F-82 Twin Mustang. Built as a long range escort to B-29s but too late to see WW2 service. Made first UN Korean War air-to-air kill as a radar-equipped night fighter. Looks can be deceiving: although it appears that two P-51s were grafted together, the aircraft is virtually different except for overall outline. And the excellent Merlin was swapped for two Allisons to salve the Americans' egos
I'm glad that Packard licence-built the Merlin - couldn't have won the war without them powering various marks of Lancs and Spits. Thanks Yanks for the Lend Lease. I don't feel jealous that you gave twice as much to the Nazis in 500lb and 1000lb loads!
Survivors "Betty Jo" is currently on display at The National Museum of the United States Air Force, in Dayton, Ohio in its Cold War gallery.
Three other F-82s are known to exist. F-82E (46-262) has been a "gate guard" for many years outside Lackland AFB in Texas as part of the USAF History and Traditions Museum in San Antonio, Texas while a second F-82B that had been on display next to it, was acquired by the former Confederate Air Force in 1966 and was operated for many years by its Midland, Texas squadron. That F-82B stalled and crashed in Harlingen, Texas in 1987. The aircraft was restorable but its unique props and landing gear were destroyed in the crash and replacement parts could not be obtained. In 2002, the CAF included it with a crashed P-38 in a trade for a flyable P-38. The USAF stepped in and demanded the F-82 be returned since it was only loaned to the CAF on the condition that the CAF keep it. The matter has now been resolved in favour of the Commemorative Air Force (the renamed organization). A single fuselage of the second YP-82 was located for many years on the farm of Walter Soplata in Newbury, Ohio. It was sold several years ago and its current whereabouts are unknown.
Good call on the Merlin-great design made better by American craftsmanship and the substitution of AC/Delco electrical parts for those made by Lucas, Prince of Darkness... The Allison used in this came along after some R&D fixed its deficiencies at high altitude. It was always fine below 10000 feet-see the A-36 and other early Mustangs. Gallimaufry is correct in his assertion that the airframe was almost completely redesigned. Whoo hoo !
The pilot who got in the port cockpit first was P1 and Mr Starboard's cockpit had a simplified cockpit. In the Nightfighter variants all controls were removed to squeeze in the radar operator's kit.
Regarding the Allison engine (and imagine a P-38 with Merlins - yes it was imagined but Allison's lobbied against) Edgar Schmued, the designer of the P-51 and F-82, stated "The United States Air Force was tired of paying a $6,000 royalty to England for each Merlin engine built in this country by Packard......It was really pathetic to see a good design simply ruined by politics and the lack of cooperation by the Allison people in building a good engine."
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F-82 Twin Mustang. Built as a long range escort to B-29s but too late to see WW2 service. Made first UN Korean War air-to-air kill as a radar-equipped night fighter.
Looks can be deceiving: although it appears that two P-51s were grafted together, the aircraft is virtually different except for overall outline. And the excellent Merlin was swapped for two Allisons to salve the Americans' egos
The Merlin was license built by Allison throughout the war...we know good stuff when we steal it.
I'm glad that Packard licence-built the Merlin - couldn't have won the war without them powering various marks of Lancs and Spits. Thanks Yanks for the Lend Lease. I don't feel jealous that you gave twice as much to the Nazis in 500lb and 1000lb loads!
I saw somewhere a picture, a very long time ago, this plane being test flown by Lindbergh.
Anyone know where the preserved one is?
Courtesy of wikipedia:
Survivors
"Betty Jo" is currently on display at The National Museum of the United States Air Force, in Dayton, Ohio in its Cold War gallery.
Three other F-82s are known to exist. F-82E (46-262) has been a "gate guard" for many years outside Lackland AFB in Texas as part of the USAF History and Traditions Museum in San Antonio, Texas while a second F-82B that had been on display next to it, was acquired by the former Confederate Air Force in 1966 and was operated for many years by its Midland, Texas squadron. That F-82B stalled and crashed in Harlingen, Texas in 1987. The aircraft was restorable but its unique props and landing gear were destroyed in the crash and replacement parts could not be obtained. In 2002, the CAF included it with a crashed P-38 in a trade for a flyable P-38. The USAF stepped in and demanded the F-82 be returned since it was only loaned to the CAF on the condition that the CAF keep it. The matter has now been resolved in favour of the Commemorative Air Force (the renamed organization). A single fuselage of the second YP-82 was located for many years on the farm of Walter Soplata in Newbury, Ohio. It was sold several years ago and its current whereabouts are unknown.
Good call on the Merlin-great design made better by American craftsmanship and the substitution of AC/Delco electrical parts for those made by Lucas, Prince of Darkness... The Allison used in this came along after some R&D fixed its deficiencies at high altitude. It was always fine below 10000 feet-see the A-36 and other early Mustangs. Gallimaufry is correct in his assertion that the airframe was almost completely redesigned. Whoo hoo !
Okay, which one actually got to drive???? ;-)
The pilot who got in the port cockpit first was P1 and Mr Starboard's cockpit had a simplified cockpit. In the Nightfighter variants all controls were removed to squeeze in the radar operator's kit.
Regarding the Allison engine (and imagine a P-38 with Merlins - yes it was imagined but Allison's lobbied against)
Edgar Schmued, the designer of the P-51 and F-82, stated "The United States Air Force was tired of paying a $6,000 royalty to England for each Merlin engine built in this country by Packard......It was really pathetic to see a good design simply ruined by politics and the lack of cooperation by the Allison people in building a good engine."
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