P-61C?

[syscom3]

Wildcat, Morotai was one of the staging points for the invasion of Borneo .

 

[Wurger]

the first phoot is of the P-61 over the states before it's transfer into a combat unit and the Pacific.

I've thought in the same way like you have Erich.Simply it was my first idea.But it is a bit strange especially if you look at its camo.The plane at the picture looks like being used for quite long time.Unless the olive drab paint was really poor quality.Looking at the P-61A no.313 we can see that the rain,heat,blowing sand and dust in the Pacific caused extrime weathering on aircrafts.
The Northrop had started producing the A-1 version in October of 1943 before flight tests of YP-61 were ended and the problem with the dorsal turret was revealed.Therefore,only 38 a/c of the first mounted P-61A-1s were equipped with the turret.Their serials were from 42-5485 to 42-5522.
So if it is true it means that the photo posted by Plan_D could be taken shortly before the P-61 was sent to the unit, in the period between October 1943 and May 1944 when the 419th NFS got them.It seems that the 419th squadron used P-61s with serials from the end of the series so it is possible that the pic could be taken at the beginning of 1944.

 

[Erich]

well the pic is over the states I can assure you there. I was a former assoc. member of the US night fighters assoc. before it's collaspse some years ago in October. Knew several noted pilots of the PTO during my friendship and have several microfische from ETO units which are quite enlightening.
PTO widows were commonly painted in the drab paint compared to the ETO black--gloss pattern for the dark nights above the Reich

 

[Wurger]

Hi !!!
Yes Erich, I entirely agree with you.I've only tried to define much more precisely when the pic could be taken because of the Plan_D's question.

regards

 

[Simple]

I built a flying model of this plane and throughout the build I did research.

Some how I missed this - and this is the first site that gave many any real detail on the plane and where it saw service.

Thanks for the great stuff!! I am posting a video the plane below - it is also available on Youtube.com if any of you come back to this site and look.

If the links do not work just go to Youtube.com and search for P61.


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gxVvd4GVZ_k

<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/gxVvd4GVZ_k&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/gxVvd4GVZ_k&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

 

[Wurger]

THX Simple.Nice model of Black Widow.

 

[Night Fighter Nut]

Just going over old threads out of pure curiosity. Here is my two cents worth... the P-61 C had supercharged engines. You could spot one easily because of the scoops and intakes under each engine.

 

[herman1rg]

That picture is currently being used on the Wikipedia entry for the P-61