**** DONE: 1/48 P-61A – Heavy Hitters II GB

[ozhawk40]

Username: Ozhawk40
First name: Peter
Category: Intermediate
Scale: 1:48
Manufacturer: Great Wall Hobby
Model Type: Northrop P-61A 'Black Widow' S.No. 42-5547
Details: 422nd Night Fighter Squadron, Florennes, Belgium
Aircraft Assignment: Pilot: 1st Lt. Herman Ernst and Radar Operator: 2Lt Edward Kopsel
Accessories: Vector Props
Decals: Eagle Editions EagleCals
​

Okay I'll have a go at this GB. But go easy, I'm rusty as heck. I'm still waiting on the postie to bring the decals, but I will get a start soon with some of the basic assemblies. This build will be straight from the box apart from the props and decals. The Great Wall Hobby P-61 comes more or less fully equipped anyway, with lots of details to add, including photo etch, not much else is necessary.

 

[rochie]

nice one Peter

 

[Wurger]

 

[Crimea_River]

Should be good. Looking forward to your fine work Peter.

 

[fubar57]

I really like this aircraft. Most of the photos I've seen show that the aircraft didn't take kindly to the elements. If you want some really clear photos of the crew positions, I could send you some. Without the turret, was the gunner included on missions? In the meantime, your aircraft in the background.....

Geo

 

[A4K]

Nice choice Peter, and good to see ya round!

 

[Airframes]

Great choice Peter. Looking forward to seeing how this kit works out. Not sure about the 'yellow' nose - but there might be evidence to show this. The OD aircraft often had the radar nose cowl left in plain glass fibre, which could look like a pale greyish yellow, similar to yellow zinc chromate, or a light grey.

 

[Catch22]

Cool! I really like this plane, looking forward to your progress on this kit.

 

[destrozas]

I love this plane and even more from this brand mount the very long time ago and I'm the one pending monogram save enough money to make this model with some improvements I wanted to have for GB which is scheduled for night fighters, so I jump the doubt, the p-61 was not a night fighter?.
as I have understood was the first American aircraft designed exclusively for night hunting, maybe this wrong.

 

[ozhawk40]

I love this plane and even more from this brand mount the very long time ago and I'm the one pending monogram save enough money to make this model with some improvements I wanted to have for GB which is scheduled for night fighters, so I jump the doubt, the p-61 was not a night fighter?.
as I have understood was the first American aircraft designed exclusively for night hunting, maybe this wrong.

Hi Sergio

Yes, mostly the 61 was used for it's designed task, night fighter. The 425th and 422nd NFS were also used for night interdiction against ground targets, particularly "loco-busting" and road transport. The 425th NFS experimented with HVAR rockets mounted on the wings for extra punch, the 422nd NFS used their cannon armed 61's to good effect. The "Lady Gen' flown by the 422nd's CO for example had five loco "kills". I think the 61 qualifies has a "Heavy Hitter" 8)

Cheers

Peter

 

[ozhawk40]

I really like this aircraft. Most of the photos I've seen show that the aircraft didn't take kindly to the elements. If you want some really clear photos of the crew positions, I could send you some. Without the turret, was the gunner included on missions? In the meantime, your aircraft in the background.....

View attachment 236290

Geo

Thanks Geo

I have a couple of books on p-61's so I'm okay for reference material. The gunner was not included with the removal of the turret. The 422nd trained with 3 crew in the USA (gunner included). When they received their shipment of new P-61's in England these later 61's had the turret deleted. The gunners were transferred to another squadron flying a-20's if I recall. "Borrowed time went through several changes in paint work over it's operational life of six months. In the pic you posted you can see it still has the unpainted nose cone that Terry refers too. I understand it was later painted with a yellow nose and 'shark's teeth'. I need to decide which way I go, but I'm leaning towards the shark mouth version.

P.S. Good work with the Ventura Geo!

Cheers

Peter

 

[Wayne Little]

Good to see you back in Peter, and a great choice too!

 

[meatloaf109]

Interesting choice!

 

[destrozas]

if indeed it was not just hunting noctuno rolles had enough attacking trains and German radar stations, like most Allied fighters return after the mission had what they called free hunting and hunting was simply that everything seen in the air or on land.
I comment to strike up a conversation didactica the plane is more even in the AB versions as far as I know in the wing anchors were placed 500 LB bombs, napalm or chemical or fuel tanks.

 

[T Bolt]

Looking forward to this one Peter

 

[hub]

nice choice Peter
Not sure if you have this one or not
cheers
Mike

 

[ozhawk40]

Thanks Mike

I had the first two, but not the last pic. The score board seems to have changed a bit from other photos I have, but on this one, you can see a pic of a V1, the first kill claimed by the P-61 in Europe.

Here's the action in the words of 1st Lt Herman Ernst

"Our Squadron's first operations involved chasing buzz bombs off the coast. At the time we were flying out of Ford aerodrome on the south coast near Brighton. I spotted a V1 approaching from France and gave chase. My airspeed was very high as I closed on it. Suddenly, there was a loud bang and my aircraft became hard to handle. I thought I was being shot down on my very first mission! I aborted the interception and returned to base. After safely landing and pulling into our parking slot, I found that the tail cone, right behind the my radar observer, had disintegrated. This had caused the buffeting and loud wind noise. We replaced it with a flat piece of Plexiglas, and that worked until we received new tail cones from Northrop. The next night we were up again, hoping to catch a V1, and the mission went much better than the previous one. We spotted one of the buzz bombs coming in below us, I turned sharply and went into a steep dive. That closed the gap quickly. When the range closed to within 20mm cannon range, I fired a long burst and the V1 exploded in a huge fireball. I believe that this was the first aerial kill scored by the P-61 in the European Theatre." ​

Also, here's a photo of Herman Ernst (pilot) and 1st Lt Edward Kopsel taken from Osprey Aircraft of the Aces 84 - American Nightfighter Aces of World War 2.

 

[A4K]

Great info guys!

 

[Wurger]

Nice stuff here.

 

[Wayne Little]

Agreed!