NimWACS radar? IIRC, it couldnīt point at the coast as the track overload crashed the system. Computers not up to the job and no room/weight to replace them. I believe the nimrods dutch roll also caused problems.
Then there was the Mayday the first time it went above FL260; there was an enormous cracking sound and they gingerly took it home to find the radome cracked around most of the circumference from the internal air pressure.
And, as you mention, the wonderful system of using the fuel as a heat dump. Had to wait until they reached the orbit to turn the radar on and turn it off when they left, otherwise the endurance became a joke.
A different airframe might have allowed changes and improvements to performance, but thatīs all speculation....
Things behind cockpits? What about that great British invention, the Shackleton with just the one big spark plug screwed in the top?
