[kylaka]

I guess you've never seen one running with two cylinders gone and the remains of two pistons hanging out of the crankcase. There is a reason most fighter airplanes went from radials to turbines with only a few exceptions (Mustang, Spitfire etc.)
Radials are reliable, and they smell good too.

[knew it all the time]

Mustangs and Spitfires had in-line engines. Radials were used by the thousands duriing WW II.

[org.whodat]

Thanks for telling me that, I'll put that in my file of dumb things to tell an AIR Force vet.