Not every wartime Barracuda loss can be traced to one design fault. In a delayed-war counterfactual, the aircraft would receive more testing, but it might also avoid some historical changes imposed by engine availability. Replacing an aircraft engine affects electrics, hydraulics, balance, cooling, and other connected systems rather than merely swapping one unit for another. British ministries repeatedly changed intended engines as they protected aircraft already in service, pushing disruption into newer designs. Aircraft reliability must therefore be studied through the development history of the whole installation, not just the reputation of the final airframe.
Notable Point · 55:30
How engine substitutions complicated the Barracuda
Repeated engine changes altered far more than the Barracuda's powerplant and made its development problems harder to interpret.