P-82 Twin Mustang - Definition and Overview

The F-82 Twin Mustang was a long-range escort fighter and Night Fighter created by joining two North American P-51 Mustangs at the wings. It retained both cockpits and both pilots could fly the aircraft. It first flew in 1945 but did not see service during World War II. .

The first two prototypes had Packard built Merlin engines like most P-51s. The third protoype and subsequent production models used Allison V-1710 engines. The production F-82s had contra-rotating propellers.

While originally intended as an escort fighter (B and E variants), the F-82 also saw service as a night fighter equipped with either APS-4 (D and F variants) or SCR-720 (C and G variants) radar. It was a night fighter Twin Mustang that shot down the first MiG-15 jet to be destroyed by an American fighter during the Korean War.

Specifications

General Characteristics

• Crew: 2
• Length: 42 ft 9 in (12.93 m)
• Wingspan: 51 ft 3 in (15.62 m)
• Height: 13 ft 10 in (4.22 m)
• Wing area: 408 ft² (37.90 m²)
• Empty: 15,997 lb (7,271 kg)
• Loaded: lb ( kg)
• Maximum takeoff: 25,591 lb (11,632 kg)
• Powerplant: 2x Allison V-1710-143/145, 1,600 hp (1,193 kW) each

Performance

• Maximum speed: 461 mph (742 km/h) @ 21,000 ft
• Combat Range: 2,250 miles (3,605 km)
• Service ceiling: 38,900 ft (11,855 m)
• Rate of climb: ft/min ( m/min)
• Power/Mass: hp/lb ( kW/kg)

Armament

• 6x .50 Browning M2 machine guns
• 4,000 lb (907 kg) of bombs

Sources

• The Concise Guide to American Aircraft of World War II by David Mondey, Chartwell Books, Inc., 1994.

Related content

Related development: P-51 Mustang

Comparable aircraft:

Designation sequence: XP-79 - F-80 - XP-81 - P-82 - XP-83 - P-84 - XF-85

See also:

• Heinkel He 111Z - another "twinned" aircraft