1/48 P-61A – Night War of WWII

[Wayne Little]

Username : Wayne Little
First name : Wayne
Category : Judge – Non competing
Scale : 1/48
Manufacturer / Model : Hobby Boss P-61A
Extras : EagleCal decals, Eduard Interior Set and Canopy Masks.

The Subject aircraft for this Group build is the Hobby Boss P-61A , and will be done in the markings of 'LADY GEN', a P-61A-5 flown by 1/Lt Paul Smith and Radar Operator 1/Lt Robert Tierney of the 422nd Night Fighter Squadron. Claiming 5 Confirmed aircraft victories, a Probable and a single V-1, this tally making them one of the very few,P-61 crews to make Ace status.
This aircraft has often been profiled in Overall Black and carrying the upper turret, neither in fact being correct, Olive Drab upper surface and Neutral Grey lower surfaces and NO upper turret were the norm for the early production P-61A aircraft.

 

[Wayne Little]

Some Pics of the Lady Gen.

all sourced from the Internet

 

[Wurger]

 

[Wayne Little]

Thank you sir!

 

[ozhawk40]

Great pick Wayne - I'm looking forward to this!

 

[JKim]

A green Black Widow... should be an interesting subject!

 

[Jeff Hunt]

Very juicy indeed!

Jeff

 

[le_steph40]

8)

 

[Crimea_River]

Nice one. Might need a fair amount of Uranium up front to keep it from tail sitting.

 

[Airframes]

Looking forward t this one.

 

[imalko]

 

[Wayne Little]

Nice one. Might need a fair amount of Uranium up front to keep it from tail sitting.

Good thing is there is some ballast to add in the kit, will soon see if i will need more...

 

[Wildcat]

Nice choice Wayne!

 

[Vic Balshaw]

Great choice Wayne, and interesting subject.

 

[Aaron Brooks Wolters]

Some Pics of the Lady Gen.

all sourced from the Internet

Pic 1.) Captain Eugene Lee, a pilot in the 422nd Sqaudron, gives movie actor Mickey Rooney some info flying night missions in the Black Widow as they pose by Lady Gen. Page 55, Combat Chronicles of the Black Widow.

Pic 3.) General Elwood Quesada (far right) pays a visit to some of the 422nd Squadrons pilots and radar observers in the early spring of 1945. On the far left P-61 ace Lieutenant Eugene Axtell. Second from the right is 422nd Squadron Commander Lieutenant Colonel O.B. Johnson. Both of the night fighter squadrons that served under the control of the 9th Air Force received extensive recognition and praise from the High Command, because they did a good job of protection Allied assets during the hours of darkness and in bad weather. The 422nd NFS established several "first." The squadron was the first to operate the P-61 in the European Theater of Operations; it was the first to shoot down a V-1 "Buzz Bomb"; it was the first American night fighter squadron to carry bombs; and it was the first night fighter squadron to chalk up three confirmed kills in one night. Most of the pilots give credit for their unit's success to the leadership of their squadron commander, Lieutenant Colonel Johnson. The unit shot down its first enemy aircraft on the night of August 7th, 1944 and bagged its last kill of the war on the night of April 13th, 1945. (John Anderson) Page 70 Combat Chronicles of the Black Widow.

Hope this helps.

 

[Wayne Little]

Thanks for the additional info Aaron!

 

[Aaron Brooks Wolters]

You're welcome Wayne, that book has a couple more photos of Lady Gen, but they are basically the same as what you have already posted. One has the pilot in the cockpit for a shot and the other she's is in the background.

 

[T Bolt]

Never seen an OD Black Widdow done before. Should be interesting.

 

[Wayne Little]

Time to kick this off, some pics of the Cockpit bits'n'pieces...

 

[Wurger]