to avoid CG problems/limits to manuevering. If the pilot ignored this
restriction, chances are the USAAC lost a good airplane and a weak
pilot.
P38 - I had an instructor who flew F5s in the Pacific. 8010 hours and
a couple times - 12 hours. Awkward if the GIs showed up in flight - he
had a couple tales about that involving the jettison of maps, etc.
P39/P40 - both fairly capable at low altitude meaning below say 3000
MSL. Here is where good combat training showed its value. Alone, one
has a problem; as part of a flight there is someone to team with to
fight the enemy, a la the Thach weave.
Nobody mentioned the B32. I saw a whole ramp full of them at Pyote AFB
in 1951 on the way to USAF basic.
Anything designed by Brewster.

If some of the stories are true, anything *made* by Brewster could be
questionable. The manufacturing side of the company had problems just
starting with management.

Budd RB-1 Conestoga - twin engine ramp loading stainless steel
aircraft. A hulk exists at Pima. I saw one at Mines Field (LAX) as a
kid.
Fisher XP75. Mongrel abortion.
A lot of XP planes were doomed because the 'hyper' engines they were
designed for were not produced.

Continental, Lycoming, Rolls-Royce, etc all seemed to come up with the
idea of X-layout engines (and coupling existing engines for bigger
outputs) around the same time.

Did *any* of them actually work out?

Lightweight fighters - a great 1937 idea that didn't pan out.
Walt BJ