Let me try it like this -
B-17 Heavy Bomber with ten man crew Cost (without crew) $238,000 1943 dollars
Cost of F4U - $55,000 1945 dollars (BTW: the P-51 was $51,000 1945 dollars)
Presence of three or four F4U at $165-220,000 (or even 3-4 $85,000 P-47 if it had the range) mean that the...