During the later stages of World War II, an imaginative engineer at North American Aviation had an idea. He suggested to his superior in a memo that combining two P-51 Mustangs with metal and rivets could create the most impressive aircraft to ever take to the skies. This led to the creation of the F-82 Twin Mustang, dubbed Double Trouble featuring one cockpit for radar operations and the other for piloting. What they did anticipate was how the Twin Mustang would go on to make a significant mark in history during its service in the Korean War, originally envisioned as an ultra-long-range escort fighter. The F-82 was crafted to escort Boeing B-29 Super Fortress bombers on epic 2,000 mile-plus journeys, stretching from the Solomon Islands all the way to Tokyo. These missions, intended to penetrate deep into enemy territory, were beyond the reach of the Lockheed P-38 Lightning and traditional P-51 Mustangs. They were a critical component of the audacious US strategy to invade the Japanese mainland. In October 1943, the design team embarked on the preliminary design phase. Their vision materialized as a twin fuselage design, mirroring the concept of the experimental German-meshismid BF-109Z Svilling. While it drew inspiration from the lightweight experimental XP-51F, which later evolved into the B-51H Mustang, this was fundamentally a fresh blueprint. Hedger Schmoud, the chief designer at North American, introduced an innovative twist by extending two P-51H Mustang fuselages. Each was lengthened by 57 inches behind the cockpit, providing space for additional fuel tanks and equipment. These extended fuselages were then anchored to a newly crafted central wing section. This section housed the formidable arsenal of 650 caliber M3 Browning Machine Guns, similar to a single engine Mustang but offering a more intense barrage. The inaugural XP-82 prototype boasted a detachable central gun pod with 850 caliber M2 Brownings, although this feature was emitted in the production models. Intriguingly, there were plans for an even more dominant central gun pod with a 40mm cannon, but this never materialized. The aircraft's outer wings were fortified to support extra fuel tanks or carry up to £1000 of ordnance. Further adding to its stability, especially in the event of engine failure, were the twin vertical tails derived from the XP-51F and enhanced with large dorsal fillets. The aircraft's landing gear was conventional, with wheels retracting into base under each fuselage's central section. The XP-82 was designed to be propelled by two pack-out build Rolls-Royce V1650 Merlin engines. Initially, the setup involved a V165023 engine on the left with a special gear in the propeller reduction box, enabling the left propeller to rotate in the opposite direction of the right propeller, powered by a standard V165025. The idea was that both propellers turning upwards near the centre wing would enhance single engine control. However, this theory fell apart when the aircraft failed to take off during its maiden flight attempt. After a month of intense troubleshooting, North American engineers discovered the root cause. The propellers' upward motion towards the centre created excessive drag, negating lift from the centre wing section, a critical quarter of the aircraft's total wing area. By switching the engines and propellers so they rotated downwards when meeting, this issue was resolved. The first XP-82 prototype was completed May 1945 and achieved its first successful flight the following month. The XP-82 prototypes and the initial production models, P-82Bs and P-82E's, featured two fully functional cockpit allowing pilots to share control during extended flights. However, later night fighter variants were modified, with only the left cockpit remaining for the pilot while the right was adapted for a radar operator. Although some P-82B frames were already before World War II ended, most were stalled at the North American factory in California, awaiting engines until 1946 and consequently they didn't participate in the war. Initially, like the P-51 Mustang, the first two XP-82 prototypes and the subsequent 20 P-82B models were equipped with British designed Rolls-Royce Merlin engines. These engines modified for durability and mass production by Packard and downed the fighter with remarkable range and performance. Yet, the Army aimed to replace these with a more robust and entirely American engine, moving away from the V-1650 used in the P-51 Mustang. Additionally, post-war, the licensing fees for each V-1650 from Rolls-Royce were increasing. Consequently, in August 1945, a deal was struck with General Motors' Allyson Division for a new version of the Allyson V17-10100 engine. This shift led North American to equip subsequent B-82C and later models with these less powerful Allyson engines. These newer models exhibited reduced top speeds and diminished performance at high altitudes compared to their Merlin powered predecessors. The earlier P-82B models were then relegated to training rolls, while the C and subsequent models served as fighters. This made the P-82 a rare instance in US military aviation, where the training variant was faster than its fighter counterpart. In the 18th century, the N.A.123 design, North American aircraft's brainchild presented to the USA AF in February 1944, marked the beginning of an ambitious project. It proposed a long-range fighter capable of deep penetration into enemy lines, specifically tailored to escort B-29 Super Fortress bombers in a Pacific theatre against Japan. The USA AF quickly endorsed the idea, leading to a contract for constructing and testing for experimental XP-82 aircraft, later designated as P-82, which soon expanded into an order for 500 production models. Moving to the prototype phase, the XP-82 and XP-82A emerged. The first XP-82 was accepted by the USA AF in August 1945, and the second one in September, both powered by Packout Mill in 23 and 25 engines. The third prototype, the XP-82A, featured two Allison engines and was accepted in October 1945, although it never flew due to issues with the Allison engines. The fourth XP-82A prototype was eventually cancelled. For the planned production version, the P-82B, World War II's end led to a significant scale back in production plans. From the originally planned 500 P-82Bs, the final order was reduced to 270. This included 20 P-82Bs, later used for testing and designated as P-82Z, all accepted by the USA AF in fiscal year 1947. The Knight Fighter Variants began with the P-82C, a modified P-82B for testing as a knight interceptor in late 1946. This production version was the P-82G. Similarly, the P-82D was another modified P-82B. This time equipped with a smaller APS-4 radar, leading to the production version P-82F. The escort fighter version, the F-82E, closely resembled the F-82B, but featured two counter-rotating Allison engines. The first four F-82Es were reclassified as F-82As for engine testing. Coming production delays and additional testing, the F-82Es entered operational service in May 1948. The final series, F-82FGH, were Knight Fighter versions distinguished by their radar equipment to the center wing N'SL, an automatic pilot and a radar operator in place of the second pilot. The F-82H was a winterized variant of the F or G models. These entered operational service in September 1948. In total, the Air Force accepted 272 F-82Es, including prototypes, tests and early production aircraft, all produced at North Americans' Inglewood, California plant. The Comprehensive F-82 program encompassed two XF-82s, one XF-82A, ten F-82Bs initially P-82Zs for testing. Four F-82As, 96 F-82Es, 91 F-82Fs, 45 F-82Gs and 14 F-82Hs, marking a significant chapter in aviation history. As the world's transition from the era of prop-driven fighters to the dawn of jets, the F-82's destiny as a long-range escort fighter was quickly overshadowed by peace and technological advancements. The United States Air Force, newly formed and budget conscious, shelved these mighty birds as faster jets sight the Mechishmit Me-262 soared into the spotlight. However, fate had a different plan. In 1947, the Soviet Aviation Day unveiled the Tuplev-24, a cloned B-29 Superfortress, casting a shadow of a potential nuclear threat over the US mainland. With jet interceptors still in their infancy, the twin Mustangs were called back into action, repurposed for escort missions and as all-weather interceptors under the strategic air command. The journey of the twin Mustang was fraught with challenges. Jet-powered fighters were still a work in progress, with projects like the XF-87 Blackhawk and Northrop P-89 Scorpion facing delays and setbacks. Plus, the valiant Northrop P-61 Black Widow, a veteran of the war, was brought back alongside the twin Mustangs, now transformed into night fighters. In a symbolic shift on June 11, 1948, the United States Air Force rebranded P for pursuits to F for fighter and with it, the P-82's became F-82's. These aircraft, once guardians of bombers over European skies, now stood ready to traverse the vast expanse of the Soviet Union, an emblem of the Cold Wars new frontiers. The F-82's embected on a myriad of missions, from weather reconnaissance to long-range escorts, showcasing their versatility. They even ventured to the frigid landscapes of Alaska for transition training, yet their time was fleeting. By 1950, the rise of the Mikoyan-Guravitch MiG-15 in Korea heralded the end of propeller-driven bombers and their escorts, closing the chapter of strategic fighter escort wings. In their final act, the F-82's served the air defense command as radar-equipped interceptors, bridging the gap until the Lockheed F-94 starfire could take over. Across the United States,