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North American F-82 Twin Mustang

. My dad flew the P51-D Mustang and the F4-U Corsair in the Korean War. He said about the Mustang “ you don’t strap in, you strap it on”. He also flew the Mustang during the Bay of Pigs, before the squadron was called back.
I could never fit into his shoes. All I could do was serve as a Marine.
 
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My father in law, Thomas E. Clancy, was the project engineer on the F-82/P-82 after having been the engine man for the P-51 from prototype stage to the F-82. I recall him saying that it was quite slow in roll and hence not a good fighter platform for dogfighting although it was relatively fast, reliable and could carry a heavy load. I seem to recall that they fitted it with radar and used it as a night fighter quite effectively. One issue with using the P-51 format for ground support was the vulnerability of the air and oil radiators in the belly scoop. And of course it overlapped with the new MiGs which were better matched by the F-86. With twice the maintenance per hour of flight versus being trapped between hostile ground fire and much more capable fighters, it didn't last long. The two enemy aircraft mentioned having been shot down by the 82 were kind of duds; the Yak 11 was originally a low horsepower trainer and only had one gun. The LA-7 was a mid-40's tech fighter and did OK against the German Bf109 and FW190 but not great. I suspect the two you cited in the article were types handed to newbies with hopes they could keep the Yanks busy while the big guys got operational.
Sure was a pretty airplane though wasn't it.
 
CTango said:
My father in law, Thomas E. Clancy, was the project engineer on the F-82/P-82 after having been the engine man for the P-51 from prototype stage to the F-82. I recall him saying that it was quite slow in roll and hence not a good fighter platform for dogfighting although it was relatively fast, reliable and could carry a heavy load. I seem to recall that they fitted it with radar and used it as a night fighter quite effectively. One issue with using the P-51 format for ground support was the vulnerability of the air and oil radiators in the belly scoop. And of course it overlapped with the new MiGs which were better matched by the F-86. With twice the maintenance per hour of flight versus being trapped between hostile ground fire and much more capable fighters, it didn't last long. The two enemy aircraft mentioned having been shot down by the 82 were kind of duds; the Yak 11 was originally a low horsepower trainer and only had one gun. The LA-7 was a mid-40's tech fighter and did OK against the German Bf109 and FW190 but not great. I suspect the two you cited in the article were types handed to newbies with hopes they could keep the Yanks busy while the big guys got operational.
Sure was a pretty airplane though wasn't it.
Click to expand...
Is your father in law the same Tom Clancy the writer?
 
My dad, CH (Capt) G R McCahan was the Base Chaplain at Vernam AFB in Jamaica, BWI in 1947 until the base closed in 1948(?). I was a dependent - second oldest kid there, my brother was two years older. There was an F-82 Squadron based there as part of the Panama Canal air defenses. The base was on a 99-yr Lend Lease from the UK in trade for some old battleships to help their WWII war effort. Vernam Field still exists, about 45 miles from Kingston near Spanish Town and Four Paths, although the air force base was closed. I believe there was also an F-82 Squadron at Kindley Field (AFB) in Bermuda under Lend Lease with UK, and perhaps at Albrook AFB in the Canal Zone.
 
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