XP-82 Twin Mustang May 2018 UPDATE and walk-around Video

[OD/NG]

Nobody had more than a few hours in the P-82 at the time, including Lefty and the 10hrs total time is wrong. Even though the airplane was owned by the CAF for many years, it probably flew for less than 40 hours total. All that time was split up among 6 or 8 people that had flown it. It spent much of its time, prior to the crash, being worked on and waiting for money to do it. There were very few sponsors on the airplane and a couple of them moved their money over to other projects when progress was so slow.

Lefty was not in the airplane at the time of the accident. Ed Messick was in the left seat and Harry Tope was in the right one, on his first flight in the airplane but he was just along for the ride. They were doing some film work for the BBC. The airplane had a problem with the right prop regulator leaking. On Friday before the accident, Lefty Gardner and Bill Popejoy were flying and came back with the right prop feathered. On Saturday, the plane came back with the right prop feathered. At that point, it was grounded. The maintenance guys had a meeting with Lefty and after some other work, released the airplane to fly. Ed was given instructions by Herb Puckett to fly for no longer than 30 minutes so they could keep an eye on the prop.

I've got all the CAF's files on the P-82 somewhere. I'll try to dig it all out. I've got the witness statements, investigator reports, insurance paperwork and such, including the letter that Ed Messick sent to the CAF General Staff, promising to pay for the restoration. Yes, Ed did stall the airplane and yes there were two different calibrations on the airspeed indicators. Harry Tope later died in a P-51 crash and Ed Messick murdered his wife and then committed suicide in 2002.

Thanks for the info and setting the record straight, Brad. It's nice to get info "straight from the horse's mouth". Parts of that NTSB report seemed pretty fishy to me, thanks for verification of the erroneous info in it.

[airnutz]

Thanks for your input Brad. I'm not looking to spread false info, just trying to suss out the version I heard. On that note, you said it returned from previous flights with the prop feathered. Was it purposely feathered or was that the position it failed to? Thanks, I appreciate you taking the time to further clarify the story.

[aerojock]

Nobody had more than a few hours in the P-82 at the time, including Lefty and the 10hrs total time is wrong. Even though the airplane was owned by the CAF for many years, it probably flew for less than 40 hours total. All that time was split up among 6 or 8 people that had flown it. It spent much of its time, prior to the crash, being worked on and waiting for money to do it. There were very few sponsors on the airplane and a couple of them moved their money over to other projects when progress was so slow.

Lefty was not in the airplane at the time of the accident. Ed Messick was in the left seat and Harry Tope was in the right one, on his first flight in the airplane but he was just along for the ride. They were doing some film work for the BBC. The airplane had a problem with the right prop regulator leaking. On Friday before the accident, Lefty Gardner and Bill Popejoy were flying and came back with the right prop feathered. On Saturday, the plane came back with the right prop feathered. At that point, it was grounded. The maintenance guys had a meeting with Lefty and after some other work, released the airplane to fly. Ed was given instructions by Herb Puckett to fly for no longer than 30 minutes so they could keep an eye on the prop.

I've got all the CAF's files on the P-82 somewhere. I'll try to dig it all out. I've got the witness statements, investigator reports, insurance paperwork and such, including the letter that Ed Messick sent to the CAF General Staff, promising to pay for the restoration. Yes, Ed did stall the airplane and yes there were two different calibrations on the airspeed indicators. Harry Tope later died in a P-51 crash and Ed Messick murdered his wife and then committed suicide in 2002.

Thanks for the info. I remember it coming back with the engine feathered. Thought they got it fixed.

I did not think Lefty was in the plane. I seem to remember he was in his P-38 behind the F-82 when it pranged resulting in Lefty doing a go around. I could be wrong.

I did not know about Ed and his wife, very sad.

[Jesse C.]

I remember seeing it back in the early 90's down at Gillespie Field during an airshow. It was just sitting in an open area next to the hangar and anyone could walk up to it, and the kids where walking on it!!

Unfortunately I am unable to locate the pics I took of it. My old girlfriend was in them and I may have thrown them out

[Michel Lemieux]

One VERY nice video.

Tks for sharing Dan.

[Pogmusic]

I haven't seen any updates on the first flight. Has it occurred yet? If so, any photos or videos?

[quemerford]

I haven't seen any updates on the first flight. Has it occurred yet? If so, any photos or videos?

I'm just guessing but think that no update = no first flight.

[Jesse C.]

I haven't seen any updates on the first flight. Has it occurred yet? If so, any photos or videos?

I believe they are waiting on new wheels to be done and installed before they fly her.

[Pogmusic]

I haven't seen any updates on the first flight. Has it occurred yet? If so, any photos or videos?

I believe they are waiting on new wheels to be done and installed before they fly her.

Thanks Jesse!

[Dan K]

Wheels are done...yummy!







https://www.facebook.com/16979178306391 ... =3&theater

[bdk]

Looks like jewelry! The material properties will be much better than those of a casting. Castings tend to have embedded porosity which weakens them and can harbor corrosion.

I think they made the right choice to do this. With all the time and money invested in this project anything that can be done to reduce risk, especially from a known problem is worthwhile.

If only I could be more patient!

[Pogo]

Way too pretty to put on a greasy old airplane.

Seriously, exactly what bdk said.

[airnutz]

Looks like jewelry! The material properties will be much better than those of a casting

It's also pretty sharp how they retained the effect of the cast lettering with the machine work. Seeing work like this, to mangle a Simple Jack quote, "Makes me rain out mah eye holes...."

[Michel Lemieux]

Had exactly the same question this AM.....

If the Oshkosh deadline is over....I would really take the time to make things right. And quadruple check stuff.

But yes....some updates would be nice

[Kyleb]

I was there a month ago. The cowlings were off, but everything else looked ready to go. I didn't press, but Weezie wasn't interested in advertising a probable first flight date.

She said that putting a date on it created too much pressure. And she's absolutely right.