~~~~OPERATIONAL AT HIGHEST SETTINGS~~~~

Group 1 = Rear Landing Gear (VTOL down)
Group 2 = Dorsal Gun Turret (VTOL)
Group 3&4 = Drop-tank Jettison

The Northrop P-61 Black Widow was the first operational U.S. military aircraft designed specifically for night interception of opposing aircraft, and was the first aircraft specifically designed to use radar. The P-61 had a crew of three: pilot, gunner, and radar operator. It was armed with four 20 mm Hispano M2 forward-firing cannons mounted in the lower fuselage, and four .50 in M2 Browning machine guns mounted in a remote-controlled dorsal gun turret.

Although not produced in the large numbers of its contemporaries, the Black Widow was effectively operated as a night-fighter by United States Army Air Forces squadrons in the European Theater, the Pacific Theater, the China Burma India Theater and the Mediterranean Theater during World War II.

The radar unit was mounted in the craft’s nose, but the radar operator’s station was in the aft end of the fuselage. Here, the operator vectored the pilot to designated airborne targets until the pilot had visual or radar acquisition on his smaller scopes in the main instrument panel. Along with the gunner, who sat behind the pilot, the radar operator had control of the dorsal-mounted remote turret.

This was a fun plane to learn about and build. It was challenging to keep it slim and smooth looking, but I think it turned out great. She has a fully rotating turret and retractable landing gear. The ground clearance is small, so make sure you approach at a shallow angle!

Enjoy!