1st PLACE BEGINNER: P-61 Black Widow of Maj. Carrol C. "Snuffy" Smith

[dirkpitt289]

Great job. I'm going to be starting a 1/72 Airfix Black Widow for a "Spin-a-Prop" Group Build on another site.

 

[Mr. Ed]

I'm currently decaling the Monogram 1/48th scale P-61, which I'm building as Time's-a-Wastin'. Thanks to the photos above, I've corrected the kit decals for the tail. But now I've noticed another problem with Monogram's decals. The nose art - the actual "time's a wastin'" sargeant - is MISSING AN ARM!! Look at the photo of the actual aircraft and compare it to the decal on the model. The arm pointing forward at the sign to Los Angeles is missing on the decal.

Just wanted point this out. I never would have known without barneybolac's photos.

 

[YakFlyer]

Seeing this finished makes me want to build another one (ie do it better!)..... because this is a job well done.

 

[MikeyW]

Hello everyone. Thank you to 'barneybolac' for the picture of 'Times a Wastin' and the info on 418th NFS. I have been making an old Airfix kit using Microscale transfers that has been in my 'to do' box since the early 1970's. One of which is the same 'Times a Wastin'. The transfers have the serial number as 403. As you may know this squadron only used the last three of the serial numbers on the aircraft. Later on using the last four digits but in white. Now, the picture posted by 'barneybolac' says that it is a P-61B serial number 239595 and this would make it a B-6 or there abouts. The photo even shows the serial number 595 on the aircraft ( not 403 ). However the picture shows a P-61A. Short nose, no landing light on the nose gear strut and long main gear doors open with the undercarriage down! The only thing that makes sense to me is that 'Times a Wastin' is a P-61A with the serial number of 25595. This would make it a P-61 A-10. I have found other photos of P-61 A aircraft from the 255** serial range as tenuous corroboration. I hope that my observations have made sense and will be help to someone. All the best, Mike W.

 

[SaparotRob]

Hi MikeyW. This thread has been dormant for about 11 years. There's another thread currently discussing the P-61. Key in P-61 in "search" in the upper right hand corner.
Welcome to the Forum.

 

[Snautzer01]

eBay: Northrop P-61 Black Widow

P-61 Black Widow (serial number 42-5558 ) of the 422nd Night Fighter Squadron taxies along the runway at Podington, July, 1944. FRE 7469 | American Air Museum in Britain

ww2aircraft.net