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Air Power |
The heavily-armed Black Widow was this country's first aircraft specifically designed as a night-fighter. In the nose, it carried radar equipment which enabled its crew of two or three to locate enemy aircraft in total darkness and fly into proper position to attack.
The XP-61 was flight-tested in 1942 and delivery of production aircraft began in late 1943. The P-61 flew its first operational intercept mission as a night fighter in Europe on July 3, 1944, and later was also used as a night intruder over enemy territory. In the Pacific, a Black Widow claimed its first "kill" on the night of July 6, 1944. As P-61s became available, they replaced interim Douglas P-70s in all USAAF night fighter squadrons. During WW II, Northrop built approximately 700 P-61s; 41 of these were -Cs manufactured in the summer of 1945 offering greater speed and capable of operating at higher altitude. Northrop fabricated 36 more Black Widows in 1946 as F-15A unarmed photo-reconnaissance aircraft.
Specifications:
Manufacturer: Northrop
Primary Role: Night Fighter
Crew: Two or Three
Engines: Two Pratt & Whitney R-2800s with 2,100 hp. each
Cost: $170,000
Dimensions:
Wing Span: 66 ft.
Length: 49 ft. 7 in.
Height: 14 ft. 8 in.
Weight: 35,855 lbs. loaded
Performance :
Maximum speed: 425 mph
Cruising speed: 275 mph
Range: 1,200 miles
Service Ceiling: 46,200 ft.
Armaments:
Electric Dorsal turret with four .50 machine guns, remotely controlled from front or rear sight station and fired by pilot.
Four .50-cal. machine guns in dorsalturret
Four 20mm cannons in belly fixed, forward firing
6,400 lbs. of bombs
All photos Copyright of War Bird Resource Group
