P-51 Mustang & F-82 Twin Mustang Proposals and Variants

[BarnOwlLover2]

Anyone see the released XP-82/P-82 images and illustrations that Retromechanix has posted to their Patreon? Includes several variants of the underwing pod (including a personnel insertion/evac pod) and quarter scale windtunnel models, and a turboprop variant.

Also, anyone know of anything else floating around about the lightweights and other prototypes that hasn't been posted yet, as well as the F-82?

 

[BarnOwlLover2]

I know from owning the Tony Buttler book about USAAF/USN experimental fighters from World War II that the late Phil Butler had photos of the XP-51F as tested at Boscombe Downe during late World War II. Is there any chance or way I could request or purchase copies of such photos, or see if any more exist within the collection?

 

[Arjen]

@BarnOwlLover2 One image found here: https://mustangp51.e-monsite.com/pages/content/developpement-development-1.html
Image caption says ©RAF Museum:

Mustang XP-51F FR409 (s/n 43-43335), 3e prototype
© RAF Museum

Image also appears in The Secret Years - Flight Testing at Boscombe Down by Tim Mason, Hikoki 1998, page199

More images can be found here: https://www.secretprojects.co.uk/threads/mustang-xp-51f-g-j-prototypes.12426/#post-121885
replies #3, #8, #35 (colourised?)

 

[BarnOwlLover2]

I'm actually wondering how to get in touch with whoever administers his archive now since he passed away. I do know that some of his photos (which are excellent images of the XP-51F at Boscombe Down circa 1945) ended up in the Tony Buttler book American Experimental Fighters of World War II: The Pursuit of Excellence. WingLeader Archives does have at least one photo of FR409 at Boscombe Down that they've located in their archive.

I know that Gerry Balzer, Michael O'Leary and of course Boeing also have HQ XP-51 Lightweight images in their archives as well, as well as of Mustangs and Twin Mustangs in general.

​

 

[BarnOwlLover2]

I thought this had been previously posted:

a single F-82B was converted into a photo-recon RF-82B in the late '40s:

In flight trials:

Pod in construction:

With an without pics:

Any better photos floating around? I believe that the late Gerry Balzer did have at least some in his collection, since they were used in the Schiffer Book on the P-82/XP-82. SDASM also has some as well. Any other possible sources?