[whichfinger]

 

[pathfindercec]

Wow! It's like they're riveted together.

 

[chefduane]

Typically the left side/seat pilot was the PIC, but I could imagine the headline:

F82 Mysteriously Rips Apart on Approach to Metro Airport

"OK, little bit of left rudder here to make the downwind north approach entry."
"NO, right rudder for downwind south!"
"WHAT!? Kick right rudder!!"
"NO WAY!! Left rudder!!"

 

[whichfinger]

This one is a restoration of one of two original experimental models, IIRC. It's powered by Packard Merlins, while the production versions had Allisons.

 

[CWB]

Not real sure (no clue actually) what the advantage of this configuration would be. It certainly can't fly twice as fast because that would put it over 850 mph.

 

[russinator]

Not real sure (no clue actually) what the advantage of this configuration would be. It certainly can't fly twice as fast because that would put it over 850 mph.

Range, long range escort service postwar.
I remember seeing these flying out of Youngstown Ohio I think back in the day.....

 

[TrucksNCoffee]

This one is a restoration of one of two original experimental models, IIRC. It's powered by Packard Merlins, while the production versions had Allisons.

The British were raising the royalties on each Merlin that Packard assembled after WWII. That, and the desire that each Twin Mustang be made from only American parts, resulted in Allison supplying the engines for full-production F-82s. The Allison, however, was not as powerful as the latest version of the Merlin engine; the end result was that F-82s used for training (powered my Merlins) were faster than the Allison-powered F-82s used in service.

 

[Gunowner99]

Pretty dang cool!

 

[chefduane]

The British were raising the royalties on each Merlin that Packard assembled after WWII. That, and the desire that each Twin Mustang be made from only American parts, resulted in Allison supplying the engines for full-production F-82s. The Allison, however, was not as powerful as the latest version of the Merlin engine; the end result was that F-82s used for training (powered my Merlins) were faster than the Allison-powered F-82s used in service.

My father's (1921-1999) was a P51 pilot and flew both the Allison and Merlin powered aircraft. Both developed more than adequate HP at lower altitudes but the Merlin significantly outperformed the Allison and higher altitude. And since the Apache (the USAAF's original name for the P51, the British came up with "Mustang") was originally designed for high altitude bomber escort the Allison was dropped from production and the Rolls Royce designed (Packard built) Merlin was the configuration that made it a legend.

His last airplane was P51D 4413849 "Little Buster II". His first plane, a B model with the 'greenhouse' canopy lies at the bottom of the North Sea having run out of fuel returning from an escort mission deep into Germany. He was rescued by a British mine sweeper after bailing out. He flew with Major George Preddy -the #1 Mustang Ace of WWII - and also provided low altitude air support during D-Day. He held the Unit Citation Award, Air Medal, and DFC.

As you've probably gathered I am a bit of a P51 historical nerd and will be representing my father at the 8th AF 352nd Fighter Group reunion here in Dallas during the upcoming CAF "Wings Over Dallas" event in October.

Sorry, hijack over now...

 

[whichfinger]

Not real sure (no clue actually) what the advantage of this configuration would be. It certainly can't fly twice as fast because that would put it over 850 mph.

This:

Range, long range escort service postwar.
I remember seeing these flying out of Youngstown Ohio I think back in the day.....

Missions in the Pacific were usually long-range and required hours and hours of flying over water. The Twin Mustang had the necessary range and, like the P-38, had that second engine safety margin. The war ended before it entered service, but they did see some action in Korea, mostly in photo recon, IIRC.

Interestingly, though the P-82 looked ike two P-51s bolted together, there was very little parts interchangeability between the two. EAA has some interesting reading on the genesis and requirements of the P-82.

 

[TrucksNCoffee]

I sat here for a couple of hours the other day, watching YouTube videos (including those ^ ^ ^) of the F-82 Twin Mustang. A fascinating and remarkable airplane, but with the rapid advances of jet aircraft at the time, it had an almost record "shortest lifespan" in the armed forces.