 P61B Black Widow USAF Nightfighter

Nightfighter version of P61B in the P38J slot for all theatres
Original files by Steve Day, Migge and George Lekko

cheers
Ade Kelly 'flying tiger'
mar 2005


History of the Black Widow courtesy of George "Geo" Lekko

Pacific Theatre

The first operational use of the P-61 Black Widow was in the Pacific theatre. The 418th, 419th and
421st Night Fighter Squadrons shipped out to the Southwest Pacific Area late in 1943. The first
operational mission by Black Widow took place out of Saipan on June 24, 1944, and the first kill was
made on June 30, when a Black Widow piloted by 6th Night Fighter Squadron members 2nd Lt.
Dale F. Haversom and radar operator Raymond P. Mooney shot down a Betty. The Black Widows
flew numerous missions against Japanese night intruders, which were a real nuisance to American
forces and which up to this time had been virtually immune from interception. On typical missions,
the Black Widow would be directed to the vicinity of its target by ground based radar. The onboard
A/I radar under the control of the radar operator would then be used to direct the pilot to close with
and intercept the the enemy. As soon as the Black Widow had gotten close enough to its target to
make a visual identification, the guns would be aimed and fired by the pilot or by the gunner. The
appearance of the Black Widow in the night skies over the Pacific was a rude and unpleasant surprise
for these night raiders. 

One of the primary missions of the Black Widow squadrons was the protection of B-29 bases on
Saipan against night attacks, and these aircraft flew combat air patrols and interception missions.
They also aided in the rescue of many crippled and lost B-29s trying to return from raids on Japan. 

Black Widows were also based in New Guinea and later in the Philippines. In the Philippines, Black
Widows flew night intruder missions against Japanese airfields and ground installations. The Black
Widow also participated in the invasion of Iwo Jima and Okinawa. 

China-Burma-India Theatre

The Black Widow also served in the China-Burma-India theatre. The first Black Widow kill in that
theater took place on October 30, 1944, when a Kunming-based Black Widow flown by Capt.
Robert R. Scott and Charles W. Phillips of the 426th Night Fighter Squadron shot down a Japanese
twin-engined aircraft. The initial mission of the China-based Black Widows was to destroy Japanese
night intruders, but as enemy nighttime flying ceased, the Black Widows went over to night intruder
missions, attacking Japanese ground installations in China and Burma. 

European Theatre

The first P-61 arrived in Europe on May 23, 1944. The Black Widows were initially based in
England, and their first assignment was to chase night-flying V-1 "buzz bombs". The Black Widows
would be vectored to intercept approaching V-1s by ground control. Since the V-1 was a little faster
than the P-61, the Black Widow had to approach the V-1 from behind and go into a slight dive in
order to catch up with it. The first Black Widow V-1 "kill" took place on July 16, 1944, credited to
pilot Herman Ernst and radar operator Edward Kopsel of the 422nd Night Fighter Squadron. One of
the greatest dangers involved in killing V-1s was the possibility of getting too close to the flying bomb
when one fired at it, running the risk of damage to your own plane if the bomb exploded when hit. 

After D-Day, many Black Widows moved to France. Although several interceptions of night-flying
German aircraft were made, most Black Widow missions were night intruder missions against trains,
armor, and other ground targets.

