F-82 Twin Mustang

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North American F-82 Twin Mustang
Description
Role	Escort and Night Fighter
Crew	2
Dimensions
Length	42 ft 5 in (12.93 m)
Wingspan	51 ft 3 in (15.62 m)
Height	13 ft 10 in (4.22 m)
Wing area	408 sq ft (37.90 m^2)
Weights
Empty	15,997 lb (71,109 N)
Loaded
Maximum take-off	25,591 lb (113,758 N)
Powerplant
Engines	2 Allison V-1710-143/145
Power	1,600 hp (1,193 kW)
Performance
Maximum speed	461 mph (742 km/h) at 21,000 ft (6,400 m)
Combat range	2,250 miles (3,605 km)
Ferry range
Service ceiling	38,900 ft (11,855 m)
Rate of climb
Armament
Guns	6 Browning M2 .50 (12.7) caliber machine guns
Bombs	4,000 lb (907 kg) of bombs

The F-82 Twin Mustang was a long-range escort 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 V-1650 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 propellors.

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.

Other "twinned aircraft"

Heinkel He 111Z

Sources:

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

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