Lema, I got to the point where I just played my AA50 games with the P40 escort rules - that they weren’t subject to AA fire. I did this not for historical reasons so much, as game play reasons. If there were defending fighters and an AA gun (let alone radar or increased production) it was almost never worth it to SBR. Kinda sucks if the rules are effectively negating one of the strategies of the game (SBR’s). The rules of the 1940 games are much better in this regard.
You asked if the 1940 rules will replace the AA50 FAQ, or in other words, will the AA50 FAQ be revised again to change this. Maybe Krieg can answer that question, I don’t know, but I will say that based on my experience the AA50 FAQ SHOULD be revised so that escorts are not subject to AA fire - for playability and fun. Or, alternatively, it doesn’t even need to be an optional rule - it could be incorporated into the rules (errata). Although, with the radar and increased production techs, interceptor/escort rules just make SBR’s even more rare. If the 1940 game has techs that also dampen the effects of SBR’s, I don’t think we’ll see much SBR in the 1940 game, especially because all targets ALWAYS have AA (not the case in AA50).