Why would anyone build a fighter that looked like two airplanes joined together? The North American F-82 Twin Mustang had two fuselages, two cockpits, two engines, and two propellers, all connected by a shared center wing and tailplane. But its unusual shape was not simply an experiment. It was designed to solve a major problem facing long-range fighters near the end of World War II. Developed from the P-51 Mustang and originally designated the P-82, the Twin Mustang was intended to escort American bombers across the enormous distances of the Pacific. Although it arrived too late to serve in World War II, the Twin Mustang soon demonstrated its exceptional range. In 1947, the F-82B Betty Jo flew nonstop from Hawaii to New York, setting a record for the longest nonstop flight by a propeller-driven fighter. As the Cold War began, later F-82F and F-82G variants were developed as radar-equipped all-weather interceptors and night fighters, and the Twin Mustang would soon see combat in the Korean War. In this Airspeed video, we take a close look at the F-82 Twin Mustang to see why its unusual design was the answer to a problem that went beyond simply carrying more fuel, and why this remarkable aircraft found itself caught between the piston-engine fighter and the emerging jet age. This video was created entirely by humans. Chapters 00:00 – 00:28 — Why Two Cockpits? 00:28 – 05:29 — Building the Twin Mustang 05:29 – 06:43 — The F-82’s Incredible Range 06:43 – 07:35 — From Escort Fighter to Interceptor 07:35 – 08:57 — The Twin Mustang in Korea 08:57 – 10:51 — Why the F-82 Needed Two Pilots
Source: Why the F – 82 Looked Like Two Fighters Joined Together
