Yes Drop tanks are a problem, I am supporting this under the only drop tanks at 100%. I hope this becomes the case, otherwise, that is very true. There apparently will no longer be less then 75% loss of fuel and that is at 90% of fuel objects destroyed.
Many p51 missions were released for ground attack after escort.
I think what may be getting many of your p51 disliking goats, is that the p51 (not my favorite, kinda vanilla if you ask me) was one of the very best planes of the war. You cant avoid this, just as the la7 was one of the very best planes of the war, and the 109g10/k4
This does not take away early planes. The hurri 1 has a suprisingly good range, the spit 1 nearly so. a6m2 is a miser, f4f is okay, p40 has a suprisingly long range, the 110 has a great range. The 109e is at a disadvantage, but so it was during the war. The fact they didnt have enough gas to play around over england probably saved the UK as much as its being ordered to stay low and slow with the bombers.