Author Topic: P-61 Black Widow  (Read 2543 times)

Offline 5PointOh

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P-61 Black Widow
« on: September 12, 2007, 05:55:53 PM »
I'd like to also add in the P-61 Black Widow.  Its a gorgeous plane, and we really don't have that many twin engine fighters.



Heres some stats that I found at http://www.warbirdsresourcegroup.org

GENERAL INFORMATION:
Type:
    P-61: Three-seat Night Fighter
    F-15: Two-seat strategic reconaissance
Manufacturer: Northrop
Models: P-61A thru C, F-15 (RF-61C) Reporter
First Flight: May 21, 1942 (XP-61)
Service Delivery:
    May 1944 (P-61A)
    1946 (F-15A)
Final Delivery: N/A
Total Produced: 941 (plus 35 photo-recon versions)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
POWERPLANT:
   Model: Pratt & Whitney R-2800 Double Wasp
   Type: 18-Cyl 2-Row Radials
   Horsepower (P-61A): 2,000hp R-2800-10
   Horsepower (P-61B): 2,000hp R-2800-65
   Horsepower (P-61C and F-15): 2,800hp R-2800-73


FUEL:
   Capacity: N/A
   Type: N/A

DIMENSIONS:
   Wing span: 20.12m (66 ft.)
   Length (P-61A): 14.92m (48 ft. 11 in.)
   Length (P-61B & C): 15.1m (49 ft. 7 in.)
   Length (F-15): 15.3m (50 ft. 3 in.)
   Height: 4.49m (14 ft. 8 in.)
   Wing Surface Area: N/A
   WEIGHTS:
   Empty (Typical P-61): 10,886kg (24,000 lbs.)
   Empty (F-15): 9,979kg (22,000 lbs.)
   Maximum, Loaded (P-61A): 14,696kg (32,400 lbs.)
   Maximum, Loaded (P-61B): 17,237kg (38,000 lbs.)
   Maximum, Loaded (P-61C): 18,280kg (40,300 lbs.)
   Maximum, Clean (F-15): 12,700kg (28,000 lbs.)

PERFORMANCE:
   Maximum Speed (P-61A & B): 366 mph (590 km/h)
   Maximum Speed (P-61C): 430 mph (692 km/h)
   Maximum Speed (F-15): 440 mph (708 km/h)
   Initial climb (P-61A & B): 2,200 ft. (670 m) per minute
   Initial climb (P-61C & F-15): 3,000 ft. (914 m) per minute
   Service Ceiling (P-61A & B): 33,000 ft. (10,060 m)
   Service Ceiling (P-61C & F-15): 41,000 ft. (12,500 m)
   Range - Max. Fuel (P-61A): 500 Miles (2360 km)
   Range - Max. Fuel (P-61B & C): 2,800 Miles (4500 km)
   Range - Max. Fuel (F-15): 4,000 Miles (6440 km)


ARMAMENTS:
Four 20mm M-2 Cannon in belly, fixed forward.
Plus
Electric Dorsal turret with four .50 machine guns, remotely controlled
from front or rear sight station and fired by pilot.
(in first 37 A's, last 250 B's and all C's)
Plus (B & C Only)
Wing racks for 6,400 lb. ordnance load.

F-15 carried no armament.
 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
COMMENTS: The P-61 was the first U.S. aircraft designed from the beginning as a night fighter, the Black Widow was a result of the experience of the RAF with radar equipped fighters. The first P-61's entered service with the 18th Fighter Group in the South Pacific and sooned gained successes there as well as in Europe.
 
Any thoughts??
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Offline CAF51

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P-61 Black Widow
« Reply #1 on: September 12, 2007, 06:02:37 PM »
Seconded, love the look of the 61.

Offline whiteman

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P-61 Black Widow
« Reply #2 on: September 12, 2007, 06:23:39 PM »
I'll add in a third i like it before the obvious "we have no night" posts

Offline 5PointOh

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P-61 Black Widow
« Reply #3 on: September 12, 2007, 06:53:30 PM »
Oh I'm sure there will be "theres no night post".  Its so pretty and 4 20mms. I love it!
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Offline hubsonfire

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P-61 Black Widow
« Reply #4 on: September 12, 2007, 07:14:03 PM »
We have no night!

But yeah, I still like this bird.
mook
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Offline Karnak

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P-61 Black Widow
« Reply #5 on: September 12, 2007, 07:52:52 PM »
Very neat fighter.  With its 6,400lb ord load, four Hispanos, durability and agility it would see a lot of use in AH.  Probably a lot of pilot wounds too as it is twin engined.  The WWII versions were the A and B, so it might lack the raw performance that people expect of it.

I'd love to see it eventually, but I think there are more important things to add first.

As to the lack of night, frankly, I don't give a damn.  The P-61B, Mosquito NF.30 and He219 would all be nice additions that would see use in AH.  The first two were also used during the day quite a bit.
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Offline Wes14

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P-61 Black Widow
« Reply #6 on: September 12, 2007, 08:22:03 PM »
so its better then a P-38? :confused:
Warning! The above post may induce: nausea, confusion, headaches, explosive diarrhea, anger, vomiting, and whining. Also this post may not make any sense, or may lead to the hijack of the thread.

-Regards,
Wes14

Offline Karnak

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P-61 Black Widow
« Reply #7 on: September 12, 2007, 08:24:32 PM »
Quote
Originally posted by Wes14
so its better then a P-38? :confused:

Depends on your goal.  If your goal is to shoot down other fighters, no, it isn't.  It tops out at 366mph compared with the P-38's 414mph.  If your goal is to blow stuff up on the ground or kill bombers, then yes, it is better.

P-38 is still dang good at those jobs too.
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Offline 5PointOh

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P-61 Black Widow
« Reply #8 on: September 13, 2007, 08:33:28 AM »
From what I've read, the P-61 seems to be an excellent multirole plane.  Of course thats just reading since I've never flown one.  Anyway, thats my next pick for the next plane.  Its very unique.
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Offline VonMessa

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P-61 Black Widow
« Reply #9 on: September 13, 2007, 08:55:31 AM »
Nice lines, shining example of American ingenuity.:aok
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Offline VonMessa

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P-61 Black Widow
« Reply #10 on: September 13, 2007, 09:12:43 AM »
Nice lines, shining example of American ingenuity.:aok
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Offline Tiger

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P-61 Black Widow
« Reply #11 on: September 13, 2007, 09:14:10 AM »
6400 lbs of ord.  That's more than half of the bombers we have ;)

Offline titanic3

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Re: P-61 Black Widow
« Reply #12 on: September 13, 2007, 10:20:01 AM »
Quote
Originally posted by 5PointOh
I'd like to also add in the P-61 Black Widow.  Its a gorgeous plane, and we really don't have that many twin engine fighters.



Heres some stats that I found at http://www.warbirdsresourcegroup.org

GENERAL INFORMATION:
Type:
    P-61: Three-seat Night Fighter
    F-15: Two-seat strategic reconaissance
Manufacturer: Northrop
Models: P-61A thru C, F-15 (RF-61C) Reporter
First Flight: May 21, 1942 (XP-61)
Service Delivery:
    May 1944 (P-61A)
    1946 (F-15A)
Final Delivery: N/A
Total Produced: 941 (plus 35 photo-recon versions)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
POWERPLANT:
   Model: Pratt & Whitney R-2800 Double Wasp
   Type: 18-Cyl 2-Row Radials
   Horsepower (P-61A): 2,000hp R-2800-10
   Horsepower (P-61B): 2,000hp R-2800-65
   Horsepower (P-61C and F-15): 2,800hp R-2800-73


FUEL:
   Capacity: N/A
   Type: N/A

DIMENSIONS:
   Wing span: 20.12m (66 ft.)
   Length (P-61A): 14.92m (48 ft. 11 in.)
   Length (P-61B & C): 15.1m (49 ft. 7 in.)
   Length (F-15): 15.3m (50 ft. 3 in.)
   Height: 4.49m (14 ft. 8 in.)
   Wing Surface Area: N/A
   WEIGHTS:
   Empty (Typical P-61): 10,886kg (24,000 lbs.)
   Empty (F-15): 9,979kg (22,000 lbs.)
   Maximum, Loaded (P-61A): 14,696kg (32,400 lbs.)
   Maximum, Loaded (P-61B): 17,237kg (38,000 lbs.)
   Maximum, Loaded (P-61C): 18,280kg (40,300 lbs.)
   Maximum, Clean (F-15): 12,700kg (28,000 lbs.)

PERFORMANCE:
   Maximum Speed (P-61A & B): 366 mph (590 km/h)
   Maximum Speed (P-61C): 430 mph (692 km/h)
   Maximum Speed (F-15): 440 mph (708 km/h)
   Initial climb (P-61A & B): 2,200 ft. (670 m) per minute
   Initial climb (P-61C & F-15): 3,000 ft. (914 m) per minute
   Service Ceiling (P-61A & B): 33,000 ft. (10,060 m)
   Service Ceiling (P-61C & F-15): 41,000 ft. (12,500 m)
   Range - Max. Fuel (P-61A): 500 Miles (2360 km)
   Range - Max. Fuel (P-61B & C): 2,800 Miles (4500 km)
   Range - Max. Fuel (F-15): 4,000 Miles (6440 km)


ARMAMENTS:
Four 20mm M-2 Cannon in belly, fixed forward.
Plus
Electric Dorsal turret with four .50 machine guns, remotely controlled
from front or rear sight station and fired by pilot.
(in first 37 A's, last 250 B's and all C's)
Plus (B & C Only)
Wing racks for 6,400 lb. ordnance load.

F-15 carried no armament.
 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
COMMENTS: The P-61 was the first U.S. aircraft designed from the beginning as a night fighter, the Black Widow was a result of the experience of the RAF with radar equipped fighters. The first P-61's entered service with the 18th Fighter Group in the South Pacific and sooned gained successes there as well as in Europe.
 
Any thoughts??


i killed P-38s before, i'll kill P-61 when we get it :D


joke off

although it is a neat aircraft, i don't think the P-38 will still out perform it in every way possible. sure 6,400lb of ord is a lot, but if you can't get ord to the target, then what's the point? if a P-61 get jumped with its ord, it won't have much of a chance. already, i can name 10 other plane that will out-perform this yank.  

unless the some noob is stupid enough to HO it.

  the game is concentrated on combat, not on shaking the screen.

semp

Offline Tiger

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Re: Re: P-61 Black Widow
« Reply #13 on: September 13, 2007, 10:56:11 AM »
Quote
Originally posted by titanic3

unless the some noob is stupid enough to HO it.


I have yet to find an aircraft in this game that a noob won't ho with.

I had one HO me with his A6M, I was in a 110-G... needless to say he didn't get the chance to HO anyone else that sortie

Offline 5PointOh

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Re: Re: P-61 Black Widow
« Reply #14 on: September 13, 2007, 11:11:08 AM »
Quote
Originally posted by titanic3
i killed P-38s before, i'll kill P-61 when we get it :D


joke off

although it is a neat aircraft, i don't think the P-38 will still out perform it in every way possible. sure 6,400lb of ord is a lot, but if you can't get ord to the target, then what's the point? if a P-61 get jumped with its ord, it won't have much of a chance. already, i can name 10 other plane that will out-perform this yank.  

unless the some noob is stupid enough to HO it.


I can name a lot of planes in this game that are cannon fodder with ord hanging on them.  Its not my intention to wish for a plane that would replace the 38, I'd just like to see a plane that has multi uses (and the 6400 ord rating didn't hurt either)  Besides look at those lines.  :)
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