Jane, I'm sorry to sound like a killjoy schoolmarm, but you won't gain any real understanding of aeronautics by gathering anecdotes about this and that airplane.
If you really want to understand aircraft design and performance, why don't you read a book about aircraft design and performance?
Maybe
QUEST FOR PERFORMANCE - THE EVOLUTION OF MODERN AIRCRAFT [Paperback]
Laurence K., Jr. Loftin (Author)
Umm, Amazon's price for that book is $116.47. Maybe you can get a look at QUEST FOR PERFORMANCE via interlibrary loan.
Other, more advanced books include
Fundamentals of Aerodynamics (Mcgraw Hill Series in Aeronautical and Aerospace Engineering)
John Anderson (Author)
and
An Introduction to Aircraft Performance (Aiaa Education Series) by Mario Asselin.
Last edited by Modern Elmo; 25th Aug 2011 at 03:06.