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- Code Number:
- MYFV11P13_12
- Title:
- P-61 Black Widow, Night Fighter
- In the beginning of WWII British aviation intelligence was able to gather enough information by the end of 1940 to be able to pass on to the USA how to best utilize this new phenomenal technology called Radar. The P-61 would be the first fighter ever designed from the start as a radar equipped night fighter. On the strength of this information the the XP-61 prototypes were ordered in January 1941. The first flight of an XP-61 was on May 21 1942, though it did not enter service until May 1944. The new SCR-720 airborne interception radar was installed in the nose of this relatively big aircraft.
The armament was located behind the cockpit. The large wing was ahead of its time. It had almost full span double slotted flaps, very small ailerons and lateral control spoilers. Two powerful Pratt and Whitney R-2800 radial engines powered the P-61. The landing gear consisted of a single leg tri-cycle configuration. The P-61 had a massive fuel capacity and superb agility for its size. It was one of the largest, most powerful, and comple fighters of WWII.
The Black Widow was painted black for the specialized night missions it was built for. A total of 941 P-61's were built along with 35 slimmed down version designated the F-15, 35 of these were built. It's remarkable speed of 700 kilometers per hour made it one of the faster aircraft of WWII. - Keywords:
- Image by:
- Wernher Krutein
- Caption Disclaimer
