With the advent of the jet engine, all manner of opportunities loomed for designers of single-engined fighters. The big, bulky piston powerplant could be banished from the nose, replaced by a comparatively compact turbojet nestled behind the pilot, close to the centre of gravity. Armament and/or radar could be installed up front, freeing the wings of impediments. All of this allowed for ever-smoother aerodynamics.
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