Northrop

Northrop P-61 Black Widow

Fighter

  • First flight1942
  • Introduction1944
  • StatusRetired
  • Number built742
Technical data

Specifications

01

Crew & dimensions

Crew
2–3 (pilot, radar operator, optional gunner)
Length
49 ft 7 in
Wingspan
66 ft
Height
14 ft 8 in
02

Performance

Maximum speed
366 mph
Range
1,350 mi
Service ceiling
33,100 ft
03

Powerplant

Powerplant
2 × Pratt & Whitney R-2800-65W Double Wasp 18-cylinder air-cooled radial piston engines (2,250 hp)
04

16× 2,000 lb (910 kg) class bombs (Mk-84, GBU-31) mounted on Rotary Launcher Assembly (RLA)

16× 2,000 lb (910 kg) class bombs (Mk-84, GBU-31) mounted on Rotary Launcher Assembly (RLA)
Guns: 4 × 20 mm (.79 in) Hispano AN/M2 cannon in ventral fuselage, 200 rounds per gun, 4 ×.50 in (12.7 mm) M2 Browning machine guns in remotely operated, full-traverse upper turret, 560 rpg; Bombs: for ground attack, four bombs of up to 1,600 lb (726 kg) each or six 5-in (127 mm) HVAR unguided rockets could be carried under the wings. Some aircraft could also carry one 1,000 lb (454 kg) bomb under the fuselage.

Engines 1

R-2800 1937 R-2800 Piston engines Pratt & Whitney R-2800 Double Wasp One of the most important American aircraft engines of the Second World War. Pratt & Whitney · United States→