Evening clue. Thanks; Ernie P.
What warbird do I describe?
Clues:
1. A single prototype of a new fighter showed great promise in testing; and an initial order for 100 aircraft was placed.
2. But then it was suggested the plane could be lightened a bit.
3. And the wing should be stiffened.
4. So the order was cancelled.
5. By the time the revised (lightened and stiffened) aircraft was ready, the war was almost over. But still, twenty aircraft were ordered.
6. The revised Model B featured not only a strengthened wing with additional bracing; and a revised vertical stabilizer and rudder; as well as strengthened landing gear.
7. In the original tests, the subject aircraft was found to have superior performance to almost any of the aircraft then in production.
8. So, the builders decided to continue development and sales.
9. Their monoplane was, yet again, revised.
10. Less than a year and one-half later, yet another variant was ready. This one featured revised ailerons.
11. As is true after almost any war, it was hard to find buyers of new and untried aircraft.
12. Particularly with so many surplus aircraft being sold.
13. Still, the builders pressed on and developed several new, improved variants.
14. In fact, it could be argued there were almost as many variants as aircraft produced and sold.
15. A couple of years later, yet another variant was ready.
16. This one featured a redesigned wing, with greater span, a modified horizontal stabilizer and yet another modification to the landing gear.
17. This was the most popular version, but numbers were never great.
18. Eventually, half a dozen nations bought the plane; including the producing nation.
19. But the numbers were still relatively small.20. Perhaps fewer than 120 aircraft in total, of all variants, were built.
21. As the aircraft design aged, some were used as trainers.
22. There was even a two seat version produced.