Warbird Information Exchange

In the video I posted of the first flight, you can see that they left the canopy slightly open in the unoccupied right hand side. Any ideas why this is and it wasn't fully closed?

So the XP-82 has a different version of the Merlin than the P-51D's/H's/K's?

They were the most powerful Packard Merlin’s made in standard production, and the last of the line. The XP-82 has one each V-1650-23 right hand and -25 left hand engines that were rated by Packard identically to the “dash nine” Merlin that was in late Mustangs. That’s a beefy engine. The normal P-51D V-1650-7 was rated from the manufacturer at 1315hp at 3000 rpm, with a max horsepower of 1720hp at 3000 rpm. The dash 23 and 25 are normal rated at 1380hp at 3000 rpm, with maximum power being 2,280 hp at 3000 rpm, and same as the dash nine Merlin. What is neat, and a mystery to me is that the dash 25 has a reduction gear ratio of .478 to 1 while the dash 23 has a .480 to 1. It must all work out due to the additional reduction gear losses somehow....regardless, I imagine the new engines will be super strong, and have the benefit of many years of postwar engine development (Reno) ensuring their durability.

This is a picture of their engine from their site...

The XP-82 will be displayed and flying at the Valiant Air Command's "Space Coast Warbird Airshow" from March 15-17. Here is another Michael O'Leary air-to-air photo that accompanied the Facebook announcement: https://scontent.ffcm1-2.fna.fbcdn.net/ ... e=5CEFCA10

Are there any any armor plates available for this F-82 (or any P-51s) or have they all been scrapped?

With regard to the armor plate that goes behind the pilot's seat, there are some originals around still (they are however completely different between the P-51D and the P-82 - different design, and on the P-82, as I recall, it is a two part deal - one section that only reaches as high as the top of the seat and forms part of the seat mounting, and then the upper headrest portion). I recall in the restoration blog that the lower armor plate sections were reproduced using aluminum sheet (same thickness, but much lighter). Tom Reilly does have two original P-82 type upper steel armor plate sections as well, that mount the headrests, but the last project update I read about them was a bit earlier in the restoration and at that time they were going to wait on deciding to restore/use them or create new ones out of lighter, but same thickness, aluminum sheet once the weight and balance was checked on the completed aircraft (I think they ended up finding that the weight and balance is so close to the position of the armor plate that the weight of the armor plate doesn't really affect it). Since the aircraft has still been in the test-flight phase, I'm also certain that it hasn't exactly been a priority item for the time being. The aircraft is very authentically complete throughout (original radios, gun sight, gun camera, complete and detailed gun bays, etc.) so I fully expect they plan on having the armor plate headrest sections installed in time. (With regard to armor plates in Mustang restorations, often times they will be re-made using aluminum sheet to save on weight rather than using the original steel plates).

Thanks John.

Thanks John, this is something I have wondered about.

_________________
Cheers,
Kurt Maurer
League City, Texas

PIC, Ford 6600 pulling Rhino batwing up and down the runway

Would be a prime attraction for any show, where is this aircraft based at ?

When/if it makes the airshow circuit I am hoping they don't do much flying with it, just land it and let it sit there and look pretty. Diehards can see it in the air on arrival and departure.

Who's been doing the test flying of the airplane?

_________________
Defending Stearmans on WIX since Jeff started badmouthing them back in 2005.

.478:1 and .480:1 is less than 1/2% difference in RPM. At 3,000 engine RPM one prop is turning 1,434 RPM and the other is turning 1,440 RPM. Not sure that a 6 RPM difference between the two equates to a noticeable variation in thrust. I'm guessing the engine core itself turns the same direction and the nosecase has an idler gear for opposite rotation that affects the gear ratio.

What manifold pressures are these HP figures at and is that with water injection?

This is all a guess on my part though.

Ray Fowler

_________________
"They done it, they done it, damned if they ain't flew." December 17, 1903

Heard some rumors from multiple people that it has a buyer in line and will head to Russia this fall.

Any truth to this?

Heard the same.

_________________
Matt

Presumably to the same organisation that has the IL-2, MiG-3's, Polikarpov's, static A-20 and a bunch of other things?