Trevor Legate - a distinct pleasure to find you here, even tho' I am merely a Brit on a US site, I hope my welcome would be echoed by all.
Everyone else, I hope you realise what a breadth of knowledge this chap can bring - his books are standard reference items so far as I am concerned. Gosh, first Tom Monroe, now Trevor, I am so impressed with this site.
What'saCobra? - who says the English only embrace the 289? Or find the 427 "vulgar"?? We can't afford aesthetic sensibilities these days anyway
Judging by the numbers of replicas over here, the 427 is by far the more popular. The 289 was and is pretty though.
Lastly, the Mustang just could not provide cover for the bombers all the way to the target and back until it was given the Merlin engine, and many young airmen died in the daylight bombing campaign because of that. Sad times.
Anyway - I like the way you throw long words into your posts, spelling and grammar even - my kinda guy!
Evan - I seem to have gotten away with calling you a "tosspot", next time we meet I will explain what it means.