It wasnt there when it was needed because people said a long range escort couldnt be made and wasnt needed anyway. The P-51 started to go in service in late 1943, the huge numbers werent there until mid 1944, USA bombing missions started in 1942 with Spitfires, then P-47s then P-38s and P-51s.
Define long range please.
Now let sees what was actually available (in production in 1942) for a "long" range escort, like much beyond 300 miles round trip.
And a 300 mile round trip at the speeds and altitudes the B-17s and B-24s would fly.
Edit: sorry guys, I mean 300 mile radius, like England to the Ruhr. Brain fart.
Anybody want to try to estimate the speed/altitudes of a Lancaster with reduced bomb load for a daylight raid go ahead
Allison powered Mustang as B-17 escort even with drop tanks?
P-38 with 300 gallons of internal fuel and drop tanks? (Please use P-38F, but go ahead and throw in a 2nd generator and better cockpit heating)
P-47s are not available yet, regardless of drop tanks.
P-40F & L ? Go ahead and hang a drop tank under each wing, add 10-20 gallons more in the rear fuselage if you want.
The Groundhog with extra fuel where the wing .30 cal guns are
Spitfire V with more than 30-40 gallons in the rear fuselage? (a lot easier to balance big rear tanks when you have a two stage Merlin in front)
A Typhoon?
Anybody seeing a problem here?
To escort the American bombers (or the big British bombers) you needed a plane that could not only fly the distance, it had to fly at a usable altitude and at a useable speed , enough to be able to respond to attackers. It had to be able to at least match the defending fighters.
The two stage Merlin might not have been the only answer but it gave enough power to allow take-offs with addition fuel without absurd runways. It gave enough power to actual fight at around 25,000ft and not just fly in a straight line. It showed up at the right time (or just a bit late) and it could be shoehorned into existing aircraft.
Without the Merlin you would have been looking at single escort fighters powered by the Sabre or Vulture for the British and the R-2800 (Surprise), the twin Allison, or one of the engines that never made it.
Or resort to twin engine fighters, like the P-38.
