military-aircraft-p-61

In January 1941 the US Air Corps contracted for its first radar equipped aircraft designed from the start specifically for the night fighter role. The XP-61 that flew in May 1942 was a large aircraft with a central nacelle for the crew, radar and armament, and its tall unit was supported on booms stretching rearward as extensions of the engine nacelles. P-61s were delivered from the end of 1943, and the type entered combat in the Pacific theater in mid 1944. Thereafter the three P-61 model served as fighter and night intruders in the Pacific and European campaigns. Total production including other variants, was 742 aircraft.

Description	Specifications
Manufacturer: Northrop	Length: 49 ft. 7 in.
First Flight: May 1942	Height: 14 ft. 8 in.
Model: B	Wing Span: 66 ft. 0 in.
Crew: Three	Wing Area: 662.35 sq. ft.
Nickname: Black Widow	Empty Weight: 23,450 lb.
Basic Role: Night fighter and intruder.	Max. Weight: 36,200 lb.
Other Versions: P-61A 200 aircraft all but the first 37 delivered without the dorsal machine gun barrette that was found to cause tail buffeting. P-61B 450 aircraft, the last 250 with the dorsal barrette reinstated, similar to the P-61A but with under wing attachments for four 1,600-lb bombs. P-61C 41 aircraft with 2,800-hp R-2800-73 engine. P-61G 16 P-61B conversion for unarmed weather reconnaissance. F-15A Reporter 36 post war reconnaissance aircraft later redesigned RF-61C and produced form uncompleted P-61C airframes. F2T-1N 12 P-61As used by the US Navy as night fighter training aircraft.	Armament: Four 20-mm cannon and four 0.5-in 12.7-mm machine guns, an up to 6,400 lb. of bombs.
Principal User: USA	Propulsion
Performance	Power Plant: Pratt & Whitney R-2800-65 radial piston engine.
Range: 1,350 miles.	Horsepower: 2,000-hp.
Max. Speed: 366 mph. at 20,000 ft.	No. Of Engines: Two
Ceiling: 33,100 ft.
Climb Rate: 20,000 ft. in 12 minutes 0 seconds.