OK

here's MORE info for you guys to chew on

I do know that the tapered airfoils seem to be the way to go in that they mainain their energy through turns better than the constant chord wings I have seen

although the ssc minimum wing area is 400 sq in, the more competitive designs have at least 500 sq in

I have been able to acheive an almost stall proof wing in the past, but it was a constant chord, very low aspect ratio ( 12" chord, 36" span ) and it would turn on a dime, but after that tight turn it bled off so much airspeed (much like delta wings) that you were a sitting duck for a few seconds until you got your speed(enegy) back up.

I am not sure that a really high aspect ratio, constant chord wing with the span needed to get me to 500+ sq in wing area could be built strong enough for continuous combat. That's where the tapered wing gives you the strength at the root but the narrow tip allows for a more efficient turn.

Many parrallels can be made between lessons learned in SSC and what we know about what influenced fighter plane design throughout history. Maintaining your speed is very important to survival. Because you can build these planes so quickly and on the cheap, one can afford to do alot of experimenting.