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Hello Franek
My recollection is that P-47N was needed as very long range fighter for Pacific, and also used as that, at least partly. Flying fighter sweeps over Japan and also over Korea. It had clearly longer range than P-51D. But of course it had also great load carrying capacity and so fighter-bomber potential.
Boeing XF8B-1 was single engined (R-4360 Wasp Manor) fighter/fighter bomber, maybe more later. It suffered the USAAF/USN deal in which USN cancelled/delayed it's contracts with Boeing and got patrol bombers from USAAF contracts. And USAAF got more resourses to its top-priority B-29 program. Plane was good but delayed and then USN prefered F7F Tigercat and jets were coming, so it was cancelled.
No need to check the Seafire III. I know it was excellent defensive fighter but IIRC it lacked range, and the capacity to be able work as escort fighter for strike a/c was very important to a carrier fighter. And it also lacked some ruggerness.
On F8F, I checked and yes it was designed as a Hellcat replacement. So it was designed as a main carrier fighter not as a FM-2 replacement for CVEs as I thought as an other possibility.
And now to skiing
Juha
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