An article by Warren E. Thomson in International Air Power Review (Vol. 3) sheds a different light on the engines powering the F-82G: "Over the years, a gross misconception has arisen regarding the horsepower developed by the huge Allison engines in the F-82G models. In many periodicals, it has been stated that these 12-cylinder engines developed 1,600 hp, but this is incorrect. This figure was true of the early, lighter-weight models, but for the all-weather versions, laden with radar gear and added equipment, 1,600 hp would hardly be sufficient to get the aircraft off the ground.
Lieutenant Colonel John Sharp shed some light on the powerplants of his G models. 'The 1,600-hp engines that are currently published on the F-82 stats pertain only to the early day fighter models, which were significantly lighter. After World War II, the all-weather version was built and it was much heavier. These engines did not have enough power. Even the vaunted Rolls-Royce Merlin could not satisfy the power requirements. Finally, the giant 2,250-hp Allisons, originally designed for the P-51H, were installed - and with the counter-rotating props, it was a dream to fly!'"
Lieutenant Colonel Sharp continues in Mustangs International Fall 2013: "The twin Mustang flew like no other fighter. It far surpassed the performance of the P-51 and P-38. Anyone who flew the P-38 knew the comfort of flying the counter-rotating propellers --- no torque, no trim changes during maneuvers, etc. The big drawback to the P-38, however, was that the props rotated "out" creating a terrible torque problem and trim change during single-engine operation. The F-82 props rotated "in" causing the torque or "P" factor if you prefer, to work to LIFT the dead side. We could feather one of these engines at high speed with little or no trim change. We flew the F-82 with a stick instead of a wheel, which made it more comfortable and far more maneuverable. The massive ailerons extended almost the length of the outer wing panel and were hydraulically operated with a 17-to-1 boost ratio. Talk about power steering -- you could aileron roll this thing so fast it would snap your head, and to the pilot, he was rolling on a point. The other airplane on the other side seemed to roll around him in an arc."
Sharp continues: "And power ! That was something else. Two big left- and right-hand Allison engines pushing out 2,250 hp each with constant supercharged power to max altitude. They say these engines were designed to take 145-in of mercury on takeoff using 145-octane gas and water injection. We never did this so we don't know for sure. We flew them dry without water injection and were limited to 75-in MP but that still gave us one heck of a rate of climb. Aerobatics in the Twin Mustang were unreal. The aircraft was almost totally unrestricted even with the pressurized radar pickle installed. Yes, sir, this airplane with a top speed of 475-mph+ flat out-topped them all."
Sounds like a pretty good aircraft to me. In the ground attack role, they could replace the radar pod with a gun pod containing 8 .50 caliber guns with 400 rds. each to go along with the 6 already in the wing for a total of 14 .50 caliber guns. What firepower! This was never used as far as I know, but what a gun platform it would have been. The F-82 in my opinion got lost in the shadow of the jet age and never reached its full potential but not because it was underpowered unless Colonel Sharp and Warren Thompson are blowing smoke.
