Ever since I was young (well younger) I was impressed with the black widow, heck even the name is cool. though its a nightfighter id love to see it brought in, of course with the ability to turn the top turret forward as additional firepower, man woud it be a field killer. Type: Three Seat Night Fighter
Design: Northrop Aircraft Incorporated Design Team
Manufacturer: Northrop Aircraft Incorporated, Hawthorne California
Powerplant: (P-61A) Two 2,000 hp (1491 kW) Pratt & Whitney R-2800-10 Double Wasp 18-cylinder radial engines. (P-61B) Two 2,250 hp (1678 kW) Pratt & Whitney R-2800-65 Double Wasp 18-cylinder radial engines. (P-61C) Two 2,800 hp (2088 kW) Pratt & Whitney R-2800-73 Double Wasp 18-cylinder radial engines.
Performance: Maximum speed 369 mph (594 km/h) at 20,000 ft (6095 m); service ceiling 33,100 ft (10090 m); initial climb rate 2,200 ft (670 m) per minute.
Range: Range 1,000 miles (1609 km) on internal fuel or 1,900 miles (3058 km) with maximum external fuel.
Weight: Empty 20,965 lbs (9510 kg) with a maximum take-off weight of 32,400 lbs (14696 kg).
Dimensions: Span 66 ft 0 in (20.12 m); length 48 ft 11 in (14.91 m); height 14 ft 2 in (4.32 m); wing area 664 sq ft (61.69 sq m).
Armament: Four fixed 20 mm M-2 cannon in belly, firing ahead (plus in first 37 A, last 250 B and all C aircraft) electric dorsal turret with four 12.7 mm (0.50 in) machine guns remotely controlled from the front or rear sight station and fired by the pilot. (B and C) underwing racks for 6,400 lbs (2902 kg) of bombs or four 250 gallon fuel tanks. (F-15A) No armament.
Variants: XP-61 (prototype), YP-61 (service testing), P-61A, P-61B, P-61C, XP-61D, XP-61E, XF-15 Reporter (unarmed recon), XF-15A, F-15A Reporter, F2T-1N (naval designation).
Avionics: SCR-720 AI radar.
History: First flight (XP-61) 21 May 1942; service delivery (P-61A) May 1944; first flight (F-15A) 1946.
Operators: USAAF, USN.
