Thanks, Tomo.
I like the occasional "what-if" when there was an obvious possibility of doing it, but not the ones that are off into the mushrooms.
For instance, there is no possibility of inventing the Ta-152 any sooner unless something else was given up to do it. The "something else" has to have been an aircraft program at the FW company or else it would not help. They never tell you what would be given up to make something else happen sooner. Engines are the same. Yes, they can invent the Jumo 213, any version, sooner. What would they NOT do in order to get that outcome? And what would be the effect on real programs of the thing they didn't do?
At least that is SORT of dealing with the real world.
Example:
What if we never invented the F-111? Then that effort, which took some hours, would be able to develop some other aircraft. So what would General Dynamics be inventing OTHER than the F-111.
What else was funded?
Answer ... nothing. The F-111 effort is what was funded and GD would NOT invest their own money for a pie in the sky alternative. So the real answer is that if they had not responded to the F-111 RFQ, and had not WON it, there would have been layoffs at GD much sooner.