The Northrop F-15 Reporter In Service

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Airmodel of Germany created, back in (IIRC) the late 70's, a 1/72 scale vac-form central fuselage, to allow one to convert the then-current Airfix P-61 (rivet-monster, yuck!) to an F-15. Such a choice would also mean having to construct the turbocharger housings. Lately, Hobby-Boss has released a decent P-61C, so some of the conversion work has already been done.
I have been trying to get enough info lined up to make one or the other of the two XP-61E aircraft. The first, surviving airframe of the the XP-61Es was later converted into the first XF-15. Schiffer has published a wonderful history of the P-61,(Northrop P-61 Black Widow: The Complete History and Combat Record - $29.99 : Schiffer Publishing ) if anyone is interested in finding out in more detail...
 
The water/borate bomber take-off incident went on to inspire many stories. The best of which, IMHO, was that the pilot's response in the FAA/NTSB accident report was one of the shortest ever recorded. The reports "require" endless details as to the circumstances leading up to, including, and after whatever incident is being chronicled. This short response was "Aircraft failed to become airborne." Became legendary in the pilot vs. bureaucracy fights. In reality, the aircraft was trying to take off too heavy, in hot/high conditions, from too short a runway.
 
I have a long term plan to convert a Monogram 1/48 P-61 to a XP-61E, the version without the turbos. I'll have to carve a suitable mold and then form a canopy.

Too bad we got rid of all of the P-61A and B's. I think it would have been perfect for Korea, both for nightfighting and interdiction.

Note that the USAAF officially described the P-61 as its "most maneuverable WWII fighter" so if those big beasts had ever escorted B-29's over Japan the interceptors might have gotten some surprises.


 
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Your photo above shows the first of the two airframes that were converted to XP-61E standard. The 0.50 cal Brownings in the nose were configured differently between the first and second prototypes. The first had a "box" arrangement, while the second had a nearly flat, horizontal spread. There were several other detail differences, including the canopy, instruments/radios, and so on. The second did not last long, being wrecked on take-off on an early test flight by a hot-shot USAAF pilot, who apparently ignored a lot of the preflight briefing, as he "knew better"...

This airframe in your photo was the one that became the first XF-15. The operational F-15A versions were all based on the turbo-charged P-61C airframe.
 
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