Every inline engine I know of has an aluminum engine block, and I rather think that they are not 1 to 2 inches (25 to 50mm) thick.
However, I do agree that the inline engines are too fragile.
Fly the P40 for a while. I'm sure that the tail gunners could simply use
7.65 Browning Walther PPKs and bring them down with one shot.
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Personally speaking, the P-40 could contend on an equal footing with all the types of Messerschmitts, almost to the end of 1943.
~Nikolay Gerasimovitch Golodnikov
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