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Author Topic: P-61 Black Widow....Pleeeaaassseeee!!!!  (Read 1758 times)

Offline Scherf

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P-61 Black Widow....Pleeeaaassseeee!!!!
« Reply #15 on: October 03, 2005, 04:53:41 PM »
To my surprise, America's Hundred Thousand says the P-61 was a lot less quick on the roll than most sources suggest.

As Karnak says, in the MA it would be most useful as ground-attack.
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... missions were to be met by the commitment of alerted swarms of fighters, composed of Me 109's and Fw 190's, that were strategically based to protect industrial installations. The inferior capabilities of these fighters against the Mosquitoes made this a hopeless and uneconomical effort. 1.JD KTB

Offline Bonzzz

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P-61 Black Widow....Pleeeaaassseeee!!!!
« Reply #16 on: October 04, 2005, 01:27:17 AM »
Even if it was for ground attack I still think it would be an awesome plane to have in there. The He219 would be cool too.

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Offline Bonzzz

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P-61 Black Widow....Pleeeaaassseeee!!!!
« Reply #17 on: October 04, 2005, 01:28:20 AM »
What is the America's Hundred Thousand?
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Offline Karnak

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« Reply #18 on: October 04, 2005, 01:54:05 AM »
Quote
Originally posted by Bonzzz
What is the America's Hundred Thousand?

The most definitive book on American aircraft production and types during the second world war.  I may be off slightly, but I know it is the best reference for American fighters at least, as I don't have it.  I'm more focused on British aircraft.
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Offline Vipermann

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P-61 Black Widow....Pleeeaaassseeee!!!!
« Reply #19 on: October 04, 2005, 09:22:18 AM »
Quote
Originally posted by Scherf
There's also US sources which say the factory boys were on-site to "tweak" the P-61, vs. a bog-standard NF.XIX. The NF.30 went into service about that time, and was optimised for higher altitudes.

Don't have "America's Hundred Thousand" on me currently - still on the road. Good performance data in there.

There's at least 2 extant P-61s I can think of - one is in the USAF Musseum in Dayton, enjoying TLC, and the other is rotting away outside in some museum in China. I believe there's also a restoration underway, North Carolina IIRC.


There is also one being restored at the MAAM in Reading PA. When attending the airshow there each June you can make a donation to help out the restoration.

http://www.maam.org/p61.html
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Offline Scherf

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P-61 Black Widow....Pleeeaaassseeee!!!!
« Reply #20 on: October 04, 2005, 09:55:30 AM »
Thanks, that's the one I was thinking of.
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... missions were to be met by the commitment of alerted swarms of fighters, composed of Me 109's and Fw 190's, that were strategically based to protect industrial installations. The inferior capabilities of these fighters against the Mosquitoes made this a hopeless and uneconomical effort. 1.JD KTB

Offline Angus

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P-61 Black Widow....Pleeeaaassseeee!!!!
« Reply #21 on: October 04, 2005, 06:15:47 PM »
Would be a nice ground attacker, but as it's main role was as a radar equipped nightfighter, I doubt we'll see it in the close future.
If we want a quick ground attacker, the A26 has yet to come.
If there is night, and radar equipped aircraft will start showing, things turn different.
Then we have the role for Mossie, Me110, Ju88, and then the Black Widow which would have a secondary role as a ground attacker, and then the Beaufighter with a nice second role in anti-shipping.

So, maybe next wish on the list would be NIGHT and RADAR EQUIPPED AIRCRAFT!!!!!

Gadgets as well such as knickebein, X-Gerat, Oboe and Gee......
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Offline me62

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P-61 Black Widow....Pleeeaaassseeee!!!!
« Reply #22 on: October 05, 2005, 10:41:30 PM »
The P-61 is a very cool aircraft.  The only purpose built US night
fighter in WW2, and it was good in other roles too.  But, if I had
my way, I would like to see one of the up-gunned B-25's or the
A-26 Invader.

Mike
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Offline groundloop

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P-61 Black Widow....Pleeeaaassseeee!!!!
« Reply #23 on: October 06, 2005, 12:42:40 PM »
It would be fun having the gunner position modeled.  Having the 4 50cal shooting back at someone on your tail would give the P-61 a lot of respect.
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Offline Bonzzz

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P-61 Black Widow....Pleeeaaassseeee!!!!
« Reply #24 on: October 06, 2005, 11:26:11 PM »
Quote
Originally posted by groundloop
It would be fun having the gunner position modeled.  Having the 4 50cal shooting back at someone on your tail would give the P-61 a lot of respect.



Most Definately!!
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Offline Scherf

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« Reply #25 on: October 07, 2005, 07:45:07 AM »
IIRC the turret was generally either not there or locked forward and fired by the pilot.
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... missions were to be met by the commitment of alerted swarms of fighters, composed of Me 109's and Fw 190's, that were strategically based to protect industrial installations. The inferior capabilities of these fighters against the Mosquitoes made this a hopeless and uneconomical effort. 1.JD KTB

Offline groundloop

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P-61 Black Widow....Pleeeaaassseeee!!!!
« Reply #26 on: October 07, 2005, 11:00:13 AM »
There was a problem, early on, with the turret causing tail buffeting, but that was corrected.  Image what kind of bomber interceptor it would be in AH with a gunner on board.
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Offline Scherf

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P-61 Black Widow....Pleeeaaassseeee!!!!
« Reply #27 on: October 07, 2005, 11:25:17 AM »
Might have been corrected, but IIRC, at least in Europe, when the turret was installed, it was fixed forward.

As long as the  bombers are low, it might work. High buffs were too much for the P-61 in the Pacific - had to call in F6Fs to do the job.
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... missions were to be met by the commitment of alerted swarms of fighters, composed of Me 109's and Fw 190's, that were strategically based to protect industrial installations. The inferior capabilities of these fighters against the Mosquitoes made this a hopeless and uneconomical effort. 1.JD KTB

Offline groundloop

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P-61 Black Widow....Pleeeaaassseeee!!!!
« Reply #28 on: October 07, 2005, 11:40:01 AM »
You're right.  The problem was corrected in the "C" model, but only 41 were built before the end of the war.
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Offline Bonzzz

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« Reply #29 on: October 07, 2005, 01:48:33 PM »
Quote
Originally posted by groundloop
You're right.  The problem was corrected in the "C" model, but only 41 were built before the end of the war.



Yea and the C model never saw combat in WW2. The war ended before it could be put into full production.
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