no i was relying on green again if there was never a D without a bubble canopy then i was misled by Mr. Green again ...
i agree the vertical stab adjustment did not do much and the lateral stability "problem" was never "solved" in the 51 however it is not represented very prominently in the games so it seems HTC consider it was solved and that imo constitutes a significant change when compared to the handling problems represented in other airframes in the game.
the difference in the airframes is more pronounced between the A and D 190s than it is in the F and G 109s and like i said there are order of battle for JGs being operational with the D9 in sept 44 so a few months for operational testing does not seem unlikely ...
one must remember that the USAAF claims were film documented inmost cases so a "new" 190 in combat would have been well reviewed by intel, or one must assume it would.
but thanks for the input, the powers that be just need to look at the "operational testing" done by the Luftwaffe and decide if it was significantly different than the dissemination of information from the first combat operators of the allied types to the squadrons that received the respective airframes later.
otherwise there is some confusion caused by kills by and deaths of aircraft that were "not yet operational" ...
just need to find an equitable way to handle this all, and it's not easy to do so everyone is justifiably satisfied.
The 51D prototype was a B model modified with a bubble canopy. All D models had that canopy. Depending on whether it was a Dallas or Inglewood built 51D the canopy had slight differences in shape, your comment that the D model started out without the bubble canopy is inaccurate. The P51B was first used in December 43 and did not have the Malcom hood. Those started to show up in late February, early March on some of the Group or Squadron leader birds. If you are suggesting the fin fillet is a significant change, then you are reaching in terms of your definition of significant.
In terms of the 190s, for scenario use, if the A5 is the earliest 190 we have, then it would represent the early 190s.
If I find the stuff on Green's D9 mistake I'll post it. Examples of Allied claims of D9s prior to them being in service. The 56th FG claimed 3 D9s on June 8, 1944. The 370th FG claimed 6 D9s on June 20, 1944. Clearly the word was out of a new 190 in the works and folks started seeing them.
Of course there were claims for 109Fs too in the summer of 44, so folks aircraft recognition in the heat of the fight wasn't always right.