The North American F-82 or "Twin Mustang" was the last piston engined fighter built for the United States Air Force, a major re-design on the successful P-51 Mustang fighter it was designed as a long range escort fighter but is best known in it's later acquired night-fighter role. The F-82 never saw action in WW2, the Japanese surrender, as a result of the nuclear bomb, coming as a surprise to most if not all aircraft designers and Air Force procurement officers because of the high level of secrecy surrounding the Atomic bomb many perceived important projects like that of an escort fighter became redundant, however a replacement for the P-61 Black Widow night fighter was required and the North American F-82 or "Twin Mustang" filled this role very well serving up to and including the Korean War where the first three North Korean aircraft destroyed by U.S. forces were shot down by F-82 "Twin Mustangs". The F-82 remained in service in Korea until 1951 after which it was replaced by the F-94 Starfire jet fighter. The remaining F-82's served their last two years of active service in their designed role of escort fighters operating out of Alaska in support of Convair B-36 bombers long Arctic flights until most were scraped at their Alaska bases in 1953. North American F-82G Specifications: - Crew: Pilot and Co-pilot
- Length: 42 ft 9 in (12.93 m)
- Wingspan: 51 ft 3 in (15.62 m)
- Height: 13 ft 10 in (4.22 m)
- Empty weight: 15,997 lb (7,271 kg)
- Max takeoff weight: 25,591 lb (11,632 kg)
- Engines: Twin 1,600 hp (1,200 kW) Allison V-1710-143/145 liquid-cooled V12 engines
- Maximum speed: 400 knots (460 mph, 740 km/h) at 21,000 ft (6,400 m)
- Range: 1,950 nm (2,250 mi, 3,605 km)
- Service ceiling 38,900 ft (11,855 m)
Armament: - Guns: 6× .50 in (12.7 mm) Browning M2 machine guns
- Rockets: 25× 5 in (127 mm) rockets
- Bombs: 4,000 lb (1,800 kg)
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