Subject: Number Sixty-One in the Series--Northrop P-61 Black Widow (5 of 10)

From: [email-masked]
Date: 18 Mar 93 00:57:04 GMT

>From [email-masked]

As early as the summer of 1942, the US Navy had exhibited an interest 
in the P-61 Black Widow.  They needed a night fighter which could 
operate from land bases at far-flung locations throughout the Pacific.  
However, the USAAF had the priority on deliveries of Black Widows, and 
the Navy would have to wait until mid-1944 until their request was 
finally honored.  At that time, the Navy was finally given the 
go-ahead to acquire its own Black Widows.  The naval P-61s were to be 
issued to Marine Corps night-fighter units then operating a mixed bag 
of Lockheed PV-1 Venturas, Vought F4U Corsairs, and Grumman F6F 
Hellcats.  

However, on July 10, 1944, the Navy changed its mind and decided to 
opt instead for the Grumman F7F Tigercat as its primary night fighter.  
The Navy cancelled its request for Black Widows.  Nevertheless, the 
Navy did acquire a dozen ex-USAAF P-61B-10s, 15s and 20s for use as 
crew trainers until their Tigercats could be made available in 
quantity.  The naval Black Widows were given the naval designation 
F2T-1 and were assigned the Bureau of Aeronautics serial numbers 52750 
through 52761.  However, the F2T-1s did not enter service with the 
Navy until September of 1945, by which time the war in the Pacific was 
over.  

The naval F2T-1s served with shore-based training units for only a 
brief time, and the survivors were eventually transferred to support 
units.  The last two F2T-1s were stricken off Navy rolls in August of 
1947.  

Sources:

  Northrop P-61 Black Widow--The Complete History and Combat Record, 
  Garry R. Pape, John M. Campbell and Donna Campbell, Motorbooks 
  International, 1991.  

  The American Fighter, Enzo Angelucci and Peter Bowers, Orion, 1987.  

Joe Baugher       AT&T Bell Laboratories    2000 North Naperville Road 
		  Naperville, Illinois 60566-7033.   (708) 713-4548