Just came across this video on the XP-82. Thought you might find it interesting.

Thanks for sharing that LB4LB.

S!Blade<><

Great video LB4LB.


Wheels

Thanks for the link. Loved it. Somehow I have always connected more to the not so well-rated US designs (like the P-38!)
What an effort they came up witth, incredible.

Only 5 parts being identical to regular P-51s was a big WTF moment to me...

"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."

https://www.facebook.com/Xp-82-Twin-Mustang-Prototype-Project-44-83887-169791783063916/

Awesome!

Beat me to it. I just saw that it flew on Facebook, just amazing

Ray took a page from Howard Hughes's playbook.


Wheels

Darn that is one beautiful aircraft !!!

somewhat like a P-38...

Sorta but not really

The sound was fantastic !

Cool video F4U.


Wheels

Just came across this:

I'm certainly glad that this historical aircraft has been revived, but man that thing is UGLY!

Tail cam

Who has Twelve Million Dollars?


https://www.platinumfighters.com/xp-82?

The P-51 Mustang, the aircraft that the XP-82 is based on, has to be the most important and decisive aircraft ever built in the history of aviation and aircraft development. One thing is sure, it was a game changer and without it, the Air War in Europe during World War II would not had won by the Allies.

The P-51 was developed for the British and their R.A.F. and they didn't want it because it was a dud. An under performing fighter compared to their Spitfires and Hurricanes. It was only after the original American made engine was replaced by a British Rolls Royce engine did the P-51 became the famous game changing fighter it's now known for.

You vastly overstate the Mustangs importance. The Air war in the ETO would still have been won with P-47's, Spitfires and P-38's if not for the Mustang.