I had an uncle that was a pilot in P-61s in WWII. I say that as a distinct plural of “P-61s”, as he had 2 “shot out from under him” (his words, not mine!) The rule was, as a defensive gunner on anything from bombers to Seaplanes, you shot anything that had its nose pointed at you! So in the dark, as the P-61 approached an unknown, unidentified aircraft to identify it as friend or enemy, it was vulnerable. The P-61 couldn’t fire on the bogie until it was positively identified as enemy. BUT…the aircraft being approached would do their damnedist to destroy the approaching unidentified airplane, hence losing 2 aircraft TO FRIENDLY FIRE! His name was Gilbert Lewis, and his aircraft were named Chattanooga Choo Choo (1,II, and finally, III). Great video!
I was blessed to know two gentlemen who flew the P-61 Black Widows during WW2. One flew over the Channel out of England and the other flew in the South Pacific and also wrenched on his own plane. That gentlemen was a very gifted mechanic and machinist. I knew him since I was a child. Much respect to both gentlemen.
Years ago, I attended the retirement party of an older colleague. I noticed he had photos of his WWII service, which featured a big, black, twin engine plane. When I asked him about the Black Widow, he was surprised I knew what it was. Those heros are all gone now. 😢
The Mid Atlantic Air Museum near Reading, Pennsylvania has one that they are restoring to airworthy. A very long term project but it’s starting to look like an airplane again. Will be great to finally see it fly someday.
@@worldofwarbirds the night fighter pilots were probably happier doing safer night fighting, than worrying about kill credit. A medal means little in a coffin.
My grandfather mentioned seeing these planes flying doing fleet defense at the end of the war, of course everyone was jumpy at the idea of kamikaze attacks so he said the pilot would have to drop a flare to illuminate the aircraft to indicate it was a friendly
Seeing the P-61, one of my favorite planes of the war, is one more reason for me to finally make that trip to the US Air Force Museum at Wright-Patterson.
I definitely need to get around to making the trip, have wanted to for many years. I have to decide whether to plan it as a 1 day or a 2 day visit… any input/advice? Assuming I can be there right at 0900, do you still feel rushed trying to see everything before closing? It’s almost a 4 hour drive for me, so it is both ‘not unreasonable to go again some day’ and also ‘far enough of a drive that I’d probably rather make it a 2 day than do a second trip’
@@chrisn.6477 I've been kicking around the same question. It's about a 4 1/2-hour drive for me (from NW In.). From what I've read you would have to really rush through in order to see it all in one day. There's no way I'm going to drive that far, tour the museum, and drive home in one day, so I'm planning on making it a two-day trip. Plus, I don't want to be rushed, I want to be able to take my time and take it all in.
@@jamesbarca7229 Yeah - it seems like the 2 day option is probably best, to not rush it/not combo a full museum day with 6-9hrs of driving on top of it. If I had more notice, I’d be tempted to go on 11/1 for a blood drive they are doing - as donors will be seated ‘under the wing of the B-52 exhibit’ - That just seems like a fun experience (more fun than a normal blood drive, anyhow). Maybe they’ll do it again some other day. “I’ve donated blood sitting under a B-52.” ‘I didn’t know you were in the Air Force?’ “Oh, I wasn’t.”
My father lived in our family-run hotels in India since birth in the 1920s. During WWII, many servicemen stayed at our hotels, and because we had the only swimming pool in Delhi, this hotel was popular. The author of the book, "Into the Teeth of the Tiger", Donald Lopez was a fighter pilot who stayed at this hotel and wrote about it in his book (he got the hotel's name wrong, its the Lautentian, not the Dehli Hotel.. My father was home from boarding school in the summer of 1943, just before he enlisted in the Royal Navy (which was illegal, oddly enough*). He became friends with several officers around the pool and was often offered ice-cold Coca-Cola in buckets of ice but he hated that beverage his entire life because of its high sugar content. One day an odd aircraft flew over and my father pointed at it and exclaimed loudly, "Look a P-61!". Since most of the officers lounging about (from the RAF and the USAF) were from the USAF, several grabbed my father and yelled at him, "How the hell do you know that aircraft is a P-61! That's top secret. No one is supposed to know that!". My father shrank back from the verbal assault and then feebly pointed to a group of officers sitting by the pool playing cards and explained, "Because every time that aircraft flies over, those guys over there yell out, "Oh look! It's our new P-61!". My father stated to me that it was 1943 because he joined the Royal Navy upon graduating from school before the summer of 1944 and was in the Royal Navy training camp in Sir Lanka where he was stuck for months due to contracting Malaria, Dysentry, and Tropical Sprue. He was later transferred to the UK in Scotland in 1944-46. * All men wanting to join the navy, who were born in India had to join the Royal Indian Navy. They were prohibited from serving in the Royal Navy. If they didn't have this law, it was feared that few would join the Royal Indian Navy. My father circumvented this because our family had military and royal family connections and an exception was granted.
Yep, same here. I had a couple of Revel 1/48 scale P-61s. Both build with the turret instead of the blanking plate. Even as a kid I understood "Mo guns, mo betta".
The rugged and powerful Black Widows served as Hurricane hunters post war. I made myself a Key Rack from scratch very faithful to the big warbird. I got to visit and contribute to the MAAM restoration project. Along with the Skyraider these brutes epitomize radial powered combat excellence.
My father was based in Alaska with the USAAF during the end of WW2 and the beginning of the Cold War. The Soviets were seen as a serious threat, so most of the most modern aircraft were based out on the Aleutian air bases where Dad served. The P-62 and P-82 twin Mustang were common sights, and Dad often rode as a passenger in the rear of a p-61 Black Widow. It was his favorite plane, as the advanced avionics made it a safer ride in the terrible weather they had to fly through.
Thanks for this!! I learned of this fighter in '75 when, as an adolescent, my favorite hobby was making models, especially airplanes. Ever since, it's been my favorite radial engine plane. There's an Army Air Corps training film for it here on RUclips. I'd post the url, but I don't think YT likes that, so here's the title to do a search - Flying the Northrop P-61 " Black Widow" Night Fighter (1944)
I made a model of the P-61 when I was a kid in the 70s, that's enough to make it into my favorites list. Eventually the turret ended up on top of a Mad Max style '55 Chevy, that was pretty cool too!
Do you still build? I've got a P-61 kit on the table beside me, ready to go! I got back into building about a year ago (I'm in my fifties) and it's a wonderful new (old) hobby.
Strangely enough it was MY son who bought me a Lancaster kit and it sat on the shelf for 2 years before my podcast collaborator Tanner (who builds) kicked my ass to restart. I’m loving it and have asked for an airbrush for my birthday!
@@worldofwarbirds Thank you for your content and for engaging with viewers in the comments. Although I wish you wild success, smaller channels always have the best comment section community.
RADAR development in the late 1930s was impressive and beneficial to both Air and Naval combatants. Truly a 'Force-Multiplier'. First-look, First-shot, First-kill.
Although I appreciated your technical content (an an engineer and experimental aircraft builder), I really appreciated your personal voice narration. I think we're all worn out from listening to text-to-voice conversions, but your narration was par excellence. Thank you, and I subscribed.
I made a model of her she looks fantastic I also made a model of the He 219 (The Owl) which was Germany’s purpose built night fighter. Bot are marvellous aircraft!
The british knew the germans were coming for coventry.But they could not risk letting the germans know they had broken the german code.Had they evacuated the town,the germans would have been suspicious.Thanks Greg for this great video.All of your videos are top shelf.😊
@andrewwmacfadyen6958 Yes it is true.The british kept it a secret for 40 years.They didn't want the germans to know the enigma machine had been compromised.
In the 1980's, I met a guy who was a test pilot during ww2. He flew the P-61, among many other types. This was one of his favorites, along with, oddly enough, the P-40.
@@worldofwarbirds The fight that I have always wondered about would have been a Northrup P-61 Black Widow up against a Dornier DO-335 Pfeil (Arrow). Both would have been considered twin-engined, heavy fighters of the day. Each packing a punch but one excelling in the speed arena and the other excelling in the maneuverability arena.
Really nice plane one of my favourite ww2 aircraft shame it was so late into service and didn’t see a lot of action,but I suppose it would of if the war had lasted longer ,thankfully it didn’t
With it's single pilot cockpit, the A20 is basically a Grumman F7F with a rear turret, formal bomb bay, and engines having 200 cid less each. Too bad the A20 was the one mass produced because it was a lot less potent, from the enemy perspective.
Well...the best I can do it to own models of them. I've got the B-25 "flying" over my desk right now and the P-61 kit is still in the box waiting to be built soon. Cheers!
@worldofwarbirds I once read that the turret dramatically worsened the flight behaviour when it was turned in flight; unfortunately I can no longer name a source; it was an older book about American aircraft.
Yes gizmos failed quite frequently on both sides. Thats why American engineers switched to widgets toward the end of the war. Stupid thing is after the war, American industry went back to gizmos.
It was the Gremlins. Really, the B29 was so complicated there were few days when everything worked. Wichita workers blamed it on gremlins. The real issue was having so much electrical equipment made by unskilled labor. Mostly wire harnesses assembled with stripped wire ends only have one or strands intact and those got crimped into the connector. Or the crimps were poorly done. A lesson lost on NASA, the Apollo 1 capsule after the fire had 1500 defective connections. Gov't contractors have a saying "Close enough for government work" Here is something more recent ruclips.net/video/5T68sJHvQ9M/видео.html PS Boeing still at it, gremlins stole the door plug bolts.
@@worldofwarbirdsI seen it at family day at the Boeing factory on two occasions. My guess was in 2015 and 2017. I could be wrong on the years. It is not part of the Flying Heritage Collection. I am familiar with thier aircraft. I have been working on aircraft for 42 years and familiar with most WWII aircraft. No mistaken identity of it being a P61. I will get pics if I see it again.
Great vid Couple of things Grandfather flew Beaufigjters then Mosquitos in the nightfighter/night intruder roles with 515 Sqn RAF Now his assessment of the P61 was-- Inferior to Beaufighter and grossly inferior to the Mosquito Both flying circles around the P61 in every area other than firepower , where the P61 was superior My grandfather had first hand experience against the P61 as they tried to intercept his plane returning from missions over Europe Toying with the P61 until boredom set in , on one occasion an "over eager" yank opened fire in the general direction of my grandfather's Mosquito Politely telling the P61 pilot to "please Fkoff" over the radio Once feathering an engine to try and make it more of a challenge It was a good "first step" dedicated nightfighter -- but wasnt as capable as the Beaufighter and grossly inferior to the Mosquito nightfighter/night intruder in everyday except firepower as I mentioned earlier
That is an amazing share! Lots of folks here like to theoretically compare these birds, but your Grandpa got to experiment in reality! Thanks for sharing!
Could you please do a video on the 5th AAF 380th BG heavy 531st bomb squadron 💣 . My grandfather was a waist gunner who flew on the 1st raid on Bailikpan. It was like Japan's (Poliesti)!
The intro discussed the concept that the bombers will always get through. This the French Douhet theory that modern bombers can outfly fighter planes. This strange theory dominated airframe design before WWII and resulted in the Boeing Model 299, YB-17a, B-17B/C/D (the sharkfin models) all lacking a rear gunner, rendering the entire fleet useless in combat. The first much publicized American hero in WWII was Colin P. Kelly whose B-17B was shot down from the rear in the Philippines' attack. Kelly died trying to land his aircraft. Despite all the effort the aircraft was not as successfull as hoped. As jets were beginning to gain dominance the P-61 was redesigned and became the F-15 Reporter with a short varied post and Korean war career.
The US replaced their British Mosquito's with Black Widdows. To be honest, I believe they should have just stuck with those and used the resources to develop the Black Widdow on something else. Cool plane though.
Designed as a nightfighter or not, it wasn't the nightfighter the Mosquito was and ALREADY HAD BEEN for three years. Sexy as hell, but probably a waste of resources. Underappreciated aspect of the Mossie's nightfighter role is that it spent the majority of it over enemy turf hunting THEIR nighfighters, aka hunting wolves, not cattle. Unique in the history of nightfighters.
At 7:49 he states the four Hispano 20mm guns were in the wings... This is completely wrong. Those guns or cannons were in the belly of the plane. The Black Widow never had wing mounted guns. They thought about it but never built it that way.
“After some examinations of a static mockup, it was decided to move the Hispano M2 cannon from the wings to the front fuselage in a ventral step.” You are correct. The switch occurred before the prototype.
Probably the coolest looking American plane from ww2. Was it better than the mosquito overall? Probably not, but if you had to be a night fighter pilot in ww2 I'd rather be in a black widow.
It was a highly overrated plane with three major problems, it suffered from lack of speed, altitude, and endurance, it was a pretty plane but it would've never be a match for most German fighter planes during the war, anyone can research this if they want the truth !!!!
CORRECTION! Near the end I say F-81, when OF COURSE, I meant the F-82 Twin Mustang! Sorry!
I had an uncle that was a pilot in P-61s in WWII. I say that as a distinct plural of “P-61s”, as he had 2 “shot out from under him” (his words, not mine!) The rule was, as a defensive gunner on anything from bombers to Seaplanes, you shot anything that had its nose pointed at you! So in the dark, as the P-61 approached an unknown, unidentified aircraft to identify it as friend or enemy, it was vulnerable. The P-61 couldn’t fire on the bogie until it was positively identified as enemy. BUT…the aircraft being approached would do their damnedist to destroy the approaching unidentified airplane, hence losing 2 aircraft TO FRIENDLY FIRE! His name was Gilbert Lewis, and his aircraft were named Chattanooga Choo Choo (1,II, and finally, III). Great video!
Thank you so much for sharing!
I was blessed to know two gentlemen who flew the P-61 Black Widows during WW2. One flew over the Channel out of England and the other flew in the South Pacific and also wrenched on his own plane. That gentlemen was a very gifted mechanic and machinist. I knew him since I was a child. Much respect to both gentlemen.
That's interesting to know them from both theatres. Did they like the aircraft?
Years ago, I attended the retirement party of an older colleague. I noticed he had photos of his WWII service, which featured a big, black, twin engine plane. When I asked him about the Black Widow, he was surprised I knew what it was.
Those heros are all gone now. 😢
The Mid Atlantic Air Museum near Reading, Pennsylvania has one that they are restoring to airworthy. A very long term project but it’s starting to look like an airplane again. Will be great to finally see it fly someday.
Sweet, one of my favorite planes. Surprisingly maneuverable for its size, and all those cannons to just rip up anything in your way.
It was such a fun episode to make. Glad you enjoyed it!
@@worldofwarbirds the night fighter pilots were probably happier doing safer night fighting, than worrying about kill credit. A medal means little in a coffin.
With 4 20mms and 4 50 calibers , The bite is worthy of the Black Widow name
My grandfather mentioned seeing these planes flying doing fleet defense at the end of the war, of course everyone was jumpy at the idea of kamikaze attacks so he said the pilot would have to drop a flare to illuminate the aircraft to indicate it was a friendly
I got to meet many of these guys who flew it back in the day, a very special group of guys and aircraft.
Well done documentary on the P-61. The development of radar technology was just as important if not more so, than jet engines or missiles.
Seeing the P-61, one of my favorite planes of the war, is one more reason for me to finally make that trip to the US Air Force Museum at Wright-Patterson.
Me too!
I definitely need to get around to making the trip, have wanted to for many years. I have to decide whether to plan it as a 1 day or a 2 day visit… any input/advice? Assuming I can be there right at 0900, do you still feel rushed trying to see everything before closing?
It’s almost a 4 hour drive for me, so it is both ‘not unreasonable to go again some day’ and also ‘far enough of a drive that I’d probably rather make it a 2 day than do a second trip’
@@chrisn.6477 I've been kicking around the same question. It's about a 4 1/2-hour drive for me (from NW In.). From what I've read you would have to really rush through in order to see it all in one day. There's no way I'm going to drive that far, tour the museum, and drive home in one day, so I'm planning on making it a two-day trip. Plus, I don't want to be rushed, I want to be able to take my time and take it all in.
My collaborator took two days and got most of it she said
@@jamesbarca7229 Yeah - it seems like the 2 day option is probably best, to not rush it/not combo a full museum day with 6-9hrs of driving on top of it.
If I had more notice, I’d be tempted to go on 11/1 for a blood drive they are doing - as donors will be seated ‘under the wing of the B-52 exhibit’ - That just seems like a fun experience (more fun than a normal blood drive, anyhow). Maybe they’ll do it again some other day.
“I’ve donated blood sitting under a B-52.”
‘I didn’t know you were in the Air Force?’
“Oh, I wasn’t.”
My father lived in our family-run hotels in India since birth in the 1920s. During WWII, many servicemen stayed at our hotels, and because we had the only swimming pool in Delhi, this hotel was popular. The author of the book, "Into the Teeth of the Tiger", Donald Lopez was a fighter pilot who stayed at this hotel and wrote about it in his book (he got the hotel's name wrong, its the Lautentian, not the Dehli Hotel.. My father was home from boarding school in the summer of 1943, just before he enlisted in the Royal Navy (which was illegal, oddly enough*). He became friends with several officers around the pool and was often offered ice-cold Coca-Cola in buckets of ice but he hated that beverage his entire life because of its high sugar content. One day an odd aircraft flew over and my father pointed at it and exclaimed loudly, "Look a P-61!". Since most of the officers lounging about (from the RAF and the USAF) were from the USAF, several grabbed my father and yelled at him, "How the hell do you know that aircraft is a P-61! That's top secret. No one is supposed to know that!". My father shrank back from the verbal assault and then feebly pointed to a group of officers sitting by the pool playing cards and explained, "Because every time that aircraft flies over, those guys over there yell out, "Oh look! It's our new P-61!".
My father stated to me that it was 1943 because he joined the Royal Navy upon graduating from school before the summer of 1944 and was in the Royal Navy training camp in Sir Lanka where he was stuck for months due to contracting Malaria, Dysentry, and Tropical Sprue. He was later transferred to the UK in Scotland in 1944-46.
* All men wanting to join the navy, who were born in India had to join the Royal Indian Navy. They were prohibited from serving in the Royal Navy. If they didn't have this law, it was feared that few would join the Royal Indian Navy. My father circumvented this because our family had military and royal family connections and an exception was granted.
Wow thank you for this fascinating story! I bet your father had plenty more!
One of my favourite model kits, the P61 as a kid
Yep, same here. I had a couple of Revel 1/48 scale P-61s. Both build with the turret instead of the blanking plate. Even as a kid I understood "Mo guns, mo betta".
The rugged and powerful Black Widows served as Hurricane hunters post war.
I made myself a Key Rack from scratch very faithful to the big warbird.
I got to visit and contribute to the MAAM restoration project.
Along with the Skyraider these brutes epitomize radial powered combat excellence.
Yes perhaps I should have mentioned the hurricane hunting service!
For hunting hurricane weather systems, not the Hurricane fighter plane.
I get it now. I was confused at first.
There is an airframe under restoration in Pennsylvania. Seeing this in person at Reading airport, knowing it will fly again... Wow. What a machine.
Right! I do mention that at the end. I'd love to see her fly!
That bird was like a test fart, stealthy and deadly. Thanks for the history!
My father was based in Alaska with the USAAF during the end of WW2 and the beginning of the Cold War. The Soviets were seen as a serious threat, so most of the most modern aircraft were based out on the Aleutian air bases where Dad served. The P-62 and P-82 twin Mustang were common sights, and Dad often rode as a passenger in the rear of a p-61 Black Widow. It was his favorite plane, as the advanced avionics made it a safer ride in the terrible weather they had to fly through.
Very cool. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for this!! I learned of this fighter in '75 when, as an adolescent, my favorite hobby was making models, especially airplanes. Ever since, it's been my favorite radial engine plane. There's an Army Air Corps training film for it here on RUclips. I'd post the url, but I don't think YT likes that, so here's the title to do a search -
Flying the Northrop P-61 " Black Widow" Night Fighter (1944)
Nice! I found it and will check it out.
This has always been one of my favorites, ever since I saw it as a kid at Wright Pat. As well as the XB-70.
I made a model of the P-61 when I was a kid in the 70s, that's enough to make it into my favorites list.
Eventually the turret ended up on top of a Mad Max style '55 Chevy, that was pretty cool too!
Do you still build? I've got a P-61 kit on the table beside me, ready to go! I got back into building about a year ago (I'm in my fifties) and it's a wonderful new (old) hobby.
@@worldofwarbirds No, it's been decades. I tried to get my son into modeling but he wasn't really interested.
Strangely enough it was MY son who bought me a Lancaster kit and it sat on the shelf for 2 years before my podcast collaborator Tanner (who builds) kicked my ass to restart. I’m loving it and have asked for an airbrush for my birthday!
@@worldofwarbirds Thank you for your content and for engaging with viewers in the comments. Although I wish you wild success, smaller channels always have the best comment section community.
RADAR development in the late 1930s was impressive and beneficial to both Air and Naval combatants. Truly a 'Force-Multiplier'. First-look, First-shot, First-kill.
I made a model of one of the - it was a very cool airplane for its time.
I’ve got a P-61 model in the box, ready to go! The Betty bomber she’s going to be hunting is already hanging from the ceiling of my study!
These aircraft lacked the glamor as they largely went unseen. But if you were an enemy pilot, They were the aircraft you DIDN'T WANT to see!
Very true!
Although I appreciated your technical content (an an engineer and experimental aircraft builder), I really appreciated your personal voice narration. I think we're all worn out from listening to text-to-voice conversions, but your narration was par excellence. Thank you, and I subscribed.
I’m glad you liked it. Those AI voices bug me too!
I made a model of her she looks fantastic I also made a model of the He 219 (The Owl) which was Germany’s purpose built night fighter. Bot are marvellous aircraft!
I’ve build the He 219 and I’ve got a P-61 in the box ready to go when I have the time!
Cool aircraft !! Looks like a lot of fun to fly... I hope they manage to complete the restoration of the P61, back to full airworthiness.
You and me both!
The british knew the germans were coming for coventry.But they could not risk letting the germans know they had broken the german code.Had they evacuated the town,the germans would have been suspicious.Thanks Greg for this great video.All of your videos are top shelf.😊
Thanks for these details and the complement!
@worldofwarbirds You are welcome, sir.
Not true the subject of the Coventry Blitz and German navigation beams has been well covered by RV Jones and others.
@andrewwmacfadyen6958 Yes it is true.The british kept it a secret for 40 years.They didn't want the germans to know the enigma machine had been compromised.
@@andrewwmacfadyen6958 I wasn't talking about german navigational beams.
A P61 flew diversion during the 'Great Raid' making it a success.
Yes, I had read of the raid but forgotten about the P-61's part. Thanks for reminding.
In the 1980's, I met a guy who was a test pilot during ww2. He flew the P-61, among many other types. This was one of his favorites, along with, oddly enough, the P-40.
British pitted Mosquito 11:04 against Black Widow in mock combat...poor Mosquito!
"King Kong!" Lol
Hmmm. I wonder how the fight would turn out??
@@worldofwarbirds
The fight that I have always wondered about would have been a Northrup P-61 Black Widow up against a Dornier DO-335 Pfeil (Arrow).
Both would have been considered twin-engined, heavy fighters of the day.
Each packing a punch but one excelling in the speed arena and the other excelling in the maneuverability arena.
Midnight Mistress!!!!!!!
Great video!
Glad you enjoyed it!
P61 warehouse is where spacex now builds their falcon heavy’s
Cool!
Excellent video on an amazing aircraft, small error though at 18:50, the twin mustang is the F-82
Oopsy. One got through!
Great job.
Thanks!
Well done. Thank you.
My pleasure!
Hellz yea, thx Brian 🤙🤙
Love the reaction!!
Really nice plane one of my favourite ww2 aircraft shame it was so late into service and didn’t see a lot of action,but I suppose it would of if the war had lasted longer ,thankfully it didn’t
I believe the first dedicated night fighter was the HE-219 "Uhu"?
The Germans had two different planes named "Uhu " eagle owl.
And I have videos on BOTH of them!
@@worldofwarbirds watched them!
Check it; the guy who ran the book store at my college flew one of these AND a member of the AVG!
I never knew they fought in Europe. I would think any of the good twin engine bomber could have been modified had the speed requirement been dropped.
With it's single pilot cockpit, the A20 is basically a Grumman F7F with a rear turret, formal bomb bay, and engines having 200 cid less each. Too bad the A20 was the one mass produced because it was a lot less potent, from the enemy perspective.
Truly amazing aircraft. While not the fastest, technologically most advanced with good firepower.
Great video!
Glad you enjoyed it
Luckily there was a1:32 plastic model kit available of this, and i have one in my stash!
A Gotha?
@@worldofwarbirds p-61 from Hobby Boss. It's huge.
The two planes I love to own is a B25 Michael or the P61 ballack widdow
Well...the best I can do it to own models of them. I've got the B-25 "flying" over my desk right now and the P-61 kit is still in the box waiting to be built soon. Cheers!
Also one of my favorites. A bomber-sized fighter. You didn´t mention the difficulties with the dorsal turret.
I did mention that they had trouble sourcing parts. Was there more?
@worldofwarbirds I once read that the turret dramatically worsened the flight behaviour when it was turned in flight; unfortunately I can no longer name a source; it was an older book about American aircraft.
Black widow is a great name
Isn't it?!?
I read somewhere that there is a complete P-61 somewhere in Russia -- a Soviet-era "acquisition".
I have a model kit of one of these sitting on my shelf that I still need to put together.
Me too!!! Haha. It’s in line for building behind a beautiful P-38.
Great video...👍
Thank you 👍
@@worldofwarbirds>>> You're Welcome.
Yes gizmos failed quite frequently on both sides.
Thats why American engineers switched to widgets toward the end of the war.
Stupid thing is after the war, American industry went back to gizmos.
Luckily the supply of thingamajigs was never compromised
It was the Gremlins. Really, the B29 was so complicated there were few days when everything worked. Wichita workers blamed it on gremlins. The real issue was having so much electrical equipment made by unskilled labor. Mostly wire harnesses assembled with stripped wire ends only have one or strands intact and those got crimped into the connector. Or the crimps were poorly done. A lesson lost on NASA, the Apollo 1 capsule after the fire had 1500 defective connections. Gov't contractors have a saying "Close enough for government work" Here is something more recent ruclips.net/video/5T68sJHvQ9M/видео.html PS Boeing still at it, gremlins stole the door plug bolts.
There is a P61 in flying condition. I have seen it se eral times at Payne Field in Everett Wa.
Really?? If you have any pics please send to bpearce29@gmail.com. Thanks.
No, there isn’t.
@@worldofwarbirdsI seen it at family day at the Boeing factory on two occasions. My guess was in 2015 and 2017. I could be wrong on the years. It is not part of the Flying Heritage Collection. I am familiar with thier aircraft. I have been working on aircraft for 42 years and familiar with most WWII aircraft. No mistaken identity of it being a P61. I will get pics if I see it again.
Great vid
Couple of things
Grandfather flew Beaufigjters then Mosquitos in the nightfighter/night intruder roles with 515 Sqn RAF
Now his assessment of the P61 was--
Inferior to Beaufighter and grossly inferior to the Mosquito
Both flying circles around the P61 in every area other than firepower , where the P61 was superior
My grandfather had first hand experience against the P61 as they tried to intercept his plane returning from missions over Europe
Toying with the P61 until boredom set in , on one occasion an "over eager" yank opened fire in the general direction of my grandfather's Mosquito
Politely telling the P61 pilot to "please Fkoff" over the radio
Once feathering an engine to try and make it more of a challenge
It was a good "first step" dedicated nightfighter -- but wasnt as capable as the Beaufighter and grossly inferior to the Mosquito nightfighter/night intruder in everyday except firepower as I mentioned earlier
That is an amazing share! Lots of folks here like to theoretically compare these birds, but your Grandpa got to experiment in reality! Thanks for sharing!
Could you please do a video on the 5th AAF 380th BG heavy 531st bomb squadron 💣 . My grandfather was a waist gunner who flew on the 1st raid on Bailikpan. It was like Japan's (Poliesti)!
Hi - my bread and butter (for the most part) is looking at individual aircraft types. I'm not sure if I could to a unit justice...let me think on it.
btw BATMAN aka
The Batman.
Was around before WWll. In the 30s he was Very brutal. Killed Bad guys.
Ah ha! Maybe he was Black Widow or Moonbat pilot!!
My father was the 548th adjutant on Iwo Jima and Okinawa
That's very cool! Thanks for sharing!
The intro discussed the concept that the bombers will always get through. This the French Douhet theory that modern bombers can outfly fighter planes. This strange theory dominated airframe design before WWII and resulted in the Boeing Model 299, YB-17a, B-17B/C/D (the sharkfin models) all lacking a rear gunner, rendering the entire fleet useless in combat. The first much publicized American hero in WWII was Colin P. Kelly whose B-17B was shot down from the rear in the Philippines' attack. Kelly died trying to land his aircraft. Despite all the effort the aircraft was not as successfull as hoped. As jets were beginning to gain dominance the P-61 was redesigned and became the F-15 Reporter with a short varied post and Korean war career.
For more on this you should check out my video called Big Bombers
I was wondering why you didn't see these used at the beginning of the Korean War, as B-29s and P-51s were.
I think the US had a alot of redundant aircraft that performed similar roles and some just got cut...
Sunk some Japanese shipping too.
Neat and capable airplane, but almost obsolete by the time it was deployed. My uncle flew it in China in 1945.
I don't know what you're talking about it was the deadliest night fighter
The US replaced their British Mosquito's with Black Widdows. To be honest, I believe they should have just stuck with those and used the resources to develop the Black Widdow on something else. Cool plane though.
Designed as a nightfighter or not, it wasn't the nightfighter the Mosquito was and ALREADY HAD BEEN for three years. Sexy as hell, but probably a waste of resources. Underappreciated aspect of the Mossie's nightfighter role is that it spent the majority of it over enemy turf hunting THEIR nighfighters, aka hunting wolves, not cattle. Unique in the history of nightfighters.
Yes, you may well be right...
At 7:49 he states the four Hispano 20mm guns were in the wings... This is completely wrong. Those guns or cannons were in the belly of the plane. The Black Widow never had wing mounted guns. They thought about it but never built it that way.
“After some examinations of a static mockup, it was decided to move the Hispano M2 cannon from the wings to the front fuselage in a ventral step.” You are correct. The switch occurred before the prototype.
That plane was plagued by issues..
Probably the coolest looking American plane from ww2. Was it better than the mosquito overall? Probably not, but if you had to be a night fighter pilot in ww2 I'd rather be in a black widow.
Had the aerodynamics of a barn door. Turret soon removed so it would fly oroperly
She looks sinister
Sexy sinister!
Batman was around during WW2
Yes, I didn’t know that before, but I sure do now! 🦇
Good example of American not invented here syndrome. The USA was offered the Mosquito
Sorry but I’m sure Batman would have flown the XP-67 😂
Of course you are correct! I think I may have used that line in the XP-67 video too!
batman was around in ww2. his first comic was in 1939
Really?! I learned something today. Thanks.
Batman was created in 1939... and yeah, he flew a Black Widow for sure.
Yes, I have learned that! Or maybe the Moonbat. Have you seen my video on that one?
Might be the ugliest twin engine fighter in existence, but it's still a beast
I think she's raunchy hott!
the CIA plane
Interesting video. It's nice not to have to listen to an AI voice.
It was a highly overrated plane with three major problems, it suffered from lack of speed, altitude, and endurance, it was a pretty plane but it would've never be a match for most German fighter planes during the war, anyone can research this if they want the truth !!!!
USAAC, not USAAF, and pronounce that Army Air Corps. Too much A I content now. Just hit mute and watch the slide show.
The narator is a real, live human (me!) I don't know if that's an insult to AI, or to me!?
USAAC became USAAF in June of 1941
Can’t you at least spell NORTHROP correctly?
Yes, I can! I don't know how that one got by. You were the first to mention it.
Thank you for fixing it.
Jack Northrop was a great man.
It was never effective or much use, let's be honest about this.
Still sexy…
I want one.
Don’t we all…