[harrison987]

Micke,

You are thinking too much...

Upgrading is NOT a total conversion.

You can easily keep an A6 fuselage, and upgrade to A8 "standard".

I am not talking about adding hatches or making it look "physically" like an A8...I am speaking about weaponry, electronics, powerplant, etc..

The wreck that was discovered is 100% proof of this. It was a A5 with A8 upgrades...and this was NOT uncommon.

The Me109 for example went though NUMEROUS changes, when the Me109K was designed in 1942 (when the G2 was still being built). At that time, they already started implementing K-4 designs and modifications into the early G...weaponry, cannon, canopy, engine, tail.

Upgrades were done both in the field AND at major repair facilities, as per government directive.

This is why you see a mixture of later and earlier implementations on various Fw190 models...blown and standard canopies...smaller/taller tails on various models...weaponry, etc.

You are confusing terminology.

"Upgrading" is NOT a total conversion...it is taking an early aircraft and upgrading it as close as possible to the current standard. it is not re-building it in all aspects to make it a later model - only upgrading what you have to current.

This was standard practice on all aircraft.