What if these two fighters were fielded?

The XP67(if the engine difficulties could have been solved) and the XP77.

Not sure, but the blended fuselage/wing could've been an early example of stealth(less for the radar to bounce directly back).

The XP77 could've been similar, in a more limited way, to the Mousquito.

Am I barking up the wrong tree?

 

Not the wrong tree really, but the tiny little 77 was really a "home defense" fighter which wasn't ever really needed here in America. The "Bat" (XP67) from McDonnell was an interesting design, but perhaps a bit ahead of its time. From what I have read and understand its laminar flow "slickness" also made it less than stable in flight at certain speeds and altitudes. While some "instability" is a good thing in a fighter, until "fly-by-wire" and computers came along these were touchy traits at best, and widow makers at worst. Here is a good run-down from Joe Baugher on the "Bat".

Goto:

McDonnell XP-67

For an explanation of "Dutch Roll";

Goto:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dutch_roll

 

I've always liked the cuteness of the XP77....but that's nearly the only "advantage" it demonstrated. The project was dogged with problems - the supercharged engine it needed was never to appear - and costs spiralled after a dispute with a subcontractor.

The aircraft itself had many quite serious propblems; there was no vibration isolation in the engine mountings, and vibration was a problem. There was a "1945 German"-style delamination issue in the wooden components...and the Bell trademark tricycle undercarriage didn't manage to compensate enough for the lowslung pilot's seating position, the pilot's view when taxiing was atrocious, worse than most serving inline-engined fighters..

A lot of nations attempted to design "lightwieght" fighters in the WWII period....but very few of them came to anything.

However....the 77 did demonstrate one strange feature - with it's underpowered Ranger XV-770-7 engine sans supercharger, the prototypes had a range of 550 miles; for a "home defence" fighter - not bad! The 1940 Spitfire and Hurricane only had ranges of ~380-400 miles...

 

Yeah, I guess it would've required too many "fixes" in order for it to have been fielded (is that even a word?). Ah well, the world may never have known if it might've been a world-beater.

 

Something about the 77 lends itself to the possibility of becoming a home-built project, something for the "basement builder". I'm not sure, but if perhaps a surplus Ranger engine that is mouldering away somewhere is found, or even the same Polish outfit that is currently manufacturing Franklin 0235's might see a market for resurrecting the Ranger, the possibilities are there. This little cutey just cries out "build me!"