"The wings were actually bent considerably."
Geez, if the wings got bent in the recovery (pulling out of the dive) those poor people must have been subjected to some SERIOUS G's.
I wonder what the difference in wing shape would have done to the craft's flight/stall characteristics?
It often seems they were wonderfully unconcerned with minor details back in the day.
That flexing (bending) under high stress DOES change flight characteristics, is the main reason for several flight crashes earlier in the 40, 50, 60's ..
Affect "front facing wings" like the X-29 (?) significantly.