Posted on 01/11/2019 5:02:58 AM PST by stickandrudder
On 31 December 2018, our XP-82 Twin Mustang flew for the first time since 14 December 1949. Although it wasn’t supposed to fly yesterday, all that was planned to do was the last FAA required runway high-speed taxi test, lift off for a second or two and then back down, deploy full flaps and brake to a stop. It accelerated so fast after the planned lift off that Ray, our test pilot, realized that getting it back down and stopping it in the remaining runway would be marginal. So he pushed the power back up and flew for about five minutes. The unexpected and dramatic acceleration of our XP-82 at 55 inches of manifold pressure occurred because it was approaching three times the horsepower of a single engine Mustang and one and a half times the weight. The XP-82 has 1860 hp each side for total of 3720 hp, compared to 1500 hp for the P-51. Our XP-82 weighs approximately only 1 1/2 times more than a P-51 - 14,700 lbs. compared to 9500 lbs. for the P-51. The very short gear-down flight showed zero airframe squawks, hands-off no trim required, with all engine temps and pressures normal. This wonderful test flight came after a 10.5 year restoration encompassing 207,000 labor hours. Many thanks to Ray Fowler, our test pilot, and all of the men and women that made this restoration possible. Thank you, Tom Reilly.
(Excerpt) Read more at xp-82twinmustangproject.blogspot.com ...
Aviation ping
Another article on it:
https://www.popularmechanics.com/flight/a25740504/restored-twin-mustang-flies/
Pictures at both wesites
My all time favorite WWII plane.
If you are ever in Salinas, CA. go visit CalPacific Airmotive at the Salinas Airport. They are “the shop” doing P-51 restorations.
https://www.calpacificairmotive.com/biography.html
They are wonderful people and would probably take the time to give you a tour.
Ten and a half years. Damn. That’s true love.
Fastest piston engine flight from Hawaii to NYC as I learned when a kid. Wonder if that record still holds?
My father worked on those in Korea. Those were an amazing plane, for a piston powered platform.
The P-82 flew in Korea
To Tom and the gang a job well done.
I know! That is a clear violation of The Rules. As serious as mentioning CZJ and not posting a photo.
Aircraft porn is a serious subject here on FR. At least, to me. Beautiful aircraft indeed.
Aieee! You referenced CZJ but didn’t post a picture! Agh! Now I did it!
LOL, The Knights who say “Nee!”
Warbirds Wood.
“My all time favorite WWII plane.”
Saw one in the process of being refurbished at the Ghost Squadron Museum, Midland, Tx. This was several years ago. Don’t know if it was ever completed though.
Very interesting. I knew the F-82 had twin, counter-rotating Allisons. Didn’t know the original XP-82 was equipped with Packard-Merlins. I figured they just “went with Merlins” because they were easier to obtain. Wrongo!
WOW! I’ve been following this project for awhile. To see it go from bones and spare parts to FLYING is AMAZING!
Oh. YEAH! Nice pic. Feathered my prop nicely it did.
Never understood the point. Why take a great plane and cobble together this monstrosity? Which pilot flies it, or is there just one and if so which cockpit does he sit in? Looks like it would be horrible to control and worthless as a fighter. If you wanted a twin engine Mustang do it right put the cockpit in the middle like the P38 flanked by twin Merlins. That would be a sweet arrangement.
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