Gotta love those round engines. I was going to argue that crankcases (I would include nose case and rear accessory section) were not necessarily the "weaker" component. But, considering that a lot was packed into a small space, it's hard not to hit something important. On the other hand, a hole, by itself, is not like a hole in an oil pan. Dry sump oiling (and large oil tanks) are a different animal when you consider that the often-reported survival despite the loss of a "jug" was definitely a hole in the crankcase.
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