Product Description

The first aircraft to be purposely designed as a radar-equipped nightfigher, Northrop's P-61 Black Widow was heavily influenced by early RAF combat experience with radar-equipped aircraft in the years 1940/41 of World War II (1939-1945). Built essentially around the bulky Radiation Laboratory SCR-720 radar, which was mounted in the aircraft's nose, the P-61 proved to be the largest fighter ever produced for frontline service by the USAAF. Twin-engined and twin-boomed, the Black Widow was armed with a dorsal barbette of four 0.50-in Browning machine guns and two ventrally-mounted 20 mm cannon. This volume features all the frontline users of the mighty P-61, and includes many first-hand accounts from pilots and gunners who saw action in the Pacific, Mediterranean and Western Europe.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #713380 in Books
• Published on: 1998-08-28
• Released on: 1998-08-28
• Original language: English
• Dimensions: 9.70" h x .25" w x 7.29" l, .63 pounds
• Binding: Paperback
• 96 pages

Review
"The P-61 Black Widow is one of the most interesting aircraft of WWII. Although it did not serve in great numbers, this technologically advanced aircraft had a pioneering role as a night fighter using radar and heavy armament to intercept enemy planes... The book has an appendix of P-61 victories, units and specifications of the different variants. Illustrated with many waritme photographs, the book also includes an extensive color plate and aircraft profile section." -www.pacificwrecks.com

About the Author
Warren Thompson has written three books on the Korean War for Osprey in the past, including the best-selling Korean War Aces in the Aircraft of the Aces series. He is also an official historian of the P-61 aircrew association.