Northrop P-61 Black Widow - Specifications (P-61B-20-NO)

Specifications (P-61B-20-NO)

Data from Jane’s Fighting Aircraft of World War II, and Northrop P-61 Black Widow.

General characteristics

  • Crew: 2–3 (pilot, radar operator, optional gunner)
  • Length: 49 ft 7 in (15.11 m)
  • Wingspan: 66 ft 0 in (20.12 m)
  • Height: 14 ft 8 in (4.47 m)
  • Wing area: 662.36 ft² (61.53 m²)
  • Empty weight: 23,450 lb (10,637 kg)
  • Loaded weight: 29,700 lb (13,471 kg)
  • Max. takeoff weight: 36,200 lb (16,420 kg)
  • Powerplant: 2 × Pratt & Whitney R-2800-65W Double Wasp radial engines, 2,250 hp (1,680 kW) each
  • Propellers: four-bladed Curtis Electric propeller, 1 per engine
    • Propeller diameter: 146 in (3.72 m)
  • Fuel capacity:
    • Internal: 640 gal (2,423 L) of AN-F-48 100/130-octane rating gasoline
    • External: Up to four 165 gal (625 L) or 310 gal (1,173 L) tanks under the wings

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 366 mph (318 kn, 589 km/h) at 20,000 ft (6,095 m)
  • Combat range: 610 mi (520 nmi, 982 km)
  • Ferry range: 1,900 mi (1,650 nmi, 3,060 km) with four external fuel tanks
  • Service ceiling: 33,100 ft (10,600 m)
  • Rate of climb: 2,540 ft/min (12.9 m/s)
  • Wing loading: 45 lb/ft² (219 kg/m²)
  • Power/mass: 0.15 hp/lb (250 W/kg)
  • Time to altitude: 12 min to 20,000 ft (6,100 m) (1,667 fpm)

Armament

  • Guns:
    • 4 × 20 mm (.79 in) Hispano M2 cannon in ventral fuselage, 200 rpg
    • 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.

Avionics

  • SCR-720 (AI Mk.X) search radar
  • SCR-695 tail warning radar

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