Two NA XP-82 Twin Mustang's (44-83886 & 44-83887) ...

[Mark Allen M]

So the Tom Reilly machine is the second one. Got it! Any differences between the two?

According to Wiki:
"The XP-82 was to be powered by two Packard-built Rolls-Royce V-1650 Merlin engines. Initially, the left engine was a V-1650-23 with a gear reduction box to allow the left propeller to turn opposite to the right propeller, which was driven by the more conventional V-1650-25. In this arrangement both propellers would turn upward as they approached the center wing, which in theory would have allowed better single-engine control. This proved not to be the case when the aircraft refused to become airborne during its first flight attempt. After a month of work North American engineers finally discovered that rotating the propellers to meet in the center on their upward turn created sufficient drag to cancel out all lift from the center wing section, one quarter of the aircraft's total wing surface area. The engines and propellers were then exchanged, with their rotation meeting on the downward turn, and the problem was fully solved. The first XP-82 prototype (44-83886) was completed on 25 May 1945, and made the type's first successful flight on 26 June 1945. This aircraft was accepted by the Army Air Forces on 30 August 1945, whose officials were so impressed by the aircraft, while still in development, that they ordered the first production P-82Bs in March 1945, fully three months before its first flight."


XP-82 #44-83886


XP-82 #44-83887


XP-82 #44-83886 at the NASA Langley Research Center 7/24/1948


North American XP-82 #44-83886 Twin Mustang's air scoop detail 10 July 1946

[Mark Allen M]

Sure is the strange looking thing ... but will be interesting to see one (two) fly someday soon.


North American F-82F Twin Mustang's of the 52d Fighter Group


P-82's 27th Fighter Wing - Bergstrom Air Force Base March 11, 1949

[C VEICH]

In this arrangement both propellers would turn upward as they approached the center wing, which in theory would have allowed better single-engine control.

You've got to wonder why NA would have come to this conclusion since I think it's pretty well universally agreed that the exact opposite is the better way to go. Things that make you go hmmm...

[Mark Allen M]

Another 'hmmm!' on the soon to fly XP-82... blue or yellow spinners on the restored 44-83887?


From the Boeing archives


From the Boeing archives


I believe this to be a rendering from TR's restoration website

[Mark Allen M]

... and one last post showing some stuff hanging off of 44-83887







with the last photo showing that crazy gun pod.

[Mark Allen M]

[maxum96]

14 forward firing .50 cals, yikes!






Nice pile of brass under the center

[Scott Rose]

Love that center span gun pod!

[Mark Allen M]

Crazy looking thing for sure ...

[Mark Allen M]

Looks like lot of stuff went on with ole #887 ...

"NACA Lewis possessed three F-82s in the post-War years. The laboratory acquired the first in 1947 for use as a test bed for ramjet engines. The aircraft was damaged in a runway incident in December 1949 and soon transferred. The second arrived in January 1950 and flew high-altitude icing studies. The third, known as Betty Joe, was acquired in September 1950 to carry on the ramjet studies started by the initial F-82."

[Pat Carry]

Thanks Mark. Its going to be exciting seeing 2 of these in the air in the next several years.