Hobbyboss Plastic Model Kit Northrop P-61A Black Widow — 1:48

Manufacturer

Hobby Boss is a Chinese plastic model manufacturer with a broad range of aircraft, armour and naval subjects. The P-61A was released in July 2014 as kit 81730. The kit is designed as a detailed representation of Northrop's distinctive twin-boom night fighter.
Kit contents

The kit contains 140+ plastic parts on 10 sprues, including:

Detailed fuselage and wings

Detailed cockpit

Detailed radial engines

Twin engine nacelles and tail booms

Retractable undercarriage

Wheel wells and landing gear

P-61A dorsal gun turret

Four 20 mm cannon

Propellers and spinners

Clear canopy and transparent components

Metal parts

Decals

Assembly instructions

The completed model is approximately 315 mm long with a 419 mm wingspan, making it a substantial 1:48-scale model.
History of the Northrop P-61 Black Widow

The Northrop P-61 Black Widow was the first American aircraft designed specifically from the outset as a dedicated night fighter. Its development was driven by the increasing effectiveness of night bombing and the need for an aircraft capable of detecting and attacking enemy aircraft in darkness.

Before the P-61 became available, the U.S. Army Air Forces had used adapted aircraft such as the Douglas P-70 Havoc and modified Beaufighters for night interception. The P-61 represented a much more sophisticated approach, incorporating airborne radar into a purpose-designed fighter.

The prototype first flew in May 1942, and the first operational Black Widows entered service in October 1943. The first unit to receive the P-61A was the 6th Night Fighter Squadron in Hawaii.
P-61A development

The P-61A was a large, three-seat, twin-engine aircraft with a central fuselage pod and two engine nacelles extending rearwards into twin tail booms.

The crew consisted of:

Pilot

Gunner

Radar operator

The radar operator occupied the rear section of the central fuselage and used the aircraft's airborne interception radar to detect and track targets at night.

The unusual twin-boom arrangement provided room for the crew, radar equipment, fuel and armament while keeping the aircraft aerodynamically efficient.
Armament

The Black Widow carried exceptionally heavy armament for a night fighter.

Its fixed armament consisted of:

4 × 20 mm cannon

4 × .50-calibre machine guns in the dorsal turret on early P-61A aircraft

The first 37 P-61s were fitted with the four-gun dorsal turret; subsequent aircraft had the turret deleted or modified.

This gave the P-61 considerable destructive capability when attacking bombers or other aircraft.
Radar

Radar was central to the P-61's design.

The aircraft's airborne interception radar allowed the radar operator to detect an enemy aircraft without relying on visual contact. This was particularly important when operating at night, when conventional fighter tactics were severely restricted.

The P-61 therefore combined radar detection, dedicated crew stations and heavy forward armament into a single specialised aircraft.
Engines and performance

The P-61A was powered by two Pratt & Whitney R-2800 radial engines.

Published specifications for the P-61 family give approximately:

Length: 15.11 m

Wingspan: 20.12 m

Height: 4.47 m

Maximum speed: approximately 589 km/h

Crew: 3

Engine: 2 × Pratt & Whitney R-2800

Armament: 4 × 20 mm cannon and, on applicable aircraft, 4 × .50-calibre machine guns

Role: Night fighter

Some specifications vary between P-61 variants and equipment configurations.
Operational service

The 6th Night Fighter Squadron was the first unit to take the P-61 into combat. The Black Widow subsequently replaced earlier night-fighter types including the P-70 and P-38J in the Pacific.

P-61s operated in both the Pacific and European theatres during the latter part of the Second World War. Their missions included night interception, bomber defence, patrols and attacks against ground targets.

The aircraft's radar allowed crews to operate independently of visual conditions to a much greater extent than earlier night fighters.
Historical importance

The P-61 represents an important stage in the development of modern all-weather interception. Rather than adapting an existing daylight fighter, Northrop designed the aircraft around the requirements of night combat.

Its large airframe accommodated:

Airborne radar

Three crew members

Heavy cannon armament

Large fuel capacity

Twin radial engines

A dedicated radar-operator station

The Black Widow therefore became one of the most technologically sophisticated U.S. piston-engine fighters of the Second World War.