I suspect the roll rate of such a design with IC engines at least would be poor - banks would be slow to initiate and slow to stop. And the complexity of the whole thing would make it a hard combat plane to live with.

there would be big outboard loads on the wings on landing. the wing structural weight would be very high.

This design would have a low strength to weight ratio.

However I think it would be interesting to try it - and totally agree that electric is the way to go.

The lateral area on this plane seems quite minimal - I wonder if its laterally stable in the current configuration.

Fast for a piston engined plane though > 500mph!


I agree with BMatthews - the only design reason for putting the engines out there has to be related to trying to minimise (tip) vortex drag.