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From: fiddler@concertina.Eng.Sun.COM (Steve Hix)
Newsgroups: sci.military
Subject: Re: Spitfires and F-13's.
Message-ID: <1990Aug10.010825.9@cbnews.att.com>
Date: 10 Aug 90 01:08:25 GMT
References: <1990Aug7.040800.6653@cbnews.att.com>
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From: fiddler@concertina.Eng.Sun.COM (Steve Hix)

> From: G_AHRENDT@VAXA.CC.UWA.OZ.AU (Gunter Ahrendt)
> 
> The USAF F-13 designation was used by Boeing for it's B-29 Superfortress 
> Strategic Reconnaissance Version with large camera installations and 
> long-range tanks. This version was known as F-13A. 117 were manufactured.

Here we have some confusion brought about by changing nomenclature rules.

Pre-1947 or so, P = pursuit, B = bomber, F = recon, C = transport (cargo),
T = trainer, ...

After that, the rules changed:

B = bomber, F = fighter, R = recon, C = transport, T = trainer, ...

You get reminded about things like that when you read something like a
description of flying an F5 over the Normandy beaches during D-Day...

The book wasn't a science fiction alternate history story...in this
case, the F5 was, I think, the recon version of the P-38.

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  The only drawback with morning is that it comes 
    at such an inconvenient time of day.
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