Grand Champion XP-82 Comes to Market

While everyone enjoys a classic warbird, there's a certain kind of buyer who looks fondly at the "Twin Mustang" of yore, one of the USAF's last piston fighters to serve.

Truthfully, the XP-82 isn't quite as simple as a conjoined Mustang, despite its looks, but it remains an oddball among long-range escort fighters of the late war to Korean War era. Originally designed to provide fighter coverage to long-ranged bomber sorties sorties, the XP-82 (later F-82 upon adoption) was born into the waning years of prop fighters, fighting for purpose in the dawn of the jet age. Surprisingly, the F-82 had a better career than one would expect, finding a niche as an all-weather patrol plane for the Air Defense Command before a stint fighting and scouting in Korea.

The sale aircraft was made in 1944, making it a true wartime aircraft, and sports the same all-metal appearance it did upon completion. It looks just as good as it did back then, right down to dummy rounds in the loading trays of all half-dozen MG 53-2 Browning machine guns. This particular bird is equipped a pair of contra-rotating Packard V-1650 engines, the license-built version of the Rolls-Royce Merlin. While the engines are a dream for civilian operations today, they weren't quite a hit with the DOD in the post-war period, thanks to increasing royalties charged by the Brits and a quickly torn-down Packard assembly line. Instead, production F-82s had to make do with a V-12 from Allison, a downgrade from the Merlin in terms of high-altitude and top speed. That's great news for buyers today, since this XP-82 is basically the world's best cross-country warbird. For the introverted, it's paradise, with the second in command ensconced in an enclosure of steel, aluminum, and plexiglass on the other end of the center wingspan. No awkward conversations, a modicum of privacy, and a set of dual controls are all a perfect recipe for the captain who likes the safety of a second pilot, but hates the social component they bring.

Of course, as warbirds often go, this won't be a cheap purchase for anyone involved. It's an excellent restoration, and an EAA AirVenture Grand Champion, with a historic nameplate and infamous design to boot. At the time of sale, N877XP has about 25 hours on the till since its last overhaul, meaning there's plenty of trouble-free flying to be had before it's time to start cracking open the Merlins and shopping for vintage parts. The aircraft sports a pretty true-to-vintage layout in the panel, too, with most gauges retained. Only the essential radio/transponder/ADS-B/GPS units have been added into the mix, so it's probably a good idea to add a suction cup mount for an EFB to the sale price too. The right seat enjoys many of the same control capabilities that the captain's chair does, but in true First Officer fashion, the luxuries of 1944 are omitted. He'll have to make do without the landing gear up, aileron trim, primary radio, and start/prime switches. He does get the elevator and rudder trim, engine controls, gear down, fuel controls, coolant doors, CAT, and lighting though, so buyers can sleep easy in cruise knowing their SIC has everything taken care of.

FMI: www.platinumfighters.com