P-61 Black Widow night fighter.
	STRUCTURE: While there were only two night fighter squadrons deployed in the European theater the vastness of the Pacific theater required many more. There were eight such squadrons spred throughout the Pacific. In addition many of the squadrons deployed detachments all over the forward combat areas. Their primary responsibility was to protect airbases and aircraft from night raiding Japanese bombers. The Fifth and Seventh Air Forces had three squadrons each while the Thirteenth had two. The Thirteenth's squadrons were the 419th and the 550th NFS. At times detachments of the 6th NFS also flew with the 13th.
	"Nightie Mission" a P-61 of the 6th NFS showing the radar dome in the nose.
	BEGINNINGS: The first night fighter group to reach the Pacific theater was Det. "B" of the 6th NFS (Seventh AAF) at Guadalcanal in February 1943. They flew P-70s, converted A-20 "Havoc" bombers. Their shortcomings were rapidly apparent as they were unable to reach the altitude that the "Betty" bombers flew at and thus were virtually useless. P-38s and P-40s were tried out but left much to be desired. This situation persisted for more than a year. The first P-61s finally arrived May 1, 1944 and were assigned to the Det. "B" of the 6th NFS. Two days later the 419th received their P-61s. After training and practicing for several weeks the 6th had it's first success on June 20th and the 419th followed on August 5th.
	EQUIPMENT: The planes flown by the night fighters were equipped with SRC-717-B search and navigation radar, SCR-729 IFF (Identification, Friend or Foe) and an AN/ARN-1 radio altimeter. The nose contained the antenna for the SC-717-B radar. They were guided initially by GIC (Ground Interception Control) until within range of the enemy plane where their on-board radar could pick him up. They then honed in on the enemy plane until in firing position and blasted it from the sky. Initially each P-61 was armed with an upper fixed, forward firing, top turret that contained four .50 cal. machine guns and a dorsal fairing (underneath the plane) containing four 20 mm cannons. There were problems created by the upper turret. Aerodynamically they created turbulence and, when fired at night in total darkness, the muzzle flashes directly over the pilots head temporarily blinded him. The top turret was subsequently removed from later production models. The P-61 was a large airplane weighing 4 times what a P-51 weighed. To handle that weight they were equipped with two Pratt & Whitney R-2800 engines that developed 2000 horsepower each. Not only did this give it the power it needed but also gave it a range of 1000 miles. Despite the size and weight, the P-61 was as nimble a fighter as there was at the time although it took a lot of convincing for the first combat unit pilots to accept it's capabilities. Their initial concern was how such a heavy fighter would handle with one engine damaged. These fears were dispelled when a civilian test pilot came to the base and took pilots up and showed them what it could do. For additional information on this please read "P-61 Black Widow Units Of World War 2"
	STATIONS: A list of all the Field and Headquarter stations can be found here.
	HISTORY HIGHLIGHTS: While the primary responsibilty of the night fighters was to protect allied airfields from night attacks by the enemy, as the war progressed there was less and less protecting to do. Their success had stunted the enemies ability to sustain night bombing and raiding attacks. As a result a new use was found to utilize the unique capabilities of the night fighters. Due to the success of allied daylight attacks on enemy installations they were forced to conduct their own operations at night. The plan was to arm the P-61s with ordnance (bombs, napalm, rockets) and use them in an offensive rather than a strictly defensive role. The same radar vectoring system that guided them to the attacking enemy planes could also guide them to the enemies bases and airfields. This dual capability made the P-61 truly unique. Defensively it was a fast nimble attack fighter; Offensively it was a deadly attack bomber.
	NFS Air Victories. 6th NFS: 16*419th NFS: 5550th NFS: 0 * I include all of the 6th as I have no record of air victories by individual elements. Click here to read about the restoration to flying condition of a P-61.

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