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With coupled engines the loss of 1 engine reduces total engine power to 50%. To make matters worse that 50% is all on one wing. You will be lucky to remain airborne, much less take evasive action against the enemy attack.
I can see what you are getting at here but it is worth pointing out that the coupled engine was still 2 engines.
It was possible to shut down 1 engine in the pairing and have the other still working.
So the loss of 1 engine does not necessarily mean that both are lost (if you see what I mean) although obviously damage to the vital systems both require (like the mating gearbox for instance) would kill both even when 1 might otherwise have operated normally.
I have never seen a reference to clutches, perhaps they were there but they are never mentioned?
However they had little doubt about the need to fight France as that nation was unrelentingly hostile throughout the 1930s. France became even more hostile after that nation adopted a Marxist "Popular Front" government during 1936.
If we assume German naval bomber development begins about 1936 then the ability to strike French Atlantic seaports would be a primary requirement. 1936 Germany had no aircraft engines which produced more then about 1,000 hp. Carrying enough fuel will require more then 2,000hp so you need 4 engines.
It's more efficient for aircraft to attack merchant ships directly then to call in submarines. The catch is you need enough long range naval bombers to make the attacks. The 36 Fw200s historically produced during 1940 and 58 produced during 1941 are a drop in the bucket compared to naval requirements.main mission the Germans needed doing in the Atlantic was convoy spotting and shadowing for the U-boats