North American F-82 Twin Mustang

The North American F-82 Twin Mustang is an American long-range escort fighter. Based on the North American P-51 Mustang, the F-82 was designed as an escort for the Boeing B-29 Superfortress in World War II, but the war ended well before the first production units were operational. The F-82 was the last American piston-engined fighter ordered into production by the United States Air Force. In the postwar era, Strategic Air Command used the aircraft as a long-range escort fighter. Radar-equipped F-82s were used extensively by the Air Defense Command as replacements for the Northrop P-61 Black Widow as all-weather day/night interceptors. During the Korean War, Japan-based F-82s were among the first USAF aircraft to operate over Korea. The first three North Korean aircraft destroyed by U.S. forces were shot down by F-82s, the first being a North Korean Yak-11 downed over Gimpo Airfield by the USAF 68th Fighter Squadron.
Summary from Wikipedia, photo via Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA.
- Manufacturer
- North American Aviation
- Category
- Fighters
- Country of origin
- United States
- First flight
- 1945-06-15
Specifications
- Cruise speed
- 249 kt
- Max speed
- 401 kt
- Range
- 1,950 nm
- Service ceiling
- 38,900 ft
- Max takeoff weight
- 25,591 lb
- Empty weight
- 15,997 lb
- Fuel capacity
- 576 US gal
- Powerplant
- Allison V-1710-143/V-1710-145
- Engines
- 2
- Seats
- 2
- Length
- 39.4 ft
- Wingspan
- 51.3 ft
- Height
- 11.8 ft
- Number built
- 273
Specifications are approximate and may vary by variant. Compiled from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA).
Reference and training only. Specifications vary by variant — consult the manufacturer and the official documents.