Twin Mustang XP-82 Coming Together Nicely

Why have 2 when you can get 4..??

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Dave Theisen said:
But you won’t fly to meet us for lunch? :) Maybe we’ll all fly down there. There is a restaurant right down the street
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I wouldn't mind meeting up with you guys if my work schedule permits. I haven't seen it in over a year. I'm attaching pics of an EAA chapter fly-out we made one Saturday to check it out.
 

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FlySince9 said:
First and last one of those I saw was in 1974 as part of a Warbird display at Lackland AFB, San Antonio Tx. I was there for AF Basic Training... Wonder if that one is still there....
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Likewise hear but in 78

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Checking on Google Earth it is still there. Don't know when the satellite pic was taken.
 
Talked to my good friend Wally Soplata today. He is only son of Walter Soplata who saved the XP-82 and many other planes. The badly needed wheel brake assembly was found, by his nephew, packed in a trailer filled with old newspapers and magazine. It was the only airplane part amongst hundreds of pounds of old papers. It was new in the box.

Wally also reported many complete airplanes were disassembled and stored with pieces every where. He grew up with a disassembled P-47 inside a cut up B-36 fuselage. He has many stories.


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He would be a great guy to drag to a fly in somewhere would have some amazing hangar flying stories to tell.

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In addition to being Walter's son, he is also retired USAF pilot and recently retired FedEx Captain. He has shared many stories over the years and shown me many private photos and various pieces he has kept, mostly minor. But most of all, he is simply a great guy and great friend.
 
Good friends, hard to find. Good friends that fly and have great experiences to share, priceless.

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Counter rotating props...would have thought they would both be the same?
 
Sinistar said:
Counter rotating props...would have thought they would both be the same?
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Eliminates the turning tendencies from the rotating propeller(s), which has gotta be a major thing with that kind of HP. Though I've read that on other twins during the war (e.g. P-38) it caused a spares nightmare so they were often retrofitted with two standard engines.
 
After doing some quick reading it sounds like this plane is not a superficial mechanical connection of (2) P51's. Actually from what I was reading the hardest part to find is the Merlin engine that turns the opposite direction followed by the prop designed for the reverse direction. I never realized there was one being restored here at Anoka. Man, the stuff that is in hangars...you'd never know.
 
Sinistar said:
After doing some quick reading it sounds like this plane is not a superficial mechanical connection of (2) P51's. Actually from what I was reading the hardest part to find is the Merlin engine that turns the opposite direction followed by the prop designed for the reverse direction. I never realized there was one being restored here at Anoka. Man, the stuff that is in hangars...you'd never know.
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There is very, very little parts commonality between the XP-82 and any version of a P-51. I've visited the project a couple of times and remain amazed at the depth and quality of work that has gone into the restoration. It'll be very interesting to me when we find out who the owner will be. guessing this is the most expensive restoration that has been undertaken without major corporate sponsorship (ex: The Lufthansa Constellation or the B-29 that had a lot of corporate support from Boeing for most of its restoration.), and I'm curious about who's footing the bill.
 
My wife is somewhat familiar with the two guys behind restoring the one in Minnesota (but not familiar with the restoration). Given their family name and how big of a corporation their family owns, I suspect they can easily match the other XP-82 restoration with no sponsorship. But perhaps they will have less urgency or be more easily distracted, etc. Would be impressive to see both arrive at Osh.
 
I hope they never bend it. I've been following the build for years.
 
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