Soplata F-82 Twin Mustang to Tom Reilly

[Matt Sharkey]

Who is the owner of the 82 that Tom Reilly is restoring?

[MattP38]

I was talking about the FG-1D is gone and now located out west and yes the F2G #74 has also been sold and expected to fly by the end of summer.

There are a few new corsairs getting ready to come out of shops in the next couple of months.

Fantastic news, Corsairboss!

There was an article in one of the aviation magazines about 10 years ago, discussing an engine mechanic modifying two Allisons for a Twin Mustang. I’m not sure if they were stock or had been modified by a tractor puller and the mechanic was converting them back, but I didn’t hear much more after that. Pretty vauge, but as I said it was a while ago now. I'm not sure which airframe it was.

[Dan K]

There was an article in one of the aviation magazines about 10 years ago, discussing an engine mechanic modifying two Allisons for a Twin Mustang. I’m not sure if they were stock or had been modified by a tractor puller and the mechanic was converting them back, but I didn’t hear much more after that. Pretty vauge, but as I said it was a while ago now. I'm not sure which airframe it was.

Must've been for 46-255 with C&P. The only other potential fliers (Reilly XP-82 and the former-CAF machine) both mount Merlins.

[chris hill]

If i recall right the p-82 had allisons.

[MattP38]

There was an article in one of the aviation magazines about 10 years ago, discussing an engine mechanic modifying two Allisons for a Twin Mustang. I’m not sure if they were stock or had been modified by a tractor puller and the mechanic was converting them back, but I didn’t hear much more after that. Pretty vauge, but as I said it was a while ago now. I'm not sure which airframe it was.

Must've been for 46-255 with C&P. The only other potential fliers (Reilly XP-82 and the former-CAF machine) both mount Merlins.

Thanks Dan. I thought there was a pic of the plane in a restoration shop, but again I might be wrong about that. What is the status of 46-255?

[Mike]

If i recall right the p-82 had allisons.

Not all of them. Some variants had Merlins (the early pre-production aircraft), later ones Allisons.

[Dan K]

If i recall right the p-82 had allisons.

Not all of them. Some variants had Merlins (the early pre-production aircraft), later ones Allisons.

Pretty close. Here's Dan K's P/F-82 Tutorial 101:

XP-82 (2 built): Merlins
XP-82A (1 built): Allisons
P-82B/C/D: Merlins
P-82E/F/G/H: Allisons

[Dan K]

There was an article in one of the aviation magazines about 10 years ago, discussing an engine mechanic modifying two Allisons for a Twin Mustang. I’m not sure if they were stock or had been modified by a tractor puller and the mechanic was converting them back, but I didn’t hear much more after that. Pretty vauge, but as I said it was a while ago now. I'm not sure which airframe it was.

Must've been for 46-255 with C&P. The only other potential fliers (Reilly XP-82 and the former-CAF machine) both mount Merlins.

Thanks Dan. I thought there was a pic of the plane in a restoration shop, but again I might be wrong about that. What is the status of 46-255?

Go back to page 1 of this thread and scroll down to John Kerr's pics. 46-255 and NACA-133 are one and the same girl. The Harker brothers at C&P are slowly but lovingly bringing her back to life.

So, does anyone else remember the Warbirds International cover that said she'd be flying in 2000? I've been slowly but lovingly banging my head in the corner ever since.

(I believe that was also the last time I ever purchased something from Challenge.)

[MattP38]

There was an article in one of the aviation magazines about 10 years ago, discussing an engine mechanic modifying two Allisons for a Twin Mustang. I’m not sure if they were stock or had been modified by a tractor puller and the mechanic was converting them back, but I didn’t hear much more after that. Pretty vauge, but as I said it was a while ago now. I'm not sure which airframe it was.

Must've been for 46-255 with C&P. The only other potential fliers (Reilly XP-82 and the former-CAF machine) both mount Merlins.

Thanks Dan. I thought there was a pic of the plane in a restoration shop, but again I might be wrong about that. What is the status of 46-255?

Go back to page 1 of this thread and scroll down to John Kerr's pics. 46-255 and NACA-133 are one and the same girl. The Harker brothers at C&P are slowly but lovingly bringing her back to life.

So, does anyone else remember the Warbirds International cover that said she'd be flying in 2000? I've been slowly but lovingly banging my head in the corner ever since.

(I believe that was also the last time I ever purchased something from Challenge.)

Ahhhh. That's beautiful work and I remember that exact quote about her flying by 2000! That makes two of us banging our heads. That recent Fw-189 thread offered a current status of the example being restored, I hope it does fly.

[Aircraft Mech Paul]

Hi Guys,

Umm... Not to rain on anyone's parade here. But a few years back I was corresponding with a gentleman by the name of Dick Odgers (?) who has recovered a majority of a P-82 from a scrap yard, which in and of itself isn't all that remarkable, but the fact that he found it in what turned out to be a "Super-Fund" cleanup site is. He is up in Alaska, and I have since lost his correspondence. But he did tell me that he found this P-82 while looking for parts for his P-40 project. He came upon a P-51 fuselage that didn't look quite right, having only one side of the horizontal stab attach point. But what he did tell me is that it was his intent to make it flyable. So, there is potential for yet another P-82 out there.

FYI....make your own conclusions here.

Paul

[Jerry O'Neill]

Hi Guys,

Umm... Not to rain on anyone's parade here. But a few years back I was corresponding with a gentleman by the name of Dick Odgers (?) who has recovered a majority of a P-82 from a scrap yard, which in and of itself isn't all that remarkable, but the fact that he found it in what turned out to be a "Super-Fund" cleanup site is. He is up in Alaska, and I have since lost his correspondence. But he did tell me that he found this P-82 while looking for parts for his P-40 project. He came upon a P-51 fuselage that didn't look quite right, having only one side of the horizontal stab attach point. But what he did tell me is that it was his intent to make it flyable. So, there is potential for yet another P-82 out there.

FYI....make your own conclusions here.

Paul

I think I heard that Tom Reilly may have acquired those Alaskan F-82 parts.
Jerry

[RMAllnutt]

Hi Guys,

Umm... Not to rain on anyone's parade here. But a few years back I was corresponding with a gentleman by the name of Dick Odgers (?) who has recovered a majority of a P-82 from a scrap yard, which in and of itself isn't all that remarkable, but the fact that he found it in what turned out to be a "Super-Fund" cleanup site is. He is up in Alaska, and I have since lost his correspondence. But he did tell me that he found this P-82 while looking for parts for his P-40 project. He came upon a P-51 fuselage that didn't look quite right, having only one side of the horizontal stab attach point. But what he did tell me is that it was his intent to make it flyable. So, there is potential for yet another P-82 out there.

FYI....make your own conclusions here.

Paul

I think I heard that Tom Reilly may have acquired those Alaskan F-82 parts.
Jerry

You're right Jerry. I talked to Tom last year, and he said he'd bought Dick Odgers P-82 parts, so that the twin mustang they are building will be very original indeed, and not just the Soplata fuselage. Tom said that, sadly, Dick Odgers died last year of pancreatic cancer.

Richard

[MattP38]

Hi Guys,

Umm... Not to rain on anyone's parade here. But a few years back I was corresponding with a gentleman by the name of Dick Odgers (?) who has recovered a majority of a P-82 from a scrap yard, which in and of itself isn't all that remarkable, but the fact that he found it in what turned out to be a "Super-Fund" cleanup site is. He is up in Alaska, and I have since lost his correspondence. But he did tell me that he found this P-82 while looking for parts for his P-40 project. He came upon a P-51 fuselage that didn't look quite right, having only one side of the horizontal stab attach point. But what he did tell me is that it was his intent to make it flyable. So, there is potential for yet another P-82 out there.

FYI....make your own conclusions here.

Paul

The name does ring a bell, Paul. It will be interesting to see the work Tom and crew put in.

[warbird1]

Has work started yet on the Reilly F-82 yet? If not, when is it projected to start? Anyone know?

[Rod Schneider]

A friend of mine is making some parts for Tom's P82, so it apparently is being worked on now.