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Home > Fact Sheets > North American F-82
NORTH AMERICAN F-82
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 escort missions. Delivery from production did not begin until early 1946, too late for World War II. After WWII, 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.
The National Museum of the United States Air Force has an F-82B on display in its Modern Flight Gallery.
| Type |
Number built/
converted |
Remarks |
| XF-82 |
2 |
Long-range escort fighter prototype |
| XF-82A |
1 |
Allison-powered prototype |
| F-82B |
20 |
First production model |
| F-82C |
1 (cv) |
Modified F-82B; all-weather fighter |
| F-82D |
1 (cv) |
Modified F-82B; all-weather fighter |
| F-82E |
100 |
Improved F-82B; V-1710-powered |
| F-82F |
100 |
Improved F-82E; all-weather fighter |
| F-82G |
50 |
Improved F-82F |
| F-82H |
14 (cv) |
Converted F and Gs for cold weather ops |
TECHNICAL NOTES:
Armament: Six .50-cal. machine guns, 25 5-in. rockets, and 4,000 lbs. of bombs
Engines: Two Packard V-1650s of 1,380 hp each
Maximum speed: 482 mph
Cruising speed: 280 mph
Range: 2,200 mi.
Service ceiling: 39,900 ft.
Span: 51 ft. 3 in.
Length: 38 ft. 1 in.
Height: 13 ft. 8 in.
Weight: 24,800 lbs. maximum
Crew: Two
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