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The Merlin Whrilwind was probably a far more a realistic thing than Hs-129 with BMW 801 engines.
Yeah but they should have compared the Whirlwind to the Typhoon instead of the Spitfire
Empty weight: 8,310 lb vs Empty weight: 8,840 lb and two 12 cylinder engines that had no other use vs one 24 cylinder engine that had no other use (although they wanted to)
Hindsight is a wonderful thing
It was all a moot point as Tizard, the chairman of the Joint Development and Production Committee, noted in February 1941 that the Whirlwind used two engines that had no other use and consumed 50% more material than a Spitfire to do the same job less efficiently. In fact a Whirlwind consumed nearly three times as much alloy as a Spitfire! This was why Tizard endorsed the cancellation of the project (on 3rd February) and only 114 Whirlwinds were ever produced.
The fact that the Hs129 was a purpose-built ground attack aircraft does show that the Luftwaffe was looking in the right direction for a dedicated Ground Support platform.
Unlike the Hs123, which was adapted for the role, or other aircraft that followed suit, the Hs129 was designed from the start for close support with it's heavy armor and air-cooled engines. However, it was under-powered and much like the Ju87, needed the protection by means of air supremacy in order to operate un-molested.
What it did accomplish on the battlefield (even in the small numbers that were built), however, was proof that it was a sound concept.