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I just remember when I was a young engineer out of college, I went to work for Northrop Aircraft Division in Hawthorne.

Northrop had been wildly successful exporting the F-5 and the F-18 was in production.

When they went to design the F-20 as an export aircraft only (Jimmy Carter started that whole thing), the V-P of Engineering said Northrop would build a single engine aircraft over his dead body. There was a huge argument over single versus twin, especially in an export environment, and T.V. Jones (then CEO) overruled everyone.

Of course, they had missed the larger argument, that is, if the aircraft wasn't in the U.S. inventory, nobody was interested. Hence, the last ditch effort to get the Air National Guard to buy it in a paper fly-off with the F-16.

Every time I see a single engine jet fighter, it reminds me of the whole ordeal.

Sorry I didn't explain more fully earlier. Pretty busy.

Peace