P-61 Black Widow
Northrop · United States · first flew 1942 · fighter
The Northrop P-61 Black Widow was the first US aircraft designed from the outset as a radar-equipped night fighter, a large twin-boom machine with a three-man crew.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, tapered |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 2 × piston, wing-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Remotely operated dorsal gun barbette atop the central fuselage |
| T — Tail | Twin fin |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Twin-boom layout with a central crew nacelle, like an oversized P-38
- Bulbous radar nose housing the SCR-720 intercept radar
- Remotely operated dorsal gun barbette atop the central fuselage
The twin booms, broad central gondola and rounded radar nose, combined with the dorsal turret, distinguish it from the smaller P-38.
Specifications
- The P-61 Black Widow has a length of 15.1 m (50 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 20.1 m (66 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 690 km/h (429 mph).
- Typical crew: 3.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
First flown in 1942, the P-61 carried airborne intercept radar in its nose and four 20mm cannon under the belly, with a remotely controlled dorsal turret of four .50-calibre guns. Its size and gloss-black finish gave it a menacing presence in the night sky.
Variants
Production ran through the P-61A, B and the higher-powered C, plus the F-15 Reporter photo-reconnaissance derivative. Power came from two Pratt & Whitney R-2800 radials.
Where you'll see it
The Black Widow served with US Army Air Forces night-fighter squadrons in both Europe and the Pacific. A single example was sent to Britain for evaluation by RAE and A&AEE in 1944, but the type never entered RAF service and none survives in a UK museum.
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