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North American F-82B Twin Mustang "PQ-162" 5x7 Vintage Photo
Glossy Period Print, Documented Individual Airframe, Legible Buzz Code and SerialDESCRIPTIONVintage glossy 5x7 photograph of a North American F-82B Twin Mustang on the ramp, engine running and the near propeller blurred with motion.A ground crewman signals toward the cockpit while a second man looks on from the tarmac, with other aircraft and personnel visible in the background.The Twin Mustang's second boom and tail fin sit mostly hidden behind the near fuselage at this camera angle, a common effect in period photos of this aircraft.This listing was corrected from an earlier P-51D identification to the North American Twin Mustang. The buzz code prefix "PQ" is specific to this aircraft type, and the second boom's tail fin is visible behind the cockpit once you know to look for it.The Twin Mustang was originally designated P-82B when this particular aircraft was delivered to the Army Air Forces in 1947, using the "P" for Pursuit convention still in place at the time.In June 1948 the Air Force dropped that convention in favor of "F" for Fighter, and the aircraft became F-82B, the designation it carried for the rest of its service life and the one used today by the National Museum of the United States Air Force, where the type is now preserved.Given the plain star insignia visible in this photo, it was most likely taken in the 1947 to early 1948 window, while the aircraft was still marked and known as a P-82B.Despite its resemblance to two P-51 Mustang fuselages joined on a single wing, the Twin Mustang was in fact a new design rather than a modified P-51.It carried a pilot and a co-pilot/navigator, a crew configuration meant to reduce fatigue on long-range bomber escort missions, and it holds the distinction of being the last propeller-driven fighter acquired in quantity by the U.S. Air Force.Of 273 total Twin Mustangs built, only 20 were the early P-82B/F-82B variant seen here. Deliveries began too late for World War II, and the type went on to serve postwar as a long-range escort and, in radar-equipped F-82G form, as an Air Defense Command night fighter replacing the P-61 Black Widow.F-82Gs based in Japan were among the first American aircraft over Korea in June 1950, and on June 27 of that year an F-82G crew claimed the first North Korean aircraft destroyed by U.S. forces in the war.A sister F-82B, "Betty Jo," is preserved at the National Museum of the USAF and flew nonstop from Hawaii to New York in February 1947, a 5,051-mile flight that remains the longest ever made by a propeller-driven fighter.The fuselage carries the buzz code "PQ-162" ahead of the national insignia, with a serial number stenciled on the tail reading "465162." Both code and serial match a specific, well-documented Twin Mustang.This aircraft was delivered to the Army Air Forces in 1947 and later placed on static display at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas. In 1966 it was acquired by the Commemorative Air Force, registered N12102, and restored to flying condition, going on to fly for years under these same "465162/PQ-162" markings.It suffered a hard landing accident at Harlingen, Texas in October 1987, and following a legal dispute over ownership between the CAF and the National Museum of the United States Air Force, the aircraft was returned to the museum's collection.This exact airframe, serial 44-65162, is on permanent display today in the museum's Korean War Gallery at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio, now painted and marked as an F-82G to represent the type's first-kill mission over Korea on June 27, 1950, rather than in the "PQ-162" markings shown in this photo.The photograph measures approximately 5 x 7 inches, with the image filling nearly the entire print, on glossy period photographic paper. Images were scanned at 600dpi so you can review the fine detail before you buy.Every effort is made for fact-checking and provenance including background research through news and historical archives. If any listing is incorrect in any way and you're unsatisfied with the item, please connect with me and I'll make it right.Orders placed before Noon CDT will ship same day Ground Advantage with tracking so you know exactly when it will arrive. Returns accepted on all items exceeding $25 in cost. Rigid, professional packaging on all shipments sealed and protected in acid free protectors.Shipping is free and already built into the price, so the BIN price is exactly what you pay, no surprise shipping costs at checkout.CONDITIONGlossy period photographic print in strong overall condition. The image is sharp with good contrast and no visible tears, creases, or missing material. The reverse is blank, with no writing, stamps, or captions present. Please review the photos provided for the full condition picture, as they represent the exact item you will receive.
