Northrop P-61 Black Widow
The Northrop P-61 Black Widow was the first US aircraft designed from the outset as a radar-equipped night fighter. Built by Northrop and first flown in 1942, the large twin-engine, twin-boom fighter carried airborne intercept radar in its nose and a powerful battery of cannon and machine guns. It entered combat in mid-1944, operating in both the European and Pacific theaters to hunt enemy bombers and intruders in darkness. Despite its size, the Black Widow was surprisingly maneuverable thanks to advanced full-span flaps and spoiler controls.
Crews of two or three flew it on night patrols, and it scored kills against both German and Japanese aircraft. About 700 were produced, and it remained the standard USAAF night fighter until jet-powered successors arrived after the war.
Specifications
- Manufacturer
- Northrop
- Type
- Twin-engine night fighter
- Crew
- 2–3
- First Flight
- 1942
- Powerplant
- 2 × Pratt & Whitney R-2800 Double Wasp radials, 2,000 hp each
- Max Speed
- 366 mph
- Range
- 1,000 mi
- Service Ceiling
- 33,100 ft
- Length
- 49 ft 7 in
- Wingspan
- 66 ft
- Loaded Weight
- 36,200 lb (max takeoff)
- Armament
- 4 × 20 mm cannon, 4 × .50 in machine guns