The present trend of fighter design is towards high speeds at greater heights.

For some time it has been apparent that two types of fighter are necessary. Firstly, the small, highly manœuvrable and very fast single-seater fighter with high rate of climb and comparatively short range, and secondly, a larger type for escort duties which is necessarily somewhat slower and less manœuvrable. As in all engineering, and particularly in aircraft engineering, the conclusions which are reached to arrive at a final design never produce an ideal. If this were possible it would only be necessary to consider one type of fighter, for the small single-seater would have the range of the escort fighter, or alternatively the escort fighter would have the speed, manœuvrability and climb of the small single-seater.