This one I need to look at - And compare with the photos I have of the one at the San Diego Museum annex at Gillespie Field - it looks a little too narrow in the fueslage - If I can find the photos of the SDAM Ill post em
Ben
The P80 was originally designed as a long range fighter bomber escort
and as a night fighter for the pacific - the other cockpit was occupied by a
navigator/Radar operator - it was too late for World War 2 but was used
extensivly in Korea as a Night intruder - mainly beacuse at the begining of
the war it was one of the few fighters that could operate from Japan to Korea and back - North American offered it in WW2 as a replacement for the P38 as it had range and the comfort of two turning (early ETOPS?)
As I said Ill dig out the photos of the one in San Diego as it had the center tank/radar pod still on it
Ito San's put out an all-black F-82G night fighter version now too. It includes a fix file for the P-82B with canopy frames and modified exhausts.
To my mind the -B version looks nicer, not only the lack of radar pod, but the less lumpy cowling shape is better too. I think a re-paint as 'Betty Jo' is called for, but it will look a little odd with the rockets.