The F-82 was the last propeller-driven fighter acquired in quantity by the USAF. It appears to be two Mustang fuselages on one wing, but in reality it was a totally new design. Its purpose was to provide a fighter carrying a pilot and co-pilot/navigator to reduce fatigue on long-range bomber ecsort missions. Delivery from production did not begin until early 1946, too late for WW II. After WW II, radar-equipped F-82s were used quite extensively by the Air Defense Command as replacements for the P-61 night fighter.

During the Korean Conflict, Japan-based F-82s were among the first USAF aircraft to operate over Korea. The first three North Korean airplanes destroyed by U.S. forces were shot down by all-weather F-82G interceptors on June 27, 1950.

Of a total of 273 F-82s produced, 20 were -Bs. the F-82B on display, "Betty-Jo," flew from Hawaii to New York on February 27-28, 1947, a distance of 5,051 miles, the longest non-stop flight ever made by a prop-driven fighter. "Betty-Jo" was delivered to the U.S. Air Force Museum in 1957.

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SPECIFICATIONS

• Span: 51 ft. 3 in.
• Length: 38 ft. 1 in.
• Height: 13 ft. 8 in.
• Weight: 24,800 lbs. max.
• Armament: Six .50-cal. machine guns, 25 five-inch rockets, and 4,000 lbs. of bombs
• Engines: Two Packard V-1650s of 1,380 hp. ea.
• Cost: $228,000

PERFORMANCE

• Maximum speed: 482 mph.
• Cruising speed: 280 mph.
• Range: 2,200 miles
• Service Ceiling: 39,000 ft.