1930s/40s: no 2-engined fighters as-designed

[Shortround6]

Because the Corsair couldn't do it in 1941-42. Things were changing quickly then and what was possible in 1944 was not possible in 1942 in production aircraft.

 

[GrauGeist]

Militaries are always "looking ahead" in their equipment development, especially during wartime, where that development becomes accelerated.
The USN, in 1941, had the F2A and F4F in service.
However, the XF5F, XF6F and XF4U were in development. Of these three, only the XF6F and XF4U were found to be viable upgrades after testing.
Keep in mind that it takes time to iron out issues with the prototypes and often times, the production model looks much different than the original design, as in the case of the XF4U.
So during that maturation process, it's still not completely known if the type will be suitable, so several types are developed at the same time, just in case.

 

[MiTasol]

Perhaps it was more like the actually fast and short-legged Zero?

short-legged Zero? From wiki so not 100% reliable but not THAT far off either

Spitfire
• Range: 771 km (479 mi, 416 nmi)
• Combat range: 399 km (248 mi, 216 nmi)

P-40E
• Range: 1,152 km (716 mi, 622 nmi) at 70% power

F4F
• Range: 1,360 km (845 mi, 734 nmi)

A6M2
• Range: 1,870 km (1,160 mi, 1,010 nmi)

 

[MiTasol]

The Beaufighter was originally ordered as a cannon fighter. It was, in effect, a back up to the Whirlwind, which was taking rather longer than the Air Ministry would have liked.

To speed up development, the Beaufighter used the wings from the Beaufort mated to a new fuselage.

Night fighting was not part of its original specification.

And tail and landing gear and many internals

 

[GrauGeist]

short-legged Zero? From wiki so not 100% reliable but not THAT far off either

Spitfire
• Range: 771 km (479 mi, 416 nmi)
• Combat range: 399 km (248 mi, 216 nmi)

P-40E
• Range: 1,152 km (716 mi, 622 nmi) at 70% power

F4F
• Range: 1,360 km (845 mi, 734 nmi)

A6M2
• Range: 1,870 km (1,160 mi, 1,010 nmi)

The A6M2's range shown is ferry range, it's combat radius was between 5 and 6 hundred miles.

 

[tomo pauk]

short-legged Zero? From wiki so not 100% reliable but not THAT far off either

Spitfire
• Range: 771 km (479 mi, 416 nmi)
• Combat range: 399 km (248 mi, 216 nmi)

P-40E
• Range: 1,152 km (716 mi, 622 nmi) at 70% power

F4F
• Range: 1,360 km (845 mi, 734 nmi)

A6M2
• Range: 1,870 km (1,160 mi, 1,010 nmi)

You have misunderstood me. I was refering to the He 100 after some tweaks being equivalent of a Zero (in sense that featured no protection ) but faster and with a bit shorter range.

 

[MiTasol]

The A6M2's range shown is ferry range, it's combat radius was between 5 and 6 hundred miles.

Which still gives it a range of just under 1000 to 1200 miles using your numbers as range is (2xradius minus fuel reserves for weather etc en-route and at the destination). Therefore Wiki's quoted 1,160 miles/1,870 km fits very well with the numbers you used.

That is still much or very much further than the Spitfire (2.4x), P-40E (1.6x) and F4F (1.4x) which were its contemporaries.

From memory, the only long range British fighter was the Mosquito.