#

1608

• -
F-82 "'win Mustang
Mini in action
By Larry Davis
Color By Don Greer
Illustrated By Joe Sewell

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 COPYRIGHT 1996 SQUADRON/SIGNAL
PUBLICATIONS, INC.
IllS C ROWL EY DRIVE CA RROLLTON,
TEXAS 7S011-S0IO
All ri ghts reserved. No part of thi s publi cati o n
may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or
tran s mitted in any for m by mea ns e lec tri ca l,
mechanical or otherwise, without written permi s-
sion of the publi sher.

ISBN 0-89747-367-1

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larly wartime snapshots, why not share them
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EcnH y Bac eCTb <l>oTorpa<l>HH

Lieutenant William 'Skeeter' Hudson, with
Lieutenant Carl Fraser as his Radar
Operator, shot down the first North
Korean aircraft of the Korean War on the
afternoon of 27 June 1950, while flying top
cover over the evacuation at Suwon.
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<l>oTorpa<l>HH no anpecy :

Acknowledgements .ffl. , ~~.~ , A± , .&~c0~ .

u.s. Air Force Mu eum £- p.H'i t... "U; c.,t-\, ~ h IH \ t, .., t.. ~ ~ \ i 1t
David Menard ~~?c0 0L0~L~~~~ . ~~~
•

David McLaren I:: II ~ ~ tl. t-: L 0 7J' *-'i I:: II ~\

0 -C. ~ ..
Jeffrey Edlell Squadroo/5gnal :li01fl~T ~ flJ'IT!!!Jl I:::t)\ \-C ,
Rockwell IntI. (NAA) ~0l3~~.li~.£--~~~t...,~.

Wan'en Thompson ~<~~~~#~Ii~ . ~hl::~*~m

Merle Olmsted ~ \ t-:~ lt li , :)f~01£~~ t.. ~\t-: t.. iT ..
Marty Isham 1fl~!!!Jl~~~ .£- ~m t...~~.li,~~~
Dick Starinchak ~.0~~.£-~E~1t-cmli~ . ~~
li li H cl::.::*1t < t':~ ~\ .
MIDNIGHT SINNER, was a 4th Fighter (All
Weather) Squadron F-82G flying top cover Sq uadron/Signal Publications, Inc.
over the evacuation of U.S citizens from 1115 Crowley Drive
Kimpo Air Base, South Korea during June Carrollton, TX 75011-5010 USA
of 1950. (Don Garrett)
2
 • engine co ncept, two fu selages, each conta in-
n ro uClon ing an engine and joined by a short wing sec-
ti on. In that way he e liminated the aerody-
At the beginning of the Second World War, na mi cs of a third fu selage o r nace ll e, thu s
th e War De pa rtm e nt was ve ry co nce rn ed drag was redu ced co ns iderabl y. Schmu ed 's
about long range fi ghter escort of its bomber des ign could have two pilots and fli ght con-
forces to targets in Occupi ed Eastern Europe tro is to re li eve eac h oth e r durin g th e ve ry
and the Pac ific. The B- 17s and B-24s we re long range fli ghts.
ca pa bl e o f hittin g th e ta rgets, but fi g hte r O n 7 Janu ary 1943 , Genera l H.H . ' Hap '
escort stopped at the French-German border. Arn o ld , C hi ef o f the Arm y A ir Fo rce, was
And even th e bo mber force in th e planning v is itin g th e No rth Am e ri ca n plant in
co uld not reac h the Japanese Home Island s In g lewoo d , Ca li fo rni a to c hec k o n P- 5 1
fro m Alli ed bases in th e Pac ifi c, mu ch less Mustang producti on. During the visit he was
any fi ghter type being pl anned for escort mi s- show n th e novel tw in e ng ine pro posa l and
sions. It would be a co upl e of years before enthusiasti call y gave North Am eri ca n the go-
the Allied air forces would have a fi ghter type ahead fo r the project know n onl y as A- 120.
to perfo rm th e lo ng ra nge esco rt mi ss io n. Engineers immedi ately began constructi on of
And o nl y then after much hard fi ghtin g fo r a moc kup and wind tunne l model of the NA -
island bases much nearer to Japan. 120. O n 8 February 1944, after inspecti on by
During the war, the longes t range fi ghter AAF brass, North Ameri can was given a let-
a irc raft ty pes we re th e Loc kh eed P-38 ter contract and approval to build two XP-82
Li g htnin g and th e N o rth Am e ric a n P-51 D prototy pes with Packard/Merlin engines, and
Mu s ta ng . B o th had max imum ra nges in two XP-82As with Allison engines .
excess of 2,000 mil es, whi ch was plenty for The tw in fu selages for th e NA - 120 we re
mi ssio ns from Eng land to Be rlin and bac k. developed using the basic fu selage from the
But certainl y lac king fo r missions from bases ex pe rim e nt a l XP-51 F li g htw e ig ht fi g hte r
in th e ·S o lo m o n I s la nd s o r eve n Th e des ign that led to the P-5IH. The twin fuse-
Philippines, to targets like Tokyo. What was lages were length ened 57 inches behind the
needed was a very long range escort fi ghter, coc kpit f o r in sta ll ati o n o f additi o na l fu e l
with perfo rm ance at least on a par with the tanks and equipment. The outer wing pane ls
contemporary fi ghter designs. In late October were also deri ved from the li ghtwe ight P-5 1F.
of 1943, the North Ameri ca n Av iati on design They were modified, however, by de leti on of
tea m bega n deve lo pme nt o f a twin e ng ine the gun s and ammuniti on bays inherent to all
fi ghter type that eventuall y would lead to the P-5 1 des igns. The gun s would be installed in
P-82 Twin Mu stang very lo ng range esco rt the ce nter wing sec ti on. Additi o nall y, eac h
fi ghter. w in g ha d a pa ir o f hard po ints, to whi c h
Most twin engine fig hter designs are quite py lons could be mounted fo r the ca rn age of
simil ar - a separate fuselage with the engines ordnance up to 1,000 pounds, or an additi onal
mounted in nace lles alo ngsi de the fuselage. pair of drop tanks.
Ed ger Sc hmu e d , No rth A me ri ca n D eS ig n T he center wing secti on was of the same
Chi ef, ca me up with a novel idea fo r a twin .
In February 1944, the mockup for the XP-82 Twin Mustang was unveIled at. t~e North
American plant in Inglewood, California. The XP-82 used two XP-S1 F fuselages Jomed by a
short center wing. The pod under the wing could hold guns, radar, or cameras. (NAA)
• •
was
engines
the fuselage
---:--.;.....--:-
basic de sign as the outer wing pane ,
with a consta nt chord throughout. Not on ly
wo uld the center wing section house the main
arm ament of six .50 ca li ber Browning M2
machine gun s, it wou ld have two add itional
hard points for carriage of bombs or drop
tanks. A large parallel chord stabili zer wou ld
connect the two fuselages at the tail assemb ly.
The vertica l tail assemb ly was again bor-
rowed from the P-51 F design, but with a very
large dorsal fin fillet added for stability in
case of an engine failure.
The XP-82 w{)u ld be powered by the vener-
ab le Packard-built Roll s Royce V-1650
Merlin as used in production P-51 Mustangs
from the P-51B model on. The Merlin was
rated at 18 10 horsepower in War Emergency
setting . The left e ngi ne (V- 1650-23) had a
gear reduction box to make the left propeller
turn opposite the right engine (V-1650-25 ).
Thus, both propellers wou ld turn toward the
fuselages. T hi s was opposite that of the P-38
Lightning design, whi ch had both propellers
turning away from the fuse lage. Turni ng the
The XP-82 showing some of the ordnance it was capable of carrying, including two 500
pound bombs and ten five inch HVAR rockets under the outer wings, and a pair of 1,000
pound bombs under the center wing. (USAAF)
•
ers toward the fuselage meant mu ch
better control during single engine operation.
The cockpits were identical except that the
left cockpit had complete in strum e ntati on,
whil e the right cockpit had full flight controls
but on ly basic instrumentation.
The first prototype XP-82 (serial 44-83886)
was co mpl ete d a nd ro ll ed out from the
In glewood plant on 25 May 1945. The Army
Air Force, however, was so impressed with
the pote nti al of the twin engine des ign that
they had already ordered 500 P-82 B produc-
tion aircraft based on the XP-82, two months
before the XP-82 was fini shed. On 16 Jun e
1945, North American test pilot Joe Barton
•
made the first flight in the XP-82. The sec-
ond XP-82 (seri al 44-83887), was accepted
by Army Air Force in September of 1945.
The XP-82 was thirty-nine feet long, with a
wingspan of fifty feet eleven inches, and was
thirteen feet six inches in height. Clean, i.e.
with no external stores, the XP-82 weighed
19, 100 pounds with 600 ga ll ons of internal
fue l. The performance was favorab le to say
•
• •
•
•
.
 •

- -

The XP-82 carrying a gun pod under the center wing containing eight .50 caliber machine
guns (never used operationally). Originally, the rockets had retractible launcher 'stubs',
which were replaced by rocket 'trees' on the production aircraft. (USAFM)
the lea t. T he bi g Twin Mustang could run o ute r w in g pa ne ls. But th ese we re la te r
away fro m the P-51D. Where the P-51D had replaced with removable rocket ' tree' launch-
a top speed of 437 mph, the XP-82 topped out ers, each holding up to ten fi ve inch rockets,
at a phenomenal 468 mph . Service ce iling whi ch could be fired singly or in pairs. The
was 4 1,000 feet. Range on internal fu el was drop tank s, bo mb s, o r c he mical we ap o ns
1,390 mjles. But with fo ur 110 ga llon under- co uld be salvoed in fli ght but th e roc kets
w in g dro p ta nks in sta ll ed , th e m ax imum co uld not. U nd erw ing sto res carri age was
ra nge j umped to an incredibl e 3,445 miles. halved if the gun pod was insta lled under the
•
And mu ch larger drop tanks were ava ilable. center wlllg.
A rm a me nt was th e s ta nd a rd U SAA F The XP-82A (seri al 44-83888), powered by
req uirement, and th e sa me as found in pro- two Allison V-171 0 engines, was identi cal to
d uctio n P -51 D a nd P-51 K Mu sta ngs, s ix the XP-82, except that the nose was reshaped
Brow nin g M 2 .50 ca libe r m ac hin e g un s to fit the AIJison engines and ex haust configu-
mo unt e d in th e ce nte r win g section . rati on. Two were call ed for, but only one was
Add itio nall y, th e main arm ame nt co uld be ever built. T he XP-82A was fini shed in late
au g me nted by in sta ll a ti o n o f a la rge pod Summer of 1945 , and accepted by Army Air
under the center win g, containing eight more Force in Octobe r of 1945. With the new ly
.50 cali ber guns. The M2 gun s were changed created United States Aj r Force, the Alli son-
to the faster firin g M3 .50 caliber gun begin- engined P-82As were redesignated as F-82Es
nin g with th e seco nd XP-82. U nd e rw ing during 1948.
stores carriage co uld be up to fo ur 1,000
The first prototype XP-82 flying formation
pound bombs or drop tanks under the center with a P-51 D (the evolution is obvious).
wi ng and o ute r w in g pa ne ls. Retrac tabl e There is a direction finder loop antenna on
rocket launchers were initiall y fitted into the the left fuselage.
 Development

XP-82

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- tanks , with additional fuselage fue l tanks,
The P-82B was the production version of
the XP-82 prototype aircraft. The AAF con-
tract of March 1945, called for a production
run of 500 P-82Bs. But the Second World
War e nd ed before P-82B producti o n go t
und e rway. As wi th many othe r military
orders, the end of the war brought drastic cut-
backs or total e limin a ti o n of production
orders. P-82B production was cut back to a
total of twenty aircraft, se rial s 44-65160/-
65179 . The P-82B was identical to the XP-82
except for hav ing Browning M3 .50 caliber
0u n. It was powered by 1,860 hp
Packard/Merlin V-1650-23 /25 e ng ines with
water injection. First flight of the P-82B took
place on 19 October 1945. Del iveri es of the
P-82B began in November of 1945, with the
last of the original order being delivered in
March of 1946. Most were delivered to Air
Training Command. The 'flyaway cost' of
the P-82B was $ 140,5 13.00.
The P-82Bs served mainly as trainers for
the later ve rs io ns of the Twin Mustang.
Several went to the first ope rat io na l Twin
Mustang equipped unit, the 27th Fighter
Escort Group (SAC) based at Kearney Army
Air Force Base, Nebraska. One P-82B set a
world di stance record flying non-stop from
Hicka m Field, Hawaii , to LaGuardia Field ,
New York Ci ty. On 28 February 1947,
Lieutenant Colo ne l Robe rt Thacker, with
Lieutenant John Ard in the right cockpit, took
off from Hickam F ield. Their aircraft, P-82B
seri al 44-65 168, was named BETTY JO and
had been stripped of all arm ament and modi-
The third P-82B Twin Mustang on the ramp at Andrews Field during 1946. The P-82B was
the production version of the prototype XP-82, differing only in the use of M3 guns and the
installation of an ADF antenna. (USAFM)
fied to carry four 310 gallon underwin g drop
which brought its total fuel capacity to 2,2 15
gallons. Lieutenant Colone l Thacker touched
down at LaGuardia Field fourteen hours thir-
ty-two minutes after takeoff. The BETTY JO
had covered the 4,968 miles at an average
speed of347 mph .
There were actually on ly eighteen P-82Bs
accepted by AAF. The remaining two were
pulled from the production line and modified
with the addition of an airborne intercept
radar receiver, for use as a night all-weather
interceptor. The tenth P-82B (se rial 44-
65 169) was equipped with the SCR-720C
radar, the same unit as was in the Northrop P-
61 Black Widow. The radar sca nner was
mounted in a large pod , called a ' pickle ' or
' dong ', and in sta lled under the center wing
where the gun pod had been on the XP-82
and P-82B. This aircraft was designated P-
82C.
The P-82D began as the eleventh P-82B
(seria l 44-65170), but was pulled from the
assembly line and had the AN/APS-4 radar in
the ' pickle'. The radar pod on both the P-
82C and P-82D exte nd ed beyond the pro-
peller arc to place the radar scanning dish in
front of the propeller, thus e liminating any
interference from the propeller. Both the P-
82C and P-82D had modified ri ght cockpits
to accept all the radar intercept equip ment
and scopes. First flight of the P-82C came on
27 March 1946, with the first flight of the P-
82D taking place two days later on 29 March.
The last of the Merlin-powered P-82Bs was
phased out of service in December 1949.
 •

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Specification
North American P-82B Twin Mustang
Wingspan .............. S1 feel 3 inches (1S.62 m) Speed ..................482 mph (776 km/h)
Length .......••.•....••.. 39 feel 1 inch (11.91 m) Service Ceiling .. .41 ,600 feel (12,680 m)
Height.................... 13 feel 10 inches (4.21 m) Crew....................Two
Empty Weight. .•••.. 13,40S pounds (6,081 kg) Maximum Weight..22,000 pounds (9,979 kg)
Powerplant. ••..••..••. Two 1,860 hp Packard Merlin V-16S0-19/21 liquid-cooled enginse
Armament. •••..••.•••.. Six SO caliber machine guns, four underwing bomb racks.
9
 •

A P-828 Twin Mustang in flight over Texas during 1946. Only twenty P-828s were pro-
duced, most of them serving in the Air Training Command. This aircraft carries a ' PO' buzz
number, 'P' for Pursuit and '0 ' for North American P-82 type aircraft. (USAFM)

The exhaust shrouds for the Packard-built Rolls-Royce Merlin V-1650 liquid-cooled engine
were very streamlined around the exhaust stacks. The perforated panel under the exhaust
ports covered the carburetor air intake filter and was the same as found on the P-51D
Mustang. (Author)
BETTY JO in flight over California during a test hop to check the flight characteristics of
the huge 310 gallon drop tanks. Using the 310 gallon tanks that were modified to fit the P-
828 pylons, BETTY JO flew non-stop from Hawaii to New York during February of 1947.
The Twin Mustang carried a direction finder loop antenna in football shaped housings on
the fuselage spine behind each cockpit. (USAAF)

BETTY JO on the ramp at LaGuardia Field, New York City, following the record flight.
Lieutenant Colonel Robert Thacker, with Lieutenant John Ard in the right cockpit, covered
the 4,968 mile trip in fourteen and a half hours, averaging 347 mph. (via Dick Starinchak)
P-82B ADF Football Antenna

Ig;;;;;;;;;;;;>J I

Blade
Antenna
P-82C/D

Radar
Pod

The P-82C over Malibu Beach

during 1946. The P-82C used
the SCR-720C airborne inter-
cept radar in the ' pickle ' .
Externally, the P-82C and 0
were identical. The radar
' pickle ' cut about five mph
from the top speed. USAFM)

The P-82D on the ramp at Mines Field during in 1946. The P-82D had the AN/APS-4 air-
borne intercept radar mounted in the large pod, called a 'pickle' or 'dong'. (USAFM)
 on the right. The AAF issued a letter contract
- (W33-038ac13950) to North American on 5
February 1946 to build two hundred fifty long
The F-82E was a development of the sec- range escort fighters (P-82A). This was later
ond prototype aircraft, the XP-82A. The XP- amended to one hundred escort fighters and
82A was the basic Twin Mustang prototype, one hundred fifty night fighter Twin
but powered by a pair of Allison V-1710 Mustangs based on the P-82C and D proto-
engines. Congress and the Army Air Force types.
were tired of paying a $6,000.00 royalty to With the exception of the installation of the
the British Rolls Royce firm for the rights to government furni shed Allison V-I7l 0 engine,
build the V-1650 Merlin engine in the U.S. the F-82E was simi lar to the P-82B. The F-
The Allison V-171 0 was a good engine, as 82E length was thirty-nine feet one inch,
shown by its performance in the Curtiss P-40 wingspan was forty-two feet two inches, and
and Lockheed P-38, just not as good as the the height was thirteen feet eight in c hes .
Merlin, especially at high altitude combat. Armament was the same as the P-82B , six
But throughout the war, the Allison engine Browning M3 .50 caliber machine guns in the
division of General Motors had been con- center wing and the K-18 computing gun
stantly improving the V-I7l0 until it was able sight, and the underwing stores capabilities
to produce up to 1,700 hp at 21,000 feet, remained as on the P-82B , including possible
which made it comparable in performance use of the eight .50 caliber gun pod mounted
with the Merlin. It was, however, never as on the center wing. The nose of the aircraft
reliable as the Merlin, often being referred to was recontoured to match the contours and
as the "Allison Time Bomb!" exhaust stacks, two per cylinder, of the
Army Air Force wanted an American fight- Allison engine. The first flight of the P-
er design that was powered by an American 82AIF-82E came on 17 February 1947.
designed engine. The P-82A would have Did the performance justify the additional
Allison V-1710-143/l45 engines, rated at cost and engineering hours involved ? Some
2,250 hp in War Emergency setting. The pro- say yes, some vehemently say no! The many
pellers would be the ten foot eleven inch full problems associated with Allison certainly
feathering, constant speed Aeroproducts A- hindered development and operational use of
542F-D I on the left engine, and AL-542F-D I the F-82E. The top speed was 465 mph at
The first P-82E on the ramp at Muroc Dry Lake Army Air Field for an air. show in June of
1947. The P-82E was powered by Allison V-1710 liquid-cooled e~gi~e~, With a recontoured
nose. The P-82E was first rolled out in February of 1947. (Ron Plcclam)
P-82B Six Exhaust
Sacks Per Side

o •

P-82E Twelve Exhaust No

Per Side

Recontured
Nose

•
•
•

Mechanics check the engine on a 27th FEG F-82E following a long range flight to
Ramey AFB in Puerto Rico. The 27th FEG was Strategic Air Command's only very
long range escort unit during the late 1940s. (via Warren Thompson)
A 27th FEG F-82E on the ramp at Kearney AFB, Nebraska during 1948. Although
redesignated an F-82E, this aircraft still retains its ' PO' buzz number. The nose
flash is Dark Blue, while the tail and wingtips are White with Black trim. (USAFM)

- ,
- •

•
•
-
 --
,

A 27th Fighter Escort Group P-82E taxies for takeoff at the Minneapolis Airport during an
air show in 1948. The twin tail wheels made the Twin Mustang ride like a buckboard. For
this flight, the right cockpit is empty. The tail stripe is White, while the drop tank flash has
Black trim. (L.L. Coombes)
2 1,000 fee t, a nd th e ra nge w ith sta nd a rd And the engines th ey had ava ilable suffered
ex tern al tanks was 2,504 miles. There was fro m many prob lems such as spark plug foul -
one very BIG problem with the Allison instal- ing, supercharger fa ilures, o il leaks, rough-
lati on however. There just weren' t enough of ness and surging. Spark plug fouling became
them fo r the production run to be completed. so ac ute th at th ey had to be c hanged after

Nose Development
P-82B P-82E

Six o Twelve
o Exhaust Exhaust
Stu Stubs

Recontoured Nose
15
 •

• • •

" OLE 97" was Colonel Cy Wilson 's F-82E when he commanded the 27th FEG during 1948.
The underside of the nose was recontoured to fit the Allison engine which had a total of
twenty-four exhaust stacks - two per cylinder. (via Warren Thompson)
A pair of Blue-nosed F-82Es from the 27th FEG over the Caribbean Sea during 1950.
These are some of the last F-82Es in service, and carry 200 gallon Fletcher drop tanks
originally designed for the F-80CfT-33. (Lieutenant Colonel B. Mitchell)
 •

A pair of 523rd Fighter Escort Squadron F-82Es over Texas on one of the many long range
demonstration flights conducted by SAC during the late 1940s to impress the Russians.
With four 310 gallon drop tanks, F-82Es could escort SACs B-29s and B-36s to targets any-
where in the world. (via Warren Thompson)
every flight! deliver the high performan ce V-1710s
By November 1947, only one F-82E had required. North American had to fini sh the
been delivered! Alli so n s imply cou ld not remainjng airframes and store them in an old
An F-82E from the 27th FEG at Kearney AFB in 1948. The 27th FEG was assigned to the
8th Air Force, SACs long range bombing arm, and carried the 8th Air Force badge on the
right side of the right cockpit. The nose is Dark Blue, the wingtips, and tail stripe are
White. (via Jeff Ethell) .

17
A flight of four 27th FEG F-82Es on the ramp at Stewart AFB during 1948. The F-82E was
capable of carrying the eight gun underwing pod and other ordnance including bombs and
rockets. (Don Maggert)
Vultee plant in Downey, Cali fornia. All the AFB in Puerto Rico were all visited by the
F-82E airframes were finished in April 1948, long range Twin Mustangs of the 27th FEG to
but the last aircraft wasn ' t delivered to the show the Soviets that the USAF could protect
USAF until April 1949! The flyaway cost of its own anywhere they were needed. But by
th e P-82A/F-82E rose significa ntl y to the beginning of the Korean War, with the
$2 15, 154.00. . advent of the Jet Age, the days for the pro-
Most of the F-82E production run was peller-driven fighter aircraft were numbered,
assigned to the 27th Fighter Escort Group at no matter how great its performance. With
Kea rney (now) A ir Force Base. The 27th the newly developed inflight refueling capa-
FEG was ass igned to the Strategic Air
Command, and its mission was long range This F-82E was assigned to the Air
escort of SACs B-29s and B-36s. The F-82E Research and Development Command at
Wright-Patterson AFB during 1946 and was
was ri ght for the mi ssion. They flew many
equipped with a test boom on the port
long range demonstration flights to prove the wing. (USAFM)
point. Howard AFB in Panama and Ramey

18
 -

FQ-

-
Captain Ray Sharp climbs into the pilots cockpit of Colonel Cy Wilson 's " OLE 97", which
was named partly from the serial number - 46-297. The underwing rocket launcher 'trees'
were mounted for use on the fighter bomber mission. The tail and wingtip stripes are Red,
White, and Blue, indicating a commander's aircraft. (via Warren Thompson)
biliti es, jet fighter s now had the ra nge to loa ned th e 449th F(AW)S three F-82Es and
escort SACs bombers anywhere in the world . six pil ots for transition training. Within six
One oth e r unit had several F-82E Twin months, the 449th F(AW)S was operationa l in
Mustangs, although it was simpl y a ' loan '. the F-82F. The 449ths use of the F-82F was
That was th e 449 th Fighter (A ll -Weather) short-lived however, as they went into F-82G
Squadro n based at Ladd AFB , A laska. The and H interceptors in Ma rch 1949. The F-
449th was charged with air defense of North 82E began total phaseout fro m the USAF in
America against any in truders coming across March 1950. F-82E seri als ran from 46-255/-
the A laskan bo rd e r s. Th ey had bee n 354.
equipped with North rop P-6 1 Black Widow One of the last surviving F-82s was this F-
night fighters . But when F-82Fs became 82E mounted at Kelly AFB as a memorial. The
avail able, USAF bega n the immediate transi- markings are totally bogus since F-82s never
ti o n to the muc h hig her pe rform ance Twin carried the " U.S. Air Force " logo. (Dave
Mustang. In September 1948, the 27th FEG McLaren)

•
 2,000 pounds of ordnance under the wings .
- Gross weight of the F-82F was 22,080
pounds clean, and 26,208 pounds with two
The F-82F was an all -weather interceptor 310 gallon drop tanks. In spite of the addi -
version of the F-82E. The Army Air Force tional weight and drag of the radar 'pick le' ,
had ordered one hundred fifty night fighter the performance of the F-82F was compara-
versions of the P-82A in September/October ble to the escort fighter F-82E. Maximum
of 1946. These differed from the P-82A1F- speed with full internal fuel and two drop
82E on ly in the special equipment and radar tanks was 460 mph, serv ice ce ilin g was
specified for the interceptor mission. The F- 38,900 feet, and the combat range was 2,240
82F was equipped with the AN/APG-28 miles. The first tlight for the all-Gloss Black
tracking radar, an updated version of the F-82F came on II March 1948.
AN/APS-4 radar used in the earlier P-82D. It The USAF Air Defense Command was the
was mounted in the same type of pod under primary user of the F-82F, mainly using the
the center wing as developed for the P-82D. fighter to replacing their aging F-61 Black
Additional equipment in the F-82F included a Widow night fighters. The first of an eventu-
glide path receiver, abso lute altimeter, al ninety-one F-82F Twin Mustangs went into
AN/ APS-13 tail warning radar, loca li zer service with the 52nd Fighter (All Weather)
receiver, RC-193 marker beacon, a AN/APN- Group at Mitchell Air Force Base, New York
19 radar beacon, and a SCR-695B IFF identi- in July of 1948, followed c losely by the 325th
fication system . F(AW)G at Moses Lake AFB, Washington in
Armament remained the same as on the • 1948 and the 449th F(AW)S at Ladd AFB ,
es cort fighter F-82E, six M3 .50 ca liber Alaska during September/October of 1948.
machine guns in the center wing. The under- F-82F serial numbers we re 46-405/-495.
wing stores capacity, however, was reduced Flyaway cost of the F-82F, G, and H
to compensate for the extra weight of the remained the same as the F-82E
radar 'pickle' . The F-82F. could on ly carry
A F-82F carrying air sampling pods under the wings, si~s. on the ~amp ~t Wri~ht-Patte~son
Air Force Base in the late 1940s. The F-82F was the Allision-engined night fighter variant
of the F-82D, with an updated AN/APG-28 air intercept radar in the 'pickle'. The air sam-
pling pods were used for weather research.) (USAFM)

-
P-82C/D Blade Antenna

Merli n Engine, Six Exhaust

Stub s

== -<1 - j, ~ 6J
I(~ ) I '"
~
- 0 •
Rada r
~
~~- ~I

Pod
-f.. E
"
P-82E
No Antenna
Allision Engine, Twelve
Exhaust Stubs

C2J"
o
Deeper
Chin

P-82F/G/H No Antenna
Flame Dampening Exhausts

Longer '-J.

Pod
"

An F-82F with the 319th F(AW)S at Moses Lake Air Force Base during 1950. The exhaust
flame dampeners are visible and the radar 'pjckle' extends beyond the propeller to keep
the propeller blades from causing interference with the radar. (via David Menard)

"
A F-82F Twin Mustang flown by the commander of the S2nd Fighter (All Weather) Group
Celell!!1 OIiV!!f C!!lIilli, at Mitetl@lI Air Feme Base in March of 1950. The 52nd F(AW)G, along
with the 2nd and 5th Fighter (All Weather) Squadrons, were the main all weather intercep-
tor force protecting the eastern United States in the late 1940s. The fuselage stripes are
Silver and Gold, as are the stars on the Medium Blue tail assembly. (Bill Larkins)

CUMULOUS WOODY, a 319th F(AW)S F-82F on the ramp at Moses Lake Air Force Base,
carries one of the five rocket 'tree' launchers on the inboard pylon. Even though assigned
to the Air Defense Command and used in the all weather intercept mission, F-82F aircrews
were still required to be proficient in fighter bomber tactics and air-to-ground gunnery. All
lettering is in Red. (David Menard)
•

22
Specification
North American F-82G Twin Mustang
Wingspan .............. 51 feet 3 inches (15.62 m) Speed ................. .461 mph (742 km/h)
Length .................. .42 feet 5 inchs (12.92 m) Service Ceiling ... 38.900 feet (11.857 m)
Height.................... 13 feet 10 inches (4.21 m) Crew.••...••.....•...••.Two
Empty Weight... .... 15.997 pounds (7.256 kg) Maximum Weight..25.891 pounds (11.744 kg)
Powerplant. .•.........Two 1.600 hp Allison V-171 0-143/145 liquid-cooled enginse
Armament.. ............ Six 50 caliber machine guns. four underwing bomb racks.

23
NIGHT TAKEOFF was an F-82F Twin Mustang assigned to the 319th F(AW)S at Moses Lake
AFB, Washington during 1950. The 319th F(AW)S was part of the 325th F(AW)G that
defended the northwest portion of the United States. Nose art was very prevalent on
319th aircraft. (David Menard)

HARD LUCK carries the Yellow spinner and Flight Leader bands of an F-82F assigned to
the 5th F(AW)S based at Mitchell AFB, Long Island, New York. Even with the bulbous radar
'pickle' creating drag, the F-82F could still attain a top speed near 460 mph in a clean con-
dition (no underwing stores). (R. Miller)
This F-82B, BETTY JOE, with the name incorrectly spelled, set
a trans-continental record of 4,968 miles non-stop during
February of 1947.

NIGHT TAKEOFF, was a F-82F of the 318th

Fighter (All Weather) Squadron at
McChord AFB, Washington during 1949.

CALL GIRL was Colonel John Sharpe's F-82G when he

Commanded the 4th F(AW)S at Naha, Okinawa during 1950.
The name was on the inside of the starboard fuselage.
ZERO ZERO was a F-82G assigned to the 339th F(AW)S at
Johnson Air Base, Japan during 1951.

Hard Luck was a F-82F assigned to the 5th

Fighter (All Weather) Squadron at Mitchell AFB
during 1949.

This F-82G from the 449th F(AW)S at Ladd

AFB, Alaska, had the radar pod removed.
An F-82F from the 318th F(AW)S over Salt Lake City, Utah during 1950. This F-82F has two
different canopies indicating that they were interchangeable with their corresponding
parts on a P-51 Mustang. (via Warren Thompson)

Colonel Oliver Cellini, Commander of the 52nd F(AW)G at Mitchell AFB, Long Island, New
York flies over Long Island Sound with a pair of wingmen during 1949. The 52nd F(AW)G F-
82Fs flew all-weather missions defending the East Coast until they were replaced by
Lockheed F-94BsStarfires during 1951. (USAF) .

-
•

27
 Pods
Gun Pod
• • • • • •> - - - - - -

Eight .50 Caliber

Machine Guns

Radar Pod

AN/APG-28
Radar (F-82F)
SCR-720 Radar
(F-82G)

A F-82F from the 2nd F(AW)S at Mitchell AFB. The aircraft is assigned to an Element
Leader as indicated by the single White band around the fuselage. The spinner, wingtips,
and vertical tail are Medium Blue, with Silver stars and trim. (Ron Picciani)
UPSTAIRS MAID, CUMULOUS WOODY, and SPOKANE SPOOK were examples of the fine
nose art seen on 319th Fighter (All Weather) Squadron F-82Fs. (David Menard)
 was located at [tawke, and the 339th F(AW)S
- was based at Yokota. 5th AF immedi ately
moved all three F-82G squadron s to Itawke,
T he F-82G was the Allison-engined pro- the nearest air base to the Korean battlefield.
du ction version of the P-82C. It had identical Ironi call y, the 347th F(AW)G had been deac-
equipment as the F-82F, with the exception of tivated just one day before war broke out, and
the scanning radar unit. The F-82G used the Fa r East Air Force had to reac ti vate th e
older but very reliable SCR-720C, the sa me Gro up as a Provisional unit - th e 347 th
unit that was in the Northrop F-61 Bl ack Fighter (All Weather) Group (Prov is io nal).
Widows the F-82G would be replacing. The The Lockheed F-80C Shooting Stars of th e
F-82G gross we ig ht was 2 1,760 po und s 8th F ig hte r Bomber Wing a nd the 51st
clea n, and 25,89 1 pounds with dro p tanks. Fighter Interceptor Wing were also based at
First flown on 8 December 1947, fo ur months Hazuke. But even wi th the sho rt distance
before the F-82F, the first of an eve ntu al from Hawke, the F-80 Shooting Stars could
forty-fo ur F-82Gs, serial s 46-355/-383 a nd not re ma in over the target areas for much
46-389/-404, were delivered to sq uadrons of more than about thirty minutes maximum.
the 347th Fighter (All Weather) Group in the The mission of the F-82 air crews was to
Far East. The F-82Gs were a lso painted "Seek out and destroy the North Korean Air
Gloss Black for ni ght operations. It was these Force". On 27 June 1950, while coverin g the
squad ron s that we re part of the Ja pa nese evacuation airli ft from Kimpo and Suwon, a
Occupatio n Force th at took the F-82 Twin fli g ht of 68th F(AW)S F-82Gs intercepted
Mustang into co mbat during the Korean War. . so me North Korean Yak fighters atte mptin g
When war broke out in Korea on 25 June to break up the evacuation fro m Suwon. 1st
1950, the Fifth Air Force had o nl y three Lieutenant Wm . ' Skeeter' Hud so n, w ith
sq uadrons that co uld effecti vely operate for Lieutenant Carl F raser as Rada r Operator,
long hours over the evac uati o n cente rs at shot down a NKAF Yak-II scorin g the first
Inchon and Kimpo - the three sq uad rons of F- official kill of the Korean War. A mild con-
82Gs assig ned to the 347 th Fighter (All troversy ex ists about the victory as Lieutenant
Weather) G ro up . The 4th F(AW)S was at C harl es Mo ran also shot down a Yak-9 at
Naha Air Base on Oki nawa; the 68th F(AW)S almost the exact same minute. Major James
A new F-82G Twin Mustang of the 68th Fighter (All Weather) Squ~dron on .the ramp at
Itazuke Air Base, Japan during 1950. The F-82G was the Allison-engmed version. of the P-
82C and was equipped with the SCR-720C radar. The radar pod had a Brown flbreglass
nose. (Merle Olmsted)

30
 •

A 68th F(AW)S F-82G Twin Mustang flies over Korea during the Summer of 1950. With its
extraordinary range, the F-82G could loiter in the target area for hours. The Lockheed F-80
Shooting Star jet fighters, with their shorter range, were lucky to stay on station much
more than fifteen minutes. (Merle Olmsted)

OUR LlL' LASS was assigned to the 339th Fighter (AI Weather) Squadron. The 339th was
based at Yokota Air Base, Japan when the Korean War broke out, but moved to Itazuke Air
Base when the 5th Air Force decided to concentrate the F-82G force in one location closer
to the Korean battlefield. (Hale) .
A 68th F(AW)S F-82G patrQls high over the mountains of North Korea during the Fall of
1950. As the United Nations ground forces moved up the Korean peninsula, the F-82Gs
were based further north to keep them in constant contact with the fleeing North Korean
Air Force. (via Warren Thompson)
LOVER BOY, a 339th F(AW)S F-82G, shares the ramp at Yokota with a 19th Bomb Group B-
29 Superfortress. The 347th F(AW)G was the parent unit for all three F-82G squadrons,
and the sole operator of the F-82 Twin Mustang in the Far East. (USAF)
A 68th F(AW)S F-82G on the alert ramp at Suwon Air Base, South Korea in the Fall of 1950.
By the Fall of 1950, some of the F-82G squadrons were being used for night intruder, truck-
busting missions, armed with five inch HVAR rockets on the underwing rocket trees.
(Dave McLaren)
L ittl e, lea din g a fl ig ht f ro m th e 339th ed from the confli ct by rov ing patrols of 5th
F(AW)S got a NKAF La-7 fo r the third F-S2 AF F-S2Gs and F-SOCs, the F-S2G squadrons
victory of the day. began fl ying long range interdi ction missions
With the North Korean Air Force eliminat- aga in s t No rth Ko rea n ta nks a nd tr ucks .
A 68th F(AW)S F-82G sits alert at Itazuke in August of 1950 armed with five HVAR rockets.
During the hectic summer months of 1950, the F-82Gs were sometimes pressed into use
as fighter-bombers in a desperate attempt to stave off the advancing North Korean tank
forces. (Carl Fraser)
•
 ,

Three F-82G Twin Mustangs of the 339th F(AW)S line the ramp at Itazuke during the
Summer of 1950. The 339th F(AW)S was the squadron that flew top cover for the evacua-
tion of u.S. citizens, who were being threatened by the North Korean invasion forces.
(USAF)
,
Carrying bombs and five inch HVAR rockets, hours. On 2 July 1950, the F-82Gs began a
the F-82Gs were very effecti ve due to their new mi ssion - ni ght in terdi cti on over Korea.
ability to ' loiter ' in the target area fo r long With thei r airborne intercept radar, the Twin
periods, so metim es as lo ng as a co upl e of M ustangs co ul d roa m u p a nd d ow n t he
Maintenance during the Korean War was always accomplished under the harshest condi-
tions, and usually right out on the open air ramp. These 68th F(AW)S mechanics are
. checking the coolant tanks at Ashiya in the late Summer of 1951. (USAF)

•
 Instrument Panels
Pilot's Instrument Panel K-18 Gun
Sight

1. Clock
2. Instrument
Approach Indicator
3. Voltmeter
4. Altitude Limit Switch
5. Radio Altimeter
6. Left Fuel Gage
7. Right Fuel Gage
8. Accelerometer
9. Air Speed Indicator
10. Remote Indicating
Compass
11 . Attitude Gyro
12. Left Engine Gage
13. Right Engine Gage
14. Engine Charge
o
Temperature Gage 0 23 "
•
15. Radio Compass
16. Altimeter
17. Turn & Bank Indicator
18. Rate 01 Climb
Indicator 24
Bomb/Rocket
19. Manllord Pressure
20. Tachometer Trigger
21 . CoolantTemperature
22. Ignition Switches
23. Radar Scope
24. Armament Control
Panel

Control Stick
•

Radar Operator's
Instrument Panel
•

Light Light

O~V

1. Clock SRC-720
2. Oxygen Pressure
Gage D ®
3. Oxygen Flow Indicator
4. Airspeed Indicator 9
o~ @O 9
5. Altimeter O@, ]
6. Free Air Temperature
7. APN-12 Indicator
8. SRC 720 Radar Scope
@<:> ( )

9. Footrests
10. Remote Indicating
Compass
11 . Radio Compass

Antenna Hand Control

35
 The two stripes around the aft fuselage of "OAQUAKE" indicate that the pilot was a Flight
Leader with the 68th F(AW)S. When the Russian MiG-15 jet fighter was introduced into the
skies over Korea, it spelled the beginning of the end for the F-82G's combat career. (Merle
Olmsted)
Korean pe nin sul a with relati ve impunity, hit- intrude r Douglas 8 -268 In vade rs.
tin g ta rge ts that th e N o rth K o re an R e d s The ro le of the F-82G durin g the Ko rea n
tho ught were in vulne rable at ni ght. Late r in w a r we nt bac k to inte rce pto r wh e n No rth
th e wa r, thi s mi ss io n was fl o wn by ni g ht Ko rean PO-2 bipla nes bega n the ir infamo us

Lieutenant William 'Skeeter' Hudson's crew chief climbs into the cockpit of Hudson's 68th
F(AW)S F-82G (serial 46-383). Barely discern able under the windscreen is the small Red
star in circle indicating the first kill of the war, a North Korean Air Force Yak-11 that was
•
shot down by Hudson and his Radar Operator Lieutenant Carl Fraser. (Merle Olmsted)

36 •
•
•
 A gun camera confirmation of a kill against a
North Korean Yak fighter by Lieutenant
Hudson's F-82G Twin Mustang early in the
Korean War. The Twin Mustangs scored a
total of four air-to-air kills and another twen-
ty ground kills. (Merle Olmsted)

"Bedcheck Charlie" raids. At thi s mi ss ion, By the end operations in Korea, the
the F-82Gs were at a loss - but so was every three Twin Mustang squadrons had fl ow n a
other aircraft type in Korea. The PO-2s flew total of 1,868 sorties, scoring twenty-four vic-
simply too low and slow for the F-82Gs to tories, four air to ~jr and twenty ground victo-
•
intercept. By 1952, the F-82Gs were being nes.
replaced by Lockheed F-94B jet interceptors.
Three 68th F(AW)S F-82Gs line the ramp at Pyongyang Main Air Base, North Korea. The
field was captured by units of the U.S. 8th Army in late October 1950. From Pyongyang
Main, the F-82Gs could range along the entire .North Korean border, from Vladivostok to
Antung, until the MiG-15s arrived! (via Marty Isham)
CALL GIRL was Colonel John Sharp's F-82G when he commanded the 4th Fighter (All
Weather) Squadron. Following the virtual destruction of the North Korean Air Force, the F-
82Gs were committed to a night intruder mission very similar to that of the 8-26 Invader
squadrons. (Cecil Marshall)
F-82H
The last nin e F-82F, serial s 46-496/-504,
and five F-82G airframes, serials 46-384/-
388, were specially equipped for cold weather
operations and designated as F-82H . They
had thermal anti-icing equ ipment and de-icer
boots with electric heaters on the propeller
blades. De-icing equ ipme nt fo r the flying
surfaces took hot air fro m behind the after-
cooler radiator and blew it across the leading
edge of the wing and tai l surfaces. Other
equiment included improved cabin heating
systems, type F- I autopilots, radar altimeters,
RC- J 93 radar beacon, and glide path and
localizer receivers, and AN/ARA-8 homing
receiver. The F-82Hs were all equipped with
the SCR-720C search radar, the same as the
F-82G. Gross weight for the winterized F-
82H was 22,060 pounds 'clean' , and 26,186
pounds with a pair of drop tanks.
All the F-82H aircraft were also painted
overall Gloss Black as found on the F-82F
and F-82G . The first flig ht of the F-82H
came on 15 February 1949. Most of the F-
82H production was assigned to the 449th
Fighter (A ll -Weather) Squadron based at
Ladd AFB, Alaska, replacing earli er F-82Fs
38
and Gs that were not modified for cold
weather operations. During the Korean War,
the 449th F(AW)S F-82Hs flew two s hip
patrols over the Bering Stra it . The 449th
F(AW)S was based at Nome, Alaska during
this period. Staging through Marks Field, the
449th had the mi ss ion of photo reconnai s-
sa nce of the Soviet install atio ns just across
the Bering Strait. Since the camera pod for
the F-82 cou ld not be used due to installati on
of the radar 'p ick le', the 449th Radar
Operators had to resort to using hand-held
cameras for the mi ssion.
But these too were short lived in the era of
the jet engine, as they were replaced with
Lockheed F-94B Starfire jet interceptors in
1952. The last F-82H was retired from ser-
vice with the 449th F(AW)S in June 1953 .
North American Aviation built a total of two
hundred seventy two P-82/F-82 Twin
Mustangs for the US Air Force. At least parts
of fo ur survive today, a P-82B at the US Air
Force Museum in Dayton, Ohio; and a second
P-82B being restored by the Confederate Air
Force, a F-82E on display at Lackland AFB,
TX, and another F-82E in a private collection
in Ohio, who also has one of the XP-82 fuse-
lages .
One of the many ground kills scored by Twin Mustang crews was this IL-10 Stormovik that
was shot up on the runway at Kimpo during the late Summer of 1950. F-82G Twin Mustang
crews would score twenty such ground kills during the Korean War. (USMC)

Rocket Installations
Retractable Stubs (Not Used Operationally)
Retractable Stubs

Ten 5 Inch HVAR Rockets

Rocket Tree Launcher

Pylon
Arming Wire

5 Inch HVAR
Rocket

39
 •

--- .---
•
-'--
•
•

A trio of 68th F(AW)S F-82G Twin Mustangs parked on the ramp at Itazuke Air Base during
July of 1950, including SIAMESE LADY in the foreground. From Itazuke, the F-82Gs could
loiter over the evacuation centers at Inchon and Kimpo for up to three hours. (Merle
Olmsted)
•

SIAMESE LADY was a 68th F(AW)S F-82G. The F-82G was externally identical to the earlier
F-82F, with only the radar, a SCR-720C unit, plus the cockpit displays, being different. The
name is Yellow, while the numbers on the drop tanks are Red with White trim. (via Merle
Olmsted)

40
ZERO ZERO, a 339th F(AW)S F-82G at Johnson Air Base, Japan during the Summer of
1951. The SCR-720C radar could be used against ground targets such as trucks as well as
in the air-to-air intercept role. (Martin Bambrick)

This F-82G Twin Mustang (Serial 46-364) was the aircraft flown by 68th Fighter (All
Weather) Sqadron pilot Lieutenant Charlie Moran on the first day of the Korean war. After
Moran shot up a North Korean Yak fighter, another Yak shot up his rudder and he was
forced to crash land at Suwon. (USAF)
•

- .•
"

- ... -
..-
•
.... "' - ••
•
•

-.....
.
• •
•
- ...
~ ... .• 41
• •
•
 •

A 4th F(AW)S F-82G returns to Itazuke Air Base following another mission over Korea dur-
ing July of 1950. Since the aircraft is lacking its drop tanks, it is evident that the North
Korean Air Force was encountered on this mission. F-82G crews accounted for four air-to-
air victories in Korea. (USAF)
A pair of 339th F(AW)S F-82Gs prepare to leave snow-covered Misawa Air Base, Japan, for
another patrol up the east coast of Korea during 1951. Although the squadrons were ini-
tially based at Itazuke, FEAF ordered several detachments to other bases throughout
Japan and Korea as the primary night air defense weapon. (Harry White)
A mechanic performs one of the vital engine checks on a 68th F(AW)S F-82G on the ramp
at Kimpo Air Base, Korea during the Spring of 1951. By this date, the F-82Gs were suc-
cessfully flying night intruder missions into North Korea, in addition to providing night air
defense over FEAF air bases. (USAF)
Captain Johnnie Gosnell waves goodbye to his family as he taxis his 68th F(AW)S F-82G
past some 51st FIG F-80Cs at Itazuke in July of 1950. During the early days of the Korean
War, a pilot could have his family stay with him, almost like a normal job. A pilot said
goodbye in the morning, put his life on the line over Korea during the morning and after-
noon missions, then returned home to his family at supper. (USAF)
 .,' "
•

~~

- • •

A pair of very unusual F-82G Twin Mustangs. These aircraft were assigned to the 449th
F(AW)S at Ladd Air Force Base, Alaska, as replacements for F-82Hs during 1952. Neither
aircraft has a radar pod under the center wing, although both still have the flame dampen-
ing exhaust stacks and F-82G serials. There is a stylized bird face on the outboard drop
tank of FQ-377. The 449th F(AW)S turned in their F-82Gs and F-82Hs for F-94B Starfire jet
interceptors in June of 1953. (via David Menard)

••
GRUESOME TWOSOME parked on the Pierced Steel Plank (PSP) ramp at Johnson Air
Base, Japan during the Summer of 1951. Detachments of two aircraft each were sent to all
active FEAF air bases for action against the North Korean PO-2 night harrassment raiders,
commonly called BEDCHECK CHARLIE. Johnson Air Base was also the home of the MiG
Killers of the 4th Fighter Interceptor Wing. (Jack White)

The MISSGUIDED VIRGIN was a Flight Commanders (identified by the two Red stripes on
the rear fuselage) F-82G Twin Mustang assigned to the 4th Fighter (All Weather) Squadron
at Naha Air Base, Okinawa. The 4th F(AW)S was one of three squadrons assigned to the
347th F(AW)G that were moved to Itazuke Air Base, Japan after the war broke out. (via
Warren Thompson)

45
Nose art was plentiful and varied on the F-82Gs that flew combat in Korea. MID NIGHT
SINNER, of the 4th Fighter (All Weather) Squadron had the name in Light Blue with a White
outline. The propeller spinners were in Medium Blue. (via Warren Thompson)

This F-82G of the 68th Fighter (All Weather) Squadron was flown by George Dever. The
name was in Yellow with a Bambi character behind the name. The pilots and radar opera-
tor's names were carried under the cockpit in White. (Via Warren Thompson)
WEE PEA II was a F-82G assigned to the 68th Fighter (All Weather) Squadron at Itazuke
during 1950. The lettering was Red with a White outline. (John Campbell)

This F-82G was based at Misawa, Japan during 1950. (Harry White)

This 68th F(AW)S F-82 had the entire forward portion of the radar pod covered with car-
toon nose art. (via Merle Olmsted)

-
 • •

A strange survivor. One of the XF-82s armed with what appears to be a missile shape for
the GAM-83 (AGM-12) Bullpup guided missile for drop tests along with at least one dummy
250 pound bomb. The information supplied with the photo was dated May of 1951 , some
two years after the Air Force had retired the XP-82s. (via Dave McLearn)

After they were retired from active service a number of F-82s were used as instructional
airframes for maintenance personnel. This F-82B had been assigned to the 27th Fighter
Escort Wing as a conversion trainer. It was later assigned to the 325th Fighter (All
Weather) Group at Hamilton Field, California during September of 1948 as a trainer. (Bill
Larkins)
The Confederate Air Force had a restored F-82B in flying condition during the 1985 air
show season. The aircraft was incorrectly given a Gloss Black paint scheme used on the
all weather variants of the Twin Mustang. The aircraft crashed not long after this photo
was taken. (Confederate Air Force)

The Confederate Air Force F-82B on display at an airshow, complete with the Confederate
Flag. The aircraft was painted in overall Gloss Black to represent a Korean War F-82G all
weather fighter. The aircraft was lost to a crash during 1985.

'l •

,
1109
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1026
•

In action

In action

1067 1045 I

• • •
S ua ron SI na u lea Ions
 Colonel Cy Wilson flew "OLE 97" when he
was the Commander of the 27th Fighter
Escort Group at Kearney Air Force Base
during 1948.

- .
• ,,01
8297

ISBN 0-89747-367 - 1
>
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