As the fearless, make that foolish OP I have been reading all responses with great interest, thank you all - especially the pilots and techs. As an aside I find it very strange to think of Lightning pilots being old and gray, that has more to do with the "modern" capabilities of the aircraft as it has to do with me being in denial about my own mileage.
As with most harvests one has to separate the wheat from the chaff, some of which belonged to moi as it turned out - I stand humbled and embarrassed on the engine removal issue, but feel somewhat vindicated on the feasibility of an F2A being theoretically capable of packing 6 ADEN, even if the 4 gun forward fit blew out the instruments during testing......
Only a fool would wish for war, and I would die a happy man if not one more aviator ever had to perish in combat - even knowing that pilots are in combat as I type this. But if I could have that one terrible unforgivable wish, it would be for the Lightning to have experienced its test by fire - you see, I simply have to know.
Thanks all.