August XP-82 Twin Mustang Restoration Project Update Another month flew by. That light at the end of the tunnel is getting brighter each day

Firewall Forwards

Much effort has gone into the forming and fitting of the carburetor air temperature rotating cylinders and housing brackets that mount these mechanisms. With the extremely deep draw-mounting channel, male and female press forms had to be made to press these complicated channels. With these mounting channels completed, the lower carburetor air intake lips are now being formed. Thanks to Tom Wilson for a excellent press job.

Black mold (male die) and blue mold (female die). 

Aluminum pieces are the finished channels

The final fitting of the press-formed stainless exhaust fairings is now completed, and they are being flush riveted to each side cowling. 

Cowling access door

The new exact copy cushion mounts for the oil tanks have been sewn and attached to the tank mounts.

The two firewall stainless steel dishpans have now been test fitted into the steel armour firewalls. All of the wired electrical FWF Cannon plugs, generator shunts and shielded magneto harnesses have also been completed and fit. 

Electrical

Electrical power was put on the ship for the first time this past week to start testing each circuit. The final hookup of all the instrument panel Cannon plugs is now completed. The final checkout of the electrical circuits through both wings is now also completed.

Gear Doors

The two outboard serpentine gear doors that are needed for our XP-82 are being completed by Pat Harker (F82E, Anoka, MN). These outboard doors have an extremely deep press internal skin that has created challenges, but Pat and his team have perfected this deep press procedure and have successfully produced these flawless internal skins. 

The pressed inboard door skin forms are being completed by one of our subcontract machine shops. We recovered two extremely damaged internal gear doors from the Alaska wreck site and looking at other undamaged doors allowed us to be able to get patterns and measurements. With this data, the machine shop is in the process of milling the press fixtures that we will use to press our internal skins for our doors. These very large internal doors are two of the last complicated parts that we need to complete our XP-82 restoration.

Pat Harker’s undamaged inboard doors that we got excellent data from.

LH ammo trays are filled with 413 rounds per tray. The aft tray in the picture only has one row of bullets on top of a fold-up lid so the ammo tray can double as a storage compartment for tools, etc.

The tail wheel assemblies have now been completed with the exception of the tail steering arms and cables.

Moving

We are moving our XP-82 to a large hangar across the field in mid September so we will be able to install our wings and have all of the final work on it accomplished. While in this hangar, the props will be installed and gear retractions will be accomplished along with the final items to complete our XP-82 restoration.

The Kat

“Please call UPS and ship me to some place cooler!” -- Allison

Thankx

Tom