Warbird Information Exchange

Just in case anybody forgot to check:

http://xp-82twinmustangproject.blogspot ... ation.html

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It was a good idea, it just didn't work.

I can barely fathom the though of seeing this bird in the air someday. The XP/P/F-82 has been my favorite airplane for many years. I remember writing a letter to the CAF back in the early 80's when I was about 10 years old begging them to bring theirs to Oshkosh. The question is how close is the Harker P-82? Are they still a year ahead Reilly? Exciting Stuff.

No doubt Reilly's XP-82 will be flying first, and it doesn't seem all that far away from doing so (from the article, in less than a couple months time they expect to have the props hung, and I should imagine that they expect to be able to begin engine runs shortly there after by that point). Harker's F-82E, having seen it last fall, is essentially complete, just not fully assembled yet (it of course will take up a lot of hangar space once both outer wing sections, which are already completed and waiting in stands, are attached). The F-82E restoration now is almost entirely hinging on the rebuild of the original, extremely rare and very powerful, G6-variant Allison engines, which are being rebuilt/overhauled in-house (2 lefts, and 2 rights - 1 of each for spares) - after what, as I recall, was a bad experience with an outside engine rebuilder. From what Pat Harker mentioned, it sounded like 2018 might very well be a reasonable date to expect to see the F-82E flying. (BTW, talking with Pat Harker, what a wealth of information! One of those select individuals that really does it all when it comes to warbird restorations and operation - from the airframe work, to the engine work, to the flying, and his group of guys really do fantastic work - some of which has gone into Reilly's XP-82.)

Wow, thanks for the reply John! Harker information has been very difficult to come by. Reilly stated a while back that the Harker project was about a year ahead of him. Obviously Reilly has picked up the pace quite a bit. I know that the Reilly project now has an owner, and that the goal at one time was a summer 2016 completion. Nobody seems to know who the owner is, I care less who it is than I do that the owner wants to show the airplane.
Thank you, 82 news always brightens my day.

As long as it doesnt suffer the same fate as the other priceless airframe to come off the Soplata farm.

[quote="

As long as it doesnt suffer the same fate as the other priceless airframe to come off the Soplata farm.[/quote]

Precisely why Walter was hesitant to part with anything!

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A&P/I.A., A.A.S./Aviation Maintenance technology
Warbird salvage/recovery
One day I'll get that P-40!

Flying anything is a risk. Fortunately we have three airframes preserved that will never fly again and at least two should be preserved forever since they are indoors. If that were not the case I would agree. Once you have a couple on static for preservation, and none that still fly in my opinion a flying one is of value. In the case of the F2G's, yes we are now down to two static and one flying. A sad story for sure. Not intending to start a debate.

Two Static and one flying? Don't you mean, one static and one flying?

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Keep Em' Flying,
Christopher Soltis
Dedicated to the preservation and education of The Sikorsky Memorial Airport

CASC Blog Page: http://ctair-space.blogspot.com/
Warbird Wear: https://www.redbubble.com/people/warbirdwear/shop

Chicks Dig Warbirds.......right?

Yes, my mistake. Thanks.

Whichever one is completed first will probably be regarded as the most anticipated first flight in some time. Can't wait!

That's still a higher percent than most other models of WWII Warbirds.

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remember the Oogahonk!
old school enthusiast of Civiltary Warbirds and Air Racers