Originally posted by Grant Pratt
The correct Load out for the P-61
P-61 Black Widow Night Fighter4 x 1,600 lbs,
8 x 5" rockets,
4 x 560 50 cal rounds,
4 x 200 20 mm rounds
Maximum speed: 365 mph at 20,000 ft (6,100 m)
Combat range: 530 nm (610 mi, 982 km)
Service ceiling: 34,775 ft (10,600 m)
Rate of climb: 2,540 ft/min (12.9 m/s)
Wing loading: 45 lb/ft² (219 kg/m²)
Power/mass: 0.15 hp/lb (25 W/kg)
Time to altitude: 12 min to 20,000 ft (6,100 m)
In-game, no night time, no in-plane radar.
P-61 Widow beat out the A-26-A Invader in night fighter/bomber role with USAAF.
A-26 Invader-B Ground Attack Fighter RoleUp to 6,000 lbs total in ordnance (1,000#, 500#, 250#'s and torpedos): 4K internal, 2K wing mounted.
14 X 5" rockets an option on wing mounts
6 X internal wing mounted .50's with 400 rpg
8 X nose mounted .50's with 400 rpg
2 X twin .50 cal barbettes (dorsal and ventral) with 500 rpg
Maximum speed: 355 mph at 15,000 feet altitude
Range: 1,400 mi (1,200 nm, 2,300 km)
Service ceiling: 22,000 ft (6,700 m)
Rate of climb: 1,250 ft/min (6.4 m/s)
Wing loading: 51 lb/ft² (250 kg/m²)
Power/mass: 0.145 hp/lb (108 W/kg)
An altitude of 10,000 feet could be attained in 8.0 - 8.2 minutes
Black Widow is 10 mph faster (at 5,000 feet higher alt.), goes half the distance, has a much higher ceiling (not much of an issue in LW arenas), and maneuverability is comparable for both.
Invader carries more ordnance. More variety in ordnance. Up to
14 forward firing .50 cals, which I'll take over P-61's 4 X .50's and 4 X 20mm's in AH-II war arenas.
The A-26-A Invader Night Fighter/Bomber Destroyer could have had 2 X 37mm, 2 X .50s in nose, and 6 X .50's in wings, had it gone through to development, but German long range bomber threat was gone by this time.
And the A-26 Invader is on the voting list HTC has up. Black Widow is not.
