United States
Northrop P-61 "Black Widow" Night Fighter
A.A.F. Serial Number: P-61B-1-NO 42-39434 (not confirmed)
Manufacturer: Northrop Corporation, Hawthorne, California
P-61 "Black Widow" nose section, Aircraft 27, above photo.
The nose section of the P-61 is made of fiberglass for the SCR-720A Radar set. On the starboard side of this P-61 radome, are
the traces of the number "27". These numbers remain present due to sun erosion of the original white numbers over the black
paint.
This Radome was recovered on Oahu, Hawaii in 1995. Some of original black paint and red stenciling remain on the outside of
the Radome. Unfortunately, the radome is slightly cracked due to 50+ years of exposure. It may have been from one of the
P-61 "Black Widow" aircraft, shown in the below photos, assigned to the 6th Night Fighter Squadron: assigned to Kipapa
Gulch Army Airfield, Territory Hawaii, October 28th 1944 and later Wheeler Army Air Field, Territory Hawaii, October 2nd 1945
or the 549th Night Fighter Squadron: assigned to Kipapa Gulch Army Air Field, Territory Hawaii, October 20th 1944 to
February 15th 1945.
A phenolic nomenclature plate was found on the access door of this radome. It is marked: MODEL NO. P-61B, CONTRACT
NO. A 21061, SERIAL N434, 517419 (Northrop P-61 part number), with Northrop inspection stamp N (over) 165.
P-61B Contract Number AC-21061-2 included aircraft serial number 42-39338 through 42-39757. It is believed that the Serial
Number on this nomenclature plate with number 434, under Contract AC-21061-2, is for P-61B-1-NO 42-39434, Construction
Number 953, which was condemned and salvaged due to an accident, January 26th 1945.
P-61 "Black Widow" gunners canopy, left photo.
The P-61 had two canopies: one for the pilot and one for the
gunner. This canopy was recovered from a scrap yard in
Ewa, Hawaii U.S.A. after WWII.
This canopy was obtained and traded by QuestMasters
Museum to the Mid-Atlantic Air Museum, Reading
Pennsylvania, for the restoration of their P-61 in 1996.
P-61 "Black Widow" engine propeller assembly for the R-2800
engine, left photo. This assembly retains almost all of its
original paint and stenciling. The propeller cuff is marked:
DWG NO. 714-702-12
SERIAL NO. 226156
ANGLE LOW 28.0
ANGLE HIGH 58.0
ANGLE FEATHER 89.5
AT-42 IN.STA
This propeller assembly was not recovered by QuestMasters.
P-61B-2-NO 42-39408 "Black Widow" "Lady in the Dark", left
photo.
This is one of the most famous pieces of Pacific P-61 Nose
Art.
On the night of August 14th 1945, a P-61B "Lady in the Dark"
of the 548th Night Fight Squadron was unofficially credited
with the last Allied air victory before VJ Day.
Air Corps Photo 75056, April 1945, Oahu Hawaii, above photo.
This photo is archived at the National Archives, College Park, Maryland, 342-FH-3A41110-75056AC. The photo was submitted  
April 1945, by Quentin R. Porter during Pacific Press Tour, Wheeler Army Air Force Base, Territory Hawaii.
In this photo are B-24 "Liberator" and B-25 "Mitchell" Bombers, and five P-61 "Black Widow" Night Fighters.
Three of these P-61's have the numbers 17, 28 and 32 painted on their nose radome, similar to the number 27 in the
QuestMasters Museum collection.
The two P-61s in the center of the photo do not have numbers painted on their nose radome. The P-61 in the center of the
photo is P-61B-1-NO 42-39491, and the bottom center P-61 is P-61B-2-NO 42-39456, which was sent to reclamation, Misawa
AB, Japan, June 6th 1949.
Kipapa Army Air Field, 1945, Oahu Hawaii, above photo.
Shown here are P-61 "Black Widow" night fighters and a P-47 "Thunderbolt" fighter at Kipapa Army Air Field, Oahu, United
States Territory of Hawaii, 1945. The P-61 in the far right of the photo has 29 painted on the Radome.
Kipapa Army Air Field, 1945, Oahu Hawaii, above photo.
Shown here are P-61 "Black Widow" night fighters at Kipapa Army Air Field, Oahu, United States Territory of Hawaii, 1945. The
P-61 in the foreground of the photo has 29 painted on the Radome.
Air Corps Photo 75056, April 1945, Oahu Hawaii, above photo.
This photo is archived at the National Archives, College Park, Maryland, 342-FH-3A41111-A75056AC. The photo was submitted  
April 1945, by Quentin R. Porter during Pacific Press Tour, Wheeler Army Air Force Base, Territory Hawaii.
In this photo are B-24 "Liberator" and B-25 "Mitchell" Bombers, and five P-61 "Black Widow" Night Fighters.
Three of these P-61's have the numbers 17, 28 and 32 painted on their nose radome, similar to the number 27 in the
QuestMasters Museum collection.
The two P-61s in the center of the photo do not have numbers painted on their nose radome. The P-61 in the center of the
photo is P-61B-1-NO 42-39491, and the bottom center P-61 is P-61B-2-NO 42-39456, which was sent to reclamation, Misawa
AB, Japan, June 6th 1949.
The Northrop P-61 "Black Widow" was the first operational U.S. warplane designed as a night fighter, and the first aircraft
designed to use radar. The P-61 had a crew of three: pilot, gunner, and radar operator. The aircraft was armed with four
20mm Hispano AN-M2 forward-firing cannons mounted in the lower fuselage, and four .50 caliber AN-M2 Browning machine
guns mounted in a remote-controlled dorsal (top) gun turret.
The first test flight was made on May 26th 1942, with the first production aircraft rolling off the assembly line in October
1943. Production ceased at the end of WWII. The last aircraft was retired from government service in 1954.

The "Black Widow" was effectively operated as a night-fighter by United States Army Air Forces squadrons in the European
Theater, Pacific Theater, China Burma India Theater, and Mediterranean Theater during World War II. A total of 706 aircraft
were produced during WWII, with only four complete aircraft remaining in museums, plus the P-61 nose radome (radar
dome), shown below, in the QuestMasters Museum collection.
P-61 "Black Widow" production and contract numbers:
XP-61 - 2; YP-61 - 13; P-61-1,5 - 80; P-61A-10 - 120; P-61B - 450; P-61C - 41; XP-61D (1); XP-61E (1); XP-61F (1)
YP-61 41-18876 to 41-18888, Contract Number AC-18086, $649,584 per aircraft
P-61A 42-5485 to 42-5634, Contract Number AC-21061, $222,535 per aircraft
P-61A 42-39348 to 39397, Contract Number DA-AC-1044, $200,165 per aircraft
P-61B 42-39338 to 42-39757, Contract Number AC-21061-2, $276,134 per aircraft
P-61B 43-8231 to 43-8320, Contract Number AC-29319, $178,777 per aircraft
P-61C 43-8321 to 43-8437, Contract Number AC-29319, $178,777 per aircraft
P-61C 45-1 to 45-400, Contract Number AC-29319-24&33, $199,598 per aircraft

Surviving P-61 "Black Widow" Night Fighter Aircraft:
P-61B-1NO 42-39445, Craft Number 964, is under restoration to flying status by the Mid-Atlantic Air Museum in Reading,
Pennsylvania.
P-61B-15NO 42-39715, Craft Number 1234, is on static display inside the Beijing Air and Space Museum) at Beihang
University in Beijing, China.
P-61C-1NO 43-8330, Craft Number 1376, is on display at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center of the National Air and Space
Museum in Chantilly, Virginia.
P-61C-1NO 43-8353, Craft Number 1399, is currently on display at the National Museum of the United States Air Force at
Wright-Patterson AFB in Dayton, Ohio.
P-61B-1-NO 42-39434 (pending confirmation), Nose Radome, Aircraft 27, QuestMasters Museum.

Information compiled by QuestMasters Museum between: U.S. Army Aircraft, 1908-1946, by Fahey; Technical Order No 00-25-30, August 1st 1945, Unit Costs of Aircraft and
Engines.
Northrop P-61 "Black Widow" Serial Number List:
YP-61 41-18876 to 41-18888, Contract Number AC-18086, $649,584 per aircraft
P-61A 42-5485 to 42-5634, Contract Number AC-21061, $222,535 per aircraft
P-61A 42-39348 to 39397, Contract Number DA-AC-1044, $200,165 per aircraft
42-5485/5529         Northrop P-61A-1-NO Black Widow
42-5530/5564         Northrop P-61A-5-NO Black Widow
                   5559 was modified as XP-61D
42-5565/5604         Northrop P-61A-10-NO Black Widow
                   5587 was modified as XP-61D
42-5605/5606         Northrop P-61A-11-NO Black Widow
42-5607         Northrop P-61A-10-NO Black Widow
42-5608/5614          Northrop P-61A-11-NO Black Widow
42-5615/5634         Northrop P-61A-10-NO Black Widow
42-39348/39374        Northrop P-61A-10-NO Black Widow
42-39375/39384         Northrop P-61A-11-NO Black Widow
42-39385/39386         Northrop P-61A-10-NO Black Widow
42-39387         Northrop P-61A-11-NO Black Widow
42-39388/39397         Northrop P-61A-10-NO Black Widow
P-61B 42-39338 to 42-39757, Contract Number AC-21061-2, $276,134 per aircraft
P-61B 43-8231 to 43-8320, Contract Number AC-29319, $178,777 per aircraft
42-39398/39401         Northrop P-61B-1-NO Black Widow
42-39402         Northrop P-61B-2-NO Black Widow
42-39403/39405         Northrop P-61B-1-NO Black Widow
42-39406         Northrop P-61B-2-NO Black Widow
42-39407         Northrop P-61B-1-NO Black Widow
42-39408         Northrop P-61B-2-NO Black Widow
42-39409/39411         Northrop P-61B-1-NO Black Widow
42-39412/39414         Northrop P-61B-2-NO Black Widow
42-39415/39417         Northrop P-61B-1-NO Black Widow
42-39418         Northrop P-61B-2-NO Black Widow
42-39419/39423         Northrop P-61B-1-NO Black Widow
42-39424         Northrop P-61B-2-NO Black Widow
42-39425         Northrop P-61B-1-NO Black Widow
42-39426         Northrop P-61B-2-NO Black Widow
42-39427         Northrop P-61B-1-NO Black Widow
42-39428         Northrop P-61B-2-NO Black Widow
42-39429         Northrop P-61B-1-NO Black Widow
42-39430         Northrop P-61B-2-NO Black Widow
42-39431         Northrop P-61B-1-NO Black Widow
42-39432         Northrop P-61B-2-NO Black Widow
42-39433/39451         Northrop P-61B-1-NO Black Widow
42-39452/39456         Northrop P-61B-2-NO Black Widow
42-39457/39460         Northrop P-61B-1-NO Black Widow
42-39461/39462         Northrop P-61B-2-NO Black Widow
42-39463/39465         Northrop P-61B-1-NO Black Widow
42-39466         Northrop P-61B-2-NO Black Widow
42-39467/39470         Northrop P-61B-1-NO Black Widow
42-39471/39473         Northrop P-61B-2-NO Black Widow
42-39474         Northrop P-61B-1-NO Black Widow
42-39475         Northrop P-61B-2-NO Black Widow
42-39476/39477         Northrop P-61B-1-NO Black Widow
42-39478/39480         Northrop P-61B-2-NO Black Widow
42-39481/39482         Northrop P-61B-1-NO Black Widow
42-39483/39490         Northrop P-61B-2-NO Black Widow
42-39491         Northrop P-61B-1-NO Black Widow
42-39492/39493         Northrop P-61B-2-NO Black Widow
42-39494         Northrop P-61B-1-NO Black Widow
42-39495         Northrop P-61B-2-NO Black Widow
42-39496/39497         Northrop P-61B-1-NO Black Widow
42-39498/39500         Northrop P-61B-5-NO Black Widow
42-39501/39547         Northrop P-61B-6-NO Black Widow
42-39548/39572         Northrop P-61B-10-NO Black Widow
                   39549 and 39557 converted to XP-61E
42-39573/39611         Northrop P-61B-15-NO Black Widow
42-39612         Northrop P-61B-10-NO Black Widow
42-39613         Northrop P-61B-25-NO Black Widow
42-39614         Northrop P-61B-15-NO Black Widow
42-39615         Northrop P-61B-10-NO Black Widow
42-39616         Northrop P-61B-15-NO Black Widow
42-39617         Northrop P-61B-10-NO Black Widow
42-39618         Northrop P-61B-15-NO Black Widow
42-39619         Northrop P-61B-10-NO Black Widow
42-39620         Northrop P-61B-16-NO Black Widow
42-39621         Northrop P-61B-11-NO Black Widow
42-39622         Northrop P-61B-16-NO Black Widow
42-39623         Northrop P-61B-11-NO Black Widow
42-39624         Northrop P-61B-16-NO Black Widow
42-39625         Northrop P-61B-11-NO Black Widow
42-39626         Northrop P-61B-16-NO Black Widow
42-39627         Northrop P-61B-11-NO Black Widow
42-39628         Northrop P-61B-16-NO Black Widow
42-39629         Northrop P-61B-11-NO Black Widow
42-39630         Northrop P-61B-16-NO Black Widow
42-39631/39633         Northrop P-61B-15-NO Black Widow
42-39634/39636         Northrop P-61B-10-NO Black Widow
42-39637/39639         Northrop P-61B-15-NO Black Widow
42-39640/39641         Northrop P-61B-10-NO Black Widow
42-39642         Northrop P-61B-15-NO Black Widow
42-39643         Northrop P-61B-10-NO Black Widow
42-39644         Northrop P-61B-15-NO Black Widow
42-39645         Northrop P-61B-10-NO Black Widow
42-39646         Northrop P-61B-15-NO Black Widow
42-39647         Northrop P-61B-10-NO Black Widow
42-39648/39649         Northrop P-61B-15-NO Black Widow
42-39650         Northrop P-61B-10-NO Black Widow
42-39651        Northrop P-61B-15-NO Black Widow
42-39652         Northrop P-61B-10-NO Black Widow
42-39653         Northrop P-61B-15-NO Black Widow
42-39654         Northrop P-61B-10-NO Black Widow
42-39655         Northrop P-61B-15-NO Black Widow
42-39656         Northrop P-61B-10-NO Black Widow
42-39657         Northrop P-61B-15-NO Black Widow
42-39658         Northrop P-61B-10-NO Black Widow
42-39659/39661         Northrop P-61B-15-NO Black Widow
42-39662         Northrop P-61B-10-NO Black Widow
42-39663/39665         Northrop P-61B-15-NO Black Widow
42-39666/39667         Northrop P-61B-10-NO Black Widow
42-39668/39757         Northrop P-61B-15-NO Black Widow
43-8231/8236         Northrop P-61B-25-NO Black Widow
43-8237/8320         Northrop P-61B-20-NO Black Widow
P-61C 43-8321 to 43-8437, Contract Number AC-29319, $178,777 per aircraft
P-61C 45-1 to 45-400, Contract Number AC-29319-24&33, $199,598 per aircraft
43-8321/8361         Northrop P-61C-1-NO Black Widow
                   Modification of 8338 as XP-61F canceled.  
43-8362/8437         Northrop P-61C Black Widow - contract canceled
45-001/400         Northrop P-61C Black Widow - contract canceled

Information compiled by QuestMasters Museum between: U.S. Army Aircraft, 1908-1946, by Fahey; Technical Order No 00-25-30, August 1st 1945, Unit Costs of Aircraft and
Engines; and Joe Baugher Military Aviation.
P-61 "BLACK WIDOW" NIGHT FIGHTER, ON OAHU HAWAII, DURING WWII:
Individual Aircraft Record Card, P-61B 42-39434, above photo.
This record card shows the history of P-61B 42-39434, obtained from the Air Force Historical Research Agency (AFHRA),
Maxwell AFB, Alabama.
This aircraft was delivered and transferred to the Pacific Theater on November 9th 1944. The last entry shows LEFT (code for
Brisbane, Australia) CON (condemned) ACC (accident) 12645 (January 26th 1945). The card does not show any other
information for what happened to this aircraft, or the location of the accident. This P-61 may have been repaired or used for
parts to repair other aircraft.
Unfortunately, this record card does not have enough information to 100% identify the P-61 nose RADOME, shown above.
Pacific Campaign accident cards were not retained after WWII, so additional information is not currently available.

The last line on this card was entered as an error. This information is for P-61B 43-39435, which is why it has a line drawn
through it.