Morning clue. Thanks; Ernie P.
What warbird do I describe?
1. This aircraft was produced in the thousands.
2. And it was well known at the time it was in use.
3. It performed well throughout its lifespan.
4. Which was a pretty long lifespan.
5. It was flown by multiple air forces.
6. And produced in a number of variants.
7. It was considered to be one of the most important aircraft of its type by its owning service.
8. One of the most produced of its type during a major conflict.
9. The designer had previously been working to design a long-range bomber.
10. But he then proposed a high-altitude interceptor aircraft be built to defend against such aircraft.
11. Thus, this aircraft was originally intended to be an interceptor as first designed.
12. The design parameters were pretty aggressive, for the time. Our subject was to have a pressurized cabin, all metal construction, turbo-supercharges a lot of electrically actuated systems.
13. It was to be capable of hitting nearly 400 mph at over 32,000 feet.
14. With a ceiling of over 40,000 feet.
15. And the fuselage would be specially braced to withstand diving attacks against enemy bomber formations.
16. Initial testing of the first two prototypes found several defects. But the tests were also very promising and further development was approved.
17. Even though the second prototype crashed and killed a number of children.
18. The final design was a low-wing cantilever monoplane.
19. Powered by two license built engines; the most advanced available at the time.
20. Three blade variable-pitch propellers were used.
21. Armament was two 20mm cannon and two machine guns mounted in the nose.
22. With another machine gun in the tail for defense.
23. The tail gun mounting was unusual.