I'd forgotten how quickly PPRuNe descends into petty arguing!
I for one agree with the idea of not selecting flaps down, but then I dont know the skyraider's airframe at all and the amount of hinge points, location of flap motor etc etc.
Kudos to the pilot, he may have hit the P-51 but to stay calm enough afterwards to number 1 get it out of a dive, then 2 land safely, with a sizeable chunk of wing missing, fair play, I would've jumped!