Difference between pages "MiG-17AS" and "P-61C-1"

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{{Specs-Card
 
{{Specs-Card
−
|code=mig-17_cuba
+
|code=p-61c_1
−
|store=7067
+
|cockpit=cockpit_p-61c_1.jpg
 
}}
 
}}
 
{{About
 
{{About
−
| about = Russian jet fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
+
| about = American twin-engine fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
−
| usage = other versions
+
| usage = the premium version
−
| link = MiG-17 (Family)
+
| link = P-61A-1
 
}}
 
}}
  
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<!-- ''In the description, the first part should be about the history of and the creation and combat usage of the aircraft, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the aircraft in the game. Insert a screenshot of the vehicle, so that if the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, he will immediately understand what kind of vehicle the article is talking about.'' -->
 
<!-- ''In the description, the first part should be about the history of and the creation and combat usage of the aircraft, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the aircraft in the game. Insert a screenshot of the vehicle, so that if the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, he will immediately understand what kind of vehicle the article is talking about.'' -->
 
[[File:GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
 
[[File:GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
−
{{Break}}
+
{{break}}
−
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a premium gift rank {{Specs|rank}} Soviet jet fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.91 "Night Vision"]].
+
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} American twin-engine fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.57 "Battle March"]].
 +
 
 +
The Northrop {{PAGENAME}} Black Widow is a heavy twin-engine strike fighter designed as the USAAF's first dedicated night-fighter and aircraft outfitted with radar. Though a large aircraft with a crew of three (pilot, turret gunner and radio/radar operator/gunner), the Black Widow utilised its speed, radar, and weapons advantages to dispatch enemy aircraft in the dead of night.
 +
 
 +
The {{PAGENAME}} is powered by dual Pratt & Whitney R-2800-73 double wasp engines, the same engines which powered the Republic P-47N Thunderbolt. The one difference between the Thunderbolt's -57C and the  -73s built explicitly for the P-61 was each had a General Electric CH-5-A3 turbocharger installed. The modified engines allowed the {{PAGENAME}} to fly at all altitudes effectively.  While outfitted with powerful engines, turning the aircraft causes loss of energy, and such manoeuvres should be limited as places the aircraft in vulnerable situations.
 +
[[File:P-61c-1 bomberpilot1784 001.png|400px|thumb|left|Three-quarter view of an '''{{PAGENAME}}''' in standard all-black night-fighter paint scheme.]]
 +
 
 +
One of the roles of the {{PAGENAME}} is to operate as a bomber interceptor. During these operations, if detected, the heavy fighter is likely to encounter defensive fire. To increase survivability and protection of the crew, the Black Widow utilizes various bulletproof glass and armour protective plates throughout the fighter.  The gunner who operates the remote turret has the option to utilise armour plates, which fold out of the way when not in use. The crew member sitting in the aft of the aircraft has the least amount of armour protection but is the least likely to be shot at unless being attacked from the rear.
 +
 
 +
The armament configuration of the {{PAGENAME}} is unique compared to most fighters which either utilise nose-mounted or wing-mounted guns. The Black Widow incorporates two weapon systems, the first consisting of four 20 mm AN/M2 autocannons mounted in the belly of the aircraft with a total of 800 rounds of ammunition (200 RPG). Convergence is not a factor when utilising these guns. The aircraft also incorporates a dorsal turret outfitted with four 50 calibre machine guns (2,120 rounds or 530 RPG), which can be remotely operated by the gunner or the radio/radar operator. The turret has 360-degree mobility and can fire at elevations up to 90-degrees. The turret cannot depress lower than horizontal or else it would risk firing into the wings, cockpit, tail booms or tail section. The dorsal turret is utilised for both offensive and defensive uses.
  
 
== General info ==
 
== General info ==
 
=== Flight performance ===
 
=== Flight performance ===
−
<!-- ''Describe how the aircraft behaves in the air. Speed, manoeuvrability, acceleration and allowable loads - these are the most important characteristics of the vehicle.'' -->
+
''Describe how the aircraft behaves in the air. Speed, manoeuvrability, acceleration and allowable loads - these are the most important characteristics of the vehicle.''
−
 
+
[[File:P-61c-1 argiegrit 002.jpg|450px|thumb|right|'''{{PAGENAME}}''' opening up with its four 20 mm autocannons.]]
−
The MiG-17AS is powered by the Klimov VK-1 jet engine, the same as the engine found on the [[MiG-17]]. This engine performs well at higher altitudes, and affords this vehicle much better high-altitude flight characteristics than its American counterpart, the [[F-86 (Family)|F-86]].  This also means that the MiG-17 performs much better in vertical manoeuvres than many other aircraft.  The engine also gives this vehicle very good energy retention and a high climb rate.  At high speeds (>900 kph), the aircraft experiences compression and loses roll and pitch authority.
+
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
−
 
+
|-
−
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
+
! colspan="11" | Characteristics
−
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
+
|-
−
! colspan="2" | Max Speed<br>(km/h at 2,000 m)
+
! colspan="11" | ''Stock''
−
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude<br>(metres)
+
|-
 +
! colspan="2" | Max Speed<br>(km/h at 7,100 m)
 +
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude<br>(meters)
 
! colspan="2" | Turn time<br>(seconds)
 
! colspan="2" | Turn time<br>(seconds)
−
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb<br>(metres/second)
+
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb<br>(meters/second)
−
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run<br>(metres)
+
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run<br>(meters)
 
|-
 
|-
 
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
 
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
 
|-
 
|-
−
! Stock
+
| 656 || 643 || {{Specs|ceiling}} || 26.3 || 27.5 || 12.2 || 12.2 || 457
−
| 1,097 || 1,061 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 22.2 || 23.2 || 41.2 || 39.1 || rowspan="2" | 475
+
|-
 +
! colspan="11" | ''Upgraded''
 +
|-
 +
! colspan="2" | Max Speed<br>(km/h at 7,100 m)
 +
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude<br>(meters)
 +
! colspan="2" | Turn time<br>(seconds)
 +
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb<br>(meters/second)
 +
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run<br>(meters)
 +
|-
 +
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
 
|-
 
|-
−
! Upgraded
+
| 732 || 692 || {{Specs|ceiling}} || 23.8 || 25.0 || 21.3 || 16 || 457
−
| 1,128 || 1,114 || 21.2 || 21.5 || 59.9 || 50.0
 
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
 +
 +
;Takeoff and landing speeds (critical for Simulator battles)- all speeds in kph
 +
 +
* AB: '''173''' RB/SB: '''163''' - VR (aircraft rotate speed) - The speed at which the aircraft's control stick can safely be pulled back for takeoff, causing liftoff without risk of a tailstrike on the runway.
 +
 +
* AB: '''126''' RB/SB: '''120''' - VS0 - Landing speed with full flaps (depending on the aircraft, this could be landing flaps or take-off flaps).
 +
 +
* AB: '''148''' RB/SB: '''145''' - VS1 - Landing speed ''without'' flaps (clean). Knowing this speed is useful when the flaps are damaged or missing to prevent spins or tail strikes upon landing.
  
 
==== Details ====
 
==== Details ====
−
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
+
[[File:P-61_airbrakes_and_spoilers_extended.jpg|500px|thumb|right|A view of the '''{{PAGENAME}}''' Black Widow's wing. Note the air brakes, "fences" are fully extended on the upper and lower surface of the wings. Also, note the long spoiler extended on the upper surface of the wing replaced ailerons due to increased efficiency at high speeds. The P-61 was the only aircraft in US inventory during WWII which utilised spoilers.]]
 +
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 
|-
 
|-
−
! colspan="6" | Features
+
! colspan="5" | Features
 
|-
 
|-
−
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear !! Drogue chute
+
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear
 
|-
 
|-
−
| X || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || X || X    <!-- ✓ -->
+
| ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || X    <!-- ✓ -->
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
  
−
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
+
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 
|-
 
|-
−
! colspan="7" | Limits
+
! colspan="5" | Limits
 
|-
 
|-
−
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
+
! rowspan="2" | Wing-break speed<br>(km/h)
−
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
+
! rowspan="2" | Gear limit<br>(km/h)
−
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
+
! rowspan="2" | Combat flaps<br>(km/h)
 
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
 
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
 
|-
 
|-
−
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
+
! + !! -
 
|-
 
|-
−
| {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || N/A || 650 || 450 || ~12 || ~5
+
| {{Specs|destruction|constructions}} || {{Specs|destruction|chassis}} || 340 || ~7 || ~3
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
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{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 
|-
 
|-
−
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
+
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities
 
|-
 
|-
−
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
+
! Ailerons<br>(km/h)
 +
! Rudder<br>(km/h)
 +
! Elevators<br>(km/h)
 +
! Radiator<br>(km/h)
 
|-
 
|-
−
| < 600 || < 700 || < 750 || N/A
+
| < 530 || < 420 || < 450 || > 337
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
  
−
==== Engine performance ====
 
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 
|-
 
|-
−
! colspan="3" | Engine
+
! colspan="3" | Compressor (RB/SB)
−
! colspan="4" | Aircraft mass
 
 
|-
 
|-
−
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
+
! colspan="3" | Setting 1
−
! colspan="2" | Empty mass || colspan="2" | Wing loading (full fuel)
 
 
|-
 
|-
−
| colspan="2" | Klimov VK-1 ||  1
+
! Optimal altitude
−
| colspan="2" | 3,868 kg || colspan="2" | 223 kg/m<sup>2</sup>
+
! 100% Engine power
 +
! WEP Engine power
 
|-
 
|-
−
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
+
| 8,000 m || 2,200 hp || 2,783 hp
−
! colspan="3" | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | Max Takeoff<br />Weight
 
−
|-
 
−
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
 
−
! 9m fuel || 20m fuel || 31m fuel
 
−
|-
 
−
| 892 kg || colspan="2" | Centrifugal-flow turbojet
 
−
| 4,209 kg || 4,625 kg || 5,041 kg || 5,485 kg
 
−
|-
 
−
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB / SB)|The maximum thrust produced by each engine, while mounted in the aircraft. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}}
 
−
! colspan="4" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (100%)
 
−
|-
 
−
! Condition || 100% || WEP
 
−
! 9m fuel || 20m fuel || 31m fuel || MTOW
 
−
|-
 
−
| ''Stationary'' || 2,450 kgf || N/A
 
−
| 0.58 || 0.53 || 0.49 || 0.45
 
−
|-
 
−
| ''Optimal'' || 2,450 kgf<br />(0 km/h) || N/A
 
−
| 0.58 || 0.53 || 0.49 || 0.45
 
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
  
 
=== Survivability and armour ===
 
=== Survivability and armour ===
−
''Examine the survivability of the aircraft. Note how vulnerable the structure is and how secure the pilot is, whether the fuel tanks are armoured, etc. Describe the armour, if there is any, and also mention the vulnerability of other critical aircraft systems.''
+
<!-- ''Examine the survivability of the aircraft. Note how vulnerable the structure is and how secure the pilot is, whether the fuel tanks are armoured, etc. Describe the armour, if there is any, and also mention the vulnerability of other critical aircraft systems.'' -->
 +
 
 +
* 12.7 mm Steel - Nose armour plating (behind radar unit)
 +
* 60 mm Bulletproof glass - Pilot and gunner armoured windscreens
 +
* 12.7 mm Steel - Gunner front armour (folds out of the way when not in use)
 +
* 12.7 mm Steel - Lower gun plate
 +
* 9.5 mm Steel - Gun turret ammo protection plates
 +
* 12.7 mm Steel - Turret protection plate
 +
 
 +
With such beefy engines on the {{PAGENAME}} it stood to reason that armour protection would be necessary to help protect the pilot and the gunner during a conflict against a potential bomber or attacker aircraft which may have defensive gunner positions. Since the main source of incoming bullets would most likely come towards the front of the {{PAGENAME}} from defensive positions, it was reasonable to protect both the pilot and the gunner position, while the radio/radar operator received most of their protection from the gun turret and radio/radar equipment as there is no protection provided from the rear plane of the aircraft.
 +
 
 +
The pilot is afforded protection through the bulletproof canopy windscreen which is 60 mm thick and a 12.7 mm steel plate located directly behind the radar unit in the nose. These two items will aid to protect the pilot in the event a bomber or attacker’s defensive gunners fire on an attacking {{PAGENAME}}, however, note that these protections will wain in their ability if the pilot of the Black Widow decides to take another aircraft head-on, especially if that aircraft is sporting 20 or 30 mm autocannons.
 +
 
 +
The {{PAGENAME}}’s gunner sits directly behind the pilot, however, his station is slightly elevated giving him an unobstructed view of the front and side of the aircraft, allowing him great visibility to be able to aim and fire the machine gun turret. Since the gunner station is elevated, the gunner is exposed to incoming fire which the pilot's protective plate and armoured windscreen will not cover. To remediate this there are two 12.7 mm steel plates which the gunner can swing in front of him for protection or out of the way when not in use.
 +
 
 +
The rest of the armour protection for this aircraft are several steel plates which protect the critical components and the ammunition of the turret. Since the turret is mechanical in operation (remotely by the gunner or radio/radar operator), it is important that critical components are protected to ensure continued usage, as when the remote components fail, the turret is useless. Protecting the ammunition storage is also important not only to have it available for usage, setting the ammunition on fire or off in the storage container could cause catastrophic results to the aircraft and crew in the event they start firing.
  
 
== Armaments ==
 
== Armaments ==
 
=== Offensive armament ===
 
=== Offensive armament ===
−
<!--''Describe the offensive armament of the aircraft, if any. Describe how effective the cannons and machine guns are in a battle, and also what belts or drums are better to use. If there is no offensive weaponry, delete this subsection.''-->
+
<!-- ''Describe the offensive armament of the aircraft, if any. Describe how effective the cannons and machine guns are in a battle, and also what belts or drums are better to use. If there is no offensive weaponry, delete this subsection.'' -->
−
{{main|N-37D (37 mm)|NR-23 (23 mm)}}
+
[[File:P-61_upperturret_cone_of_fire.jpg|350px|thumb|right|The cones of fire for the upper machine gun turret on the '''{{PAGENAME}}'''.]]
 +
{{main|AN/M2 (20 mm)}}
  
 
The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:
 
The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:
  
−
* 1 x 37 mm N-37D cannon, chin-mounted (40 rpg)
+
* 4 x 20 mm AN/M2 cannons, belly-mounted (200 rpg = 800 total)
−
* 2 x 23 mm NR-23 cannons, chin-mounted (80 rpg = 160 total)
 
−
 
 
−
The Nudelman N-37D was a 37 mm autocannon which replaced the Nudelman-Suranov NS-37 autocannons. The N-37D was 30% lighter than the NS-37, but to lighten the load, a sacrifice was made causing a 23% drop in muzzle velocity in comparison. Even with the loss of muzzle velocity, this autocannon can still fire at 400 rounds per minute which equates to just over six per second, emptying the belt in just over 7 seconds if the firing button is continuously held and the gun does not jam. The continuous fire of this weapon should not be attempted as only one or two rounds is enough to take down the largest of aircraft, though a dodging fighter may take a few more rounds before one connects.
 
  
−
The Nudelman-Rikhter NR-23 was a 23 mm autocannon which was widely used on many Soviet aircraft. The NR-23 has a faster muzzle velocity over the N-37D by 200 meters per second, firing them at the same time will not result in them landing in the same place as the N-37D will begin to drop sooner. Firing at around 900 rounds per minute, the NR-23 can unload a good amount of ammunition downrange, however, with a limited supply of only 80 rounds per gun, it is best to fire in small bursts when the pilot has a good gun solution. Firing in "hopes" to hit the target will result in many missed and wasted shots and may very well cause the {{PAGENAME}} to go dry just when those rounds are needed the most.
+
The {{PAGENAME}} is armed with 4 x 20 mm AN/M2 autocannons which are mounted in the belly of the fuselage just below the cockpit. Each cannon is outfitted with 200 rounds which may not seem like very much, but for those who are conservative by maintaining trigger control (short bursts), the ammunition will go a long way. Having the guns clustered along the lower fuselage allows for both in-close and longer-ranged shots without the necessity of having to calculate for convergence, the only factor will be bullet-drop over a distance which comes with practice. The cannons are very effective when used against any aerial vehicle encountered as they have no problem disabling engines and destroying wings or puncturing fuel tanks.
  
 
=== Suspended armament ===
 
=== Suspended armament ===
−
<!--''Describe the aircraft's suspended armament: additional cannons under the wings, bombs, rockets and torpedoes. This section is especially important for bombers and attackers. If there is no suspended weaponry remove this subsection.''-->
+
<!-- ''Describe the aircraft's suspended armament: additional cannons under the wings, bombs, rockets and torpedoes. This section is especially important for bombers and attackers. If there is no suspended weaponry remove this subsection.'' -->
−
{{main|OFAB-250-270 (250 kg)|R-3S|S-21}}
+
{{main|AN-M64A1 (500 lb)|AN-M65A1 (1,000 lb)}}
  
 
The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance:
 
The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance:
  
 
* Without load
 
* Without load
−
* 2 x 250 kg OFAB-250-270 bombs (500 kg total)
+
* 4 x 500 lb AN-M64A1 bombs (2,000 lb total)
−
* 2 x S-21 unguided rockets
+
* 4 x 1,000 lb AN-M65A1 bombs (4,000 lb total)
−
* 2 x R-3S air-to-air missiles
+
 
 +
The {{PAGENAME}} is typically used as a night or strike fighter which is used to sneak up on unwary targets and destroy them with the four forward-facing 20 mm autocannons, however, there is an opportunity to mix it up as a multi-role aircraft and outfit the plane with bombs. There are four external hardpoint pylons in which either 500 lb or 1,000 lb bombs can be loaded for a total of either 2,000 or 4,000 lbs of bombs. With payloads like this, the {{PAGENAME}} can rival the [[B-25 (Family)|B-25]]  bombers in their payload deliveries. Unfortunately, for a strike fighter, the {{PAGENAME}}’s flight performance and manoeuvrability suffer when adding the extra 2,000 or 4,000 lbs of weight and can be a challenge to fly when attacked, however after the bombs have been released on their target, the {{PAGENAME}} can get back to its heavy-fighter role.
 +
 
 +
=== Defensive armament ===
 +
<!-- ''Defensive armament with turret machine guns or cannons, crewed by gunners. Examine the number of gunners and what belts or drums are better to use. If defensive weaponry is not available, remove this subsection.'' -->
 +
{{main|Browning M2 (12.7 mm)}}
  
−
Though built as a fighter-interceptor the {{PAGENAME}} has the suspended ordnance option to actually take on a multi-role function. The {{PAGENAME}} can function also as a fighter-bomber, fighter-attacker as well as a fighter-interceptor. To fulfil the bomber role, the MiG can be outfitted with two 250 kg bombs, though not enough to put a dent in an enemy base, these bombs are a great option for strategic bombing of vehicles or anti-aircraft artillery which may be a bit more spread out. These one-off or mobile targets are difficult for the higher up bombers to hit, but a fast and nimble strategic fighter-bomber can get in low and deliver the ordnance on to the target more efficiently.
+
The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is defended by:
  
−
As for the fighter-attacker role, the S-21 unguided rockets come into play. These unguided rockets are best used against ground-based tanks or high altitude bombers. Since the rockets are unguided, they work best against slow-moving targets and firing at a relatively short-range to endure positive contact either crippling the enemy vehicle or destroying it. The S-21 is a fire-and-forget rocket in that once it takes off, there is nothing more to do than let it reach its destination. At this point, the fighter can take evasive action or set up for another run if there are any rockets available to shoot.
+
* 4 x 12.7 mm Browning M2 machine guns, dorsal turret (560 rpg outer + 500 rpg inner = 2,120 total)
  
−
For fast-paced air-to-air combat, the {{PAGENAME}} can be outfitted with two R-3S missiles (reversed engineered AIM-9 Sidewinder also known as the Vympel K-13 or NATO AA-2 "Atoll"). This missile works best when flying behind the target aircraft to allow the system enough time to gain a lock. Once the lock is achieved, the missile can be fired. It is best to fire between 1 and 1.5 km from the target to allow for the least amount of reaction time and potential for evasive action on the enemy aircraft's part. Firing a missile from a greater distance is possible, however, the more that the enemy fighter can react to the missile launch, the better the odds are that they will be successful in evading the missile. If the missile is evaded, all is not lost, many times the enemy fighter had to perform several energy bleeding manoeuvres to evade the missile which may ultimately set them up for the {{PAGENAME}} pilot to close in and eliminate the target with their 37 mm and 27 mm autocannons.
+
It is interesting to note that later fighters started to reduce or eliminate the ability to carry defensive weapons in order to help save on weight and crew needed to staff the aircraft, however, it was deemed necessary that the {{PAGENAME}} should have a defensive turret. Utilising state-of-the-art technology, four .50 calibre machine guns were mounted on a dorsal turret which could be remotely controlled by either the gunner (sitting behind the pilot) or the radio/radar operator located in a separate compartment at the rear of the fuselage. The four machine guns in the dorsal turret had virtually a full 360° rotation field with an elevation straight up. Effectively the only dead zones for this turret were the upper propeller arcs and the vertical stabilizers to the rear. When enemy aircraft attempt to sit on the rear of the aircraft, the pilot will need to pitch the aircraft up and to one side or the other to allow the gunner the best possible chance of bearing the turret down on the enemy fighter.
  
 
== Usage in battles ==
 
== Usage in battles ==
−
<!-- ''Describe the tactics of playing in the aircraft, the features of using aircraft in a team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view, but instead, give the reader food for thought. Examine the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).'' -->
+
<!-- ''Describe the tactics of playing in an aircraft, the features of using aircraft in a team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view, but instead, give the reader food for thought. Examine the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).'' -->
 +
[[File:P-61c-1 knightskeemo 001.jpg|450px|thumb|right|Heavy vs heavy.]]
 +
The below tactics are recommended for all game modes:
  
−
==== Against enemy aircraft ====
+
'''How to offensively engage an enemy aircraft:'''  Climb to high altitude and keep on a straight heading once you have seen the enemy. Overshoot the enemy plane, then perform a 180-degree turn. Make sure you stay on his tail and gradually descend. It is recommended to do something similar to a shallow descent, where you can keep speed and height to your advantage in case the enemy aircraft changes course and altitude. Do not perform a dive which requires you to dive straight down since you will rip the wings off and crash. Once you are within firing range, fire a short salvo from your cannons. A couple of bursts from the Black Widow are sufficient to easily rip an enemy plane to shreds.
−
The MiG-17AS has much better high-altitude flight characteristics most planes at its rank, so it is best played in higher-altitude dogfights. Nearer to sea level, the competition will have better engine performance.
 
  
−
This vehicle performs much better in vertical manoeuvres than many other aircraft, and such manoeuvres may be employed to cause an enemy aircraft to stall, giving the player an easy kill. But make sure that there are no other enemies nearby before attempting a low-speed stall manoeuvre.
+
'''How to perform defensive fighting:''' When you are being engaged by an enemy fighter, make sure you keep descending. '''Very Important''': Do not allow enemy aircraft to get lower than your elevator on the tail boom. You have no defensive armament to cover the belly or full-rear of the plane; these are your weakest defended parts.
  
−
The engine also gives this vehicle very good energy retention and a high climb rate. However, the plane begins to compress at high speeds, and aiming may become difficult. Watch out for this during diving attacks.
+
*Tactic one: Descend slowly. Put the plane in a steep dive that does not exceed your structural limit. However, it must be steep enough to provide the turret gunner full visibility of the enemy plane. The four [[Browning M2 (12.7 mm)|Browning machine guns]] will take care of the enemy plane.
  
−
So, this plane is well-suited for medium-speed dogfights, where it can utilise its energy retention and good turn rate against enemy aircraft. In addition, luring enemies to slow speeds will allow the MiG-17AS's air-to-air missiles to better track and destroy them. (In practically all other cases, the poor-tracking missiles will struggle to keep up with a fast-moving, turning enemy.)
+
*Tactic Two: Put the plane in a steep climb and make sure you set the throttle to at least 70%. Jump into the gunner turret and operate it. This will be the most accurate and fastest way of shooting down the hostile plane. When you operate the turret, make sure you try and perform defensive manoeuvres when operating it i.e. sharp turns, rapidly decreasing in height as well as gaining height and changing the speed of the plane in an irrational way.  This will give you a higher chance of survival against the enemy.
  
−
As for cannon armament, the MiG-17AS has three high-caliber cannons. This may sound perfect at first glance, but the armament setup on this plane does create difficulties on further consideration. First of all, these cannons are all slow-firing, and it is not uncommon that a fast-moving enemy will slip between cannon shells and avoid destruction. Also, the shells have a fairly low muzzle velocity compared to that of other jets at this rank, and have quite a noticeable drop.  Combined with the slow firing speed, this makes aiming difficult at the best of times, and extremely challenging at ranges over 400 m. But as if all of that wasn't enough, the cannons are mounted below the nose of the plane, making aim difficult for players inexperienced in flying with this gun positioning. Furthermore, all three cannons have quite low ammo counts, so trigger discipline is key. All in all, this vehicle's guns are certainly not its strong point, but keep in mind that the aircraft's admirable flight characteristics can more than make up for this weakness: when the enemy is stalled out in front of this aircraft, its guns are more than enough to guarantee the kill.
+
===Radars===
 +
{{main|AI Mk. X}}
 +
[[File:P-61_-_Nose_Radar.jpg|250px|thumb|right|A front view of an '''{{PAGENAME}}''' [[AI Mk. X]] radar.]]
 +
The P-61C-1 is equipped with an [[AI Mk. X]] search radar, located in the nose of the aircraft. The radar utilised a 29 in (74 cm) parabolic dish which it rotated at 360 rpm when set to ranges below 100 miles, however, it is slowed down to 100 rpm when set to the 100 miles setting. The scopes could be set to one of four ranges, 1, 10, 20 or 100 miles (1.6, 16, 32 or 160 km). The parabolic dish could be adjusted to different altitude settings which included 0° to 0°, -5° to +5°, +5° to +20°, and +20° to +50°. One of the benefits to the multiple choices in range and altitude settings of the radar was that it provided partial immunity to chaff and other radar interference or countermeasures deployed by the enemy.
 +
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 +
! colspan="4" | [[AI Mk. X]] - Target Detection Radar
 +
|-
 +
! {{Annotation|Maximum<br/>Detection<br/>Range|The maximum possible range at which a target can be detected}}
 +
! {{Annotation|Guaranteed<br/>Detection<br/>Range|The range, below which, detection of a target is practically guaranteed}}
 +
! {{Annotation|Max Azimuth<br/>Scan Angle|How far to each side the radar can scan (widest search mode)}}
 +
! {{Annotation|Max Elevation<br/>Scan Angle|How far up and down the radar can scan (widest search mode)}}
 +
|-
 +
| 14,000 m || 8,500 m || ±75° || -20°/+40°
 +
|-
 +
|}
 +
[[File:P-61_cockpit_pilots_radar_indicator.png|250px|thumb|right|A view of a '''{{PAGENAME}}''' pilot's instrument panel with a BC-1152-A pilots indicator portion of the [[AI Mk. X]] radar. (''The BC-1152-A is the square box with the rectangular window just above the control yoke'')]]
  
−
==== Against ground targets ====
+
=== Manual Engine Control ===
−
The MiG-17AS has the option to mount 2x250 kg bombs.  However, these bombs considerably harm the vehicle's flight performance, and have quite low destructive power.  Using them against armoured ground targets is often difficult.
+
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
−
 
+
|-
−
In most cases, a better option is to use the 2xS-21 air-to-ground missiles available to this aircraft.  These each contain a very good 9.95 kg of TNT, and may be fired separately.  They also have quite respectable penetration, and will be able to penetrate the roof armour of many of the tanks that this vehicle might face in ground RB.  They also have a decent velocity, and are easier to aim than bombs.
+
! colspan="7" | MEC elements
 +
|-
 +
! rowspan="2" | Mixer
 +
! rowspan="2" | Pitch
 +
! colspan="3" | Radiator
 +
! rowspan="2" | Supercharger
 +
! rowspan="2" | Turbocharger
 +
|-
 +
! Oil !! Water !! Type
 +
|-
 +
| Controllable || Controllable<br>Not auto controlled || Controllable<br>Auto control available || Controllable<br>Auto control available || Separate || Not controllable<br>1 gear || Not controllable
 +
|-
 +
|}
  
 
=== Modules ===
 
=== Modules ===
Line 168: Line 224:
 
! colspan="2" | Flight performance
 
! colspan="2" | Flight performance
 
! Survivability
 
! Survivability
−
! colspan="3" | Weaponry
+
! colspan="2" | Weaponry
 
|-
 
|-
 
| I
 
| I
 
| Fuselage repair
 
| Fuselage repair
−
| Compressor
+
| Radiator
−
|
 
−
| Offensive 23 mm
 
 
|
 
|
 +
| Turret 12 mm
 
|
 
|
 
|-
 
|-
 
| II
 
| II
−
| New boosters
 
 
|
 
|
 +
| Compressor
 
| Airframe
 
| Airframe
−
|
+
| New 12 mm MGs (turret)
−
| Offensive 37 mm
+
| FMBC mk.1
−
| BD-2-48
 
 
|-
 
|-
 
| III
 
| III
 
| Wings repair
 
| Wings repair
 +
| Engine
 
|
 
|
 +
| Offensive 20 mm
 
|
 
|
−
| New 23 mm cannons
 
−
|
 
−
| S21
 
 
|-
 
|-
 
| IV
 
| IV
−
| G-suit
+
|
−
| Engine
+
| Engine injection
 
| Cover
 
| Cover
−
|
+
| New 20 mm cannons
−
| New 37 mm cannons
+
| FLBC mk.1
−
| R-3S
 
−
|-
 
−
! colspan="7" |This is a premium vehicle: all modifications are unlocked on purchase
 
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
 +
 +
The P-61C-1 is a thoroughbred Boom & Zoom aircraft. However, when the plane is first unlocked the flight performance will be very lacklustre to support this tactic. As such, the initial priority should be to improve the aircraft, by researching the upgrades that improve flight performance the most, namely '''Compressor''', '''Engine''' and '''Engine injection'''. When the flight performance has reached a satisfactory level to allow for effective Boom & Zoom tactics, the priority should be switched towards researching the '''New 20 mm cannons''' upgrade in order to improve the accuracy of the cannons. After this is done, either finish upgrading the flight performance or focus on the turret upgrade. The bomb racks should be left to research last, as they are not critical to the P-61's main role as a fighter.
  
 
=== Pros and cons ===
 
=== Pros and cons ===
−
<!--Summarise and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in the bulleted list. Try not to use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - use substitutions with softer forms such as "inadequate" and "effective".-->
+
<!-- ''Summarise and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in the bulleted list. Try not to use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - use substitutions with softer forms such as "inadequate" and "effective".'' -->
−
 
+
[[File:P-61c-1 iscari 002.jpg|450px|thumb|right|A '''{{PAGENAME}}''' night-fighter as seen at night, virtually invisible.]]
 
'''Pros:'''
 
'''Pros:'''
  
−
* Very hard-hitting cannons
+
* The offensive armament is mounted under the belly of the plane, this provides excellent accuracy
−
* Good manoeuvrability at low to moderate speeds
+
* Powerful offensive armament with 4 x [[AN/M2 (20 mm)|AN/M2]] cannons with a total amount of 800 rounds
−
* Mounts two air-to-air missiles
+
* Powerful defensive armament with 4 x [[Browning M2 (12.7 mm)|Browning]] machine guns in a rotating turret, a total of 2,120 rounds
−
* Better high-speed manoeuvrability than the MiG-15
+
* Defensive armament is able to be used offensively by the gunner, also remotely controlled
−
* Doesn't rip its wings easily
+
* Defensive turret can elevate to a full 90 degrees, can provide a Schräge Musik-like surprise of its own to enemy bombers, providing the P-61 is below the bomber and in the enemy bomber gunners' dead zones
−
* Good top speed, especially in a dive
+
* Very stable climb rate
 +
* Engines are able to cool down very fast
 +
* Able to perform sharp movements at low and high speed
 +
* Excellent bomber hunter
 +
* Very strong and rugged airframe; is able to fly with wing tips missing
 +
* Can keep a lot of momentum from a gradual dive
 +
* Can carry 4 x 1,000 lb bombs: enough to fully destroy one base or four light pillboxes
 +
* Air brakes installed, allows you to slow down faster for a bomb run or landing
 +
* Powerful engines when upgraded giving great acceleration
 +
* Can fly on one engine
 +
* Fairly good roll rate at high speeds thanks to spoilers
 +
* Very little adverse yaw effect thanks to spoilers (SB)
 +
* Has access to a target detection radar, with much better range than German radars found around this battle rating
 +
* Low stalling speed, enabling it to land on carriers
  
 +
[[File:P-61c-1 iscari 001.jpg|450px|thumb|right|The fearsome '''{{PAGENAME}}''' bearing down on an opponent.]]
 
'''Cons:'''
 
'''Cons:'''
  
−
* Slow roll rate at high speeds
+
* Slow acceleration when not upgraded and requires a long airstrip to take off due to weight
−
* Missiles are short-range
+
* Uncompetitive roll rate at slow speeds
−
* In cockpit view, the T-tail and framed canopy create a rear blind spot
+
* Bad turn rate (utilise Immelmann turns, chandelles or normal loops)
−
* Low ammo capacity
+
* Due to size, slow to gain speed in a dive, however, can exceed structural limits if not careful. Per the pilot's manual while in a dive:
−
* Tail hangs very close to the ground. Along with the pelvic fin, this can make takeoff trickier if the pilot is careless.
+
** Between 0 - 10,000 ft do not exceed 415 mph IAS
 +
** Between 10,000 - 20,000 ft do not exceed 375 mph IAS
 +
** Between 20,000 - 30,000 ft do not exceed 305 mph IAS
 +
* Bottom of aircraft is unprotected (utilise climbs and/or dives that does not exceed the structural limits of the plane, along with manually controlling the gunner to protect the bottom of the aircraft, though not completely)
 +
* Large body airframe, not meant for turn-fighting (Boom & Zoom or Boom & Run)
 +
* Dorsal turret might hit friendlies when active under AI control during furballs or when you're behind friendlies chasing an enemy
  
 
== History ==
 
== History ==
−
<!--''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the aircraft in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).''-->
+
<!-- ''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the aircraft in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/ History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).'' -->
 +
In 1940, the British Purchasing Commission wanted a high-altitude, high-speed interceptor to shoot down ''Luftwaffe'' bombers when they raided British cities. This called for a high-endurance heavy fighter with Aerial Interception (AI) radars and specified gun armament mounted in a 360 degrees gun turret. The requirements were sent to many aircraft manufacturers, one of them being Jack Northrop. The USAAC accepted his proposal, resulting in one of the most deadly and large fighters in World War Two. The prototype YP-61, had a long fuselage gondola in between two engine nacelles. The tail was a new radical twin-boom design. Full span flaps were fitted on the wings and it had two Pratt & Whitney R-2800-10 Double Wasp 18-cylinder radials, producing 2,000 horsepower each. The plane was mounted on a tricycle landing gear and had a three-man crew: a radar operator, gunner, and pilot. Armament includes four Browning 12.7 mm heavy machine guns mounted in a four-gun powered turret. The original design also had a ventral turret, but that was replaced by Hispano Mk.II cannons. Some versions also had air brakes so the pilot would not overshoot the target.
  
−
The Korean War showed that the MiG-15 and [[MiG-15bis|MiG-15 bis]] fighters were able to battle any aerial opponent at least on equal terms. The MiG-17 was a further development of the MiG-15 design that had proven itself so well. It was decided to increase the aircraft’s speed by increasing the sweep of the wing and the fuselage being lengthened to maintain the centre of gravity. The [[MiG-15|MiG-15]] and MiG-17 show almost no differences at first glance. The prototype of the MiG-17 was even called the MiG-15bis45. However, only the frontal parts of the fuselage are the same, from the air intake to the wing, if you don’t count the landing headlight that had been moved to the left-wing and some minor details.
+
== Media ==
−
 
+
<!--Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.-->
−
These aircraft are different in every other way. It is easy to see the main differences when you look from above. By comparing the side profiles, you can see that in addition to the difference in fuselage length there are differences in the tail fin and an additional ventral fin which allows you to immediately tell the MiG-17 apart from the MiG-15. The upper part of the fins and the rudders of the aircraft are different, the juncture between the fin and the stabilizer fin also differs, but this can only be seen close up. The wing sweep of the stabilizer fin was also increased and there were also changes to elevators. The air brakes also differ in shape and size. The depth of the housing was decreased, so a cigar-shaped cowl was created to hide the cylinder. There were very significant changes to the wing. Apart from an increased wing sweep, a leading-edge break appeared and the tips became rounder, which helps differentiate the aircraft when looking at them from above or below. While the Mig-15 had two aerodynamic ridges on the top surface of its wings, the MiG-17 had three.
 
−
 
 
−
The change in the shape of the wing led to appropriate changes in the construction of the flaps. The new geometry of the main landing gear legs required for the cover to be altered. The structure of the canopy also saw some changes. However, the first versions of the MiG-17 had the same canopies as the [[MiG-15bis|MiG-15 bis]]. Apart from changes to the design of the canopy framing (which is not actually that noticeable from afar), a rear-view mirror was introduced that would allow the aircraft to be recognized from further away. There were no significant changes to the cockpit. Overall, the MiG-17 looks even more aesthetically pleasing and streamlined than its predecessor.
 
  
−
== Media ==
+
;Images
−
<!--''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.''-->
+
<div><ul>
 +
<li style="display: inline-block;"> [[File:P-61 frontview.jpg|thumb|none|250px|]] </li>
 +
<li style="display: inline-block;"> [[File:P-61 rearview.jpg ‎|thumb|none|250px|]] </li>
 +
<li style="display: inline-block;"> [[File:P-61 cockpit.jpg|thumb|none|250px|]] </li>
 +
<li style="display: inline-block;"> [[File:P-61 radiooperator.jpg‎|thumb|none|250px|]] </li>
 +
<li style="display: inline-block;"> [[File:P-61c-1 zippitydoodah 001.jpg|thumb|none|250px|]] </li>
 +
<li style="display: inline-block;"> [[File:P-61c-1 argiegrit 001.jpg|thumb|none|250px|]] </li>
 +
</ul></div>
  
 
;Videos
 
;Videos
−
{{Youtube-gallery|fCSKtDYDAYk|'''War Thunder Sim - MiG-17AS - Missile Armed MiG17''' - ''Spicysauced'' - starts at 6:16|4Hbdwwb01NQ|'''War Thunder - F5 Shenyang & Cuban MIG 17 AS''' - ''Pinhead_Plays''}}
+
{{Youtube-gallery|Qyr_aw3YTe8|'''The Shooting Range #2''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 02:59 discusses the P-61C-1.|B_KJXo2w0IQ|P-61 Black Widow - America's Night-Interceptor|_iGQOR9Dtyg|'''BLACK WIDOW - The P-61C-1 RB Gameplay''' - ''MikeGoesBoom''|fL0pyZ5VZSM|'''War Thunder Arcade- P-61C-1 Black Widow''' - ''Jengar''}}
  
 
== See also ==
 
== See also ==
−
<!--''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''
+
<!-- ''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''
−
 
 
 
* ''reference to the series of the aircraft;''
 
* ''reference to the series of the aircraft;''
−
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''-->
+
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.'' -->
−
 
 
−
;Related development
 
−
 
 
−
* Mikoyan-Gurevich [[MiG-15]]
 
−
* Mikoyan-Gurevich [[MiG-17 (Family)|MiG-17]]
 
−
* [[Shenyang F-5]]
 
−
 
 
−
;Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era
 
  
−
* Dassault [[Super Mystere B2|Super Mystere]]
+
* [https://warthunder.com/en/devblog/current/869 [Devblog<nowiki>]</nowiki> P-61: The American "Flying Tank"]
−
* Hawker [[Hunter (Family)|Hunter]]
 
−
* North American [[F-86 (Family)|F-86]] Sabre
 
  
 
== External links ==
 
== External links ==
−
<!--''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''
+
<!-- ''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''
 
* ''topic on the official game forum;''
 
* ''topic on the official game forum;''
 
* ''encyclopedia page on the aircraft;''
 
* ''encyclopedia page on the aircraft;''
−
* ''other literature.''-->
+
* ''other literature.'' -->
  
−
* [[wikipedia:Mikoyan-Gurevich_MiG-17|[Wikipedia] Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17]]
+
* [https://ia801208.us.archive.org/33/items/PilotTrainingManualForTheBlackWidowP61/PilotTrainingManualForTheBlackWidowP-61.pdf Pilot Training Manual for the P-61 Black Widow][[File:Pdf_fileicon.png|.pdf document|link=]] - By Headquarters Army Air Forces - Office of Flying Safety, 1944
−
* [https://www.historynet.com/mig-17-produced-north-vietnams-first-jet-to-air-victories.htm [Historynet website<nowiki>]</nowiki> MiG-17 produced north Vietnam's first jet to air victories]
+
* [https://ww2aircraft.net/forum/threads/p-61-pilots-manual.6789/ Northrop P-61 Black Widow Pilot's Flight Operations Instructions][[File:Pdf_fileicon.png|.pdf document|link=]] - Pilot's Flight Operating Instructions for Army Model P-61C Airplane, July 1945, ISBN:[https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&q=isbn:9781411689008 978-1-4116-8900-8]
−
* [http://www.urrib2000.narod.ru/EqMiG17-e.html [Urrib2000 website<nowiki>]</nowiki> The MiG-17 Fresco in Cuba]
 
  
−
{{AirManufacturer MiG}}
+
{{AirManufacturer Northrop}}
−
{{USSR jet aircraft}}
+
{{USA twin-engine fighters}}
−
{{USSR premium aircraft}}
 

Revision as of 08:25, 28 July 2020

Rank VI USA | Premium | Golden Eagles
A-10A Thunderbolt (Early)
P-61C-1
p-61c_1.png
360://https://wiki.warthunder.com/images/7/7f/Cockpit_p-61c_1.jpg
P-61C-1
USA flag.png USA
III Rank
Battle rating:
AB RB SB
4.0 4.0 5.0
Class:
Research:26 000 Specs-Card-Exp.png
Purchase:76 000 Specs-Card-Lion.png
Show in game
This page is about the American twin-engine fighter P-61C-1. For the premium version, see P-61A-1.

Description

GarageImage P-61C-1.jpg


The P-61C-1 is a rank III American twin-engine fighter with a battle rating of 4.0 (AB/RB) and 5.0 (SB). It was introduced in Update 1.57 "Battle March".

The Northrop P-61C-1 Black Widow is a heavy twin-engine strike fighter designed as the USAAF's first dedicated night-fighter and aircraft outfitted with radar. Though a large aircraft with a crew of three (pilot, turret gunner and radio/radar operator/gunner), the Black Widow utilised its speed, radar, and weapons advantages to dispatch enemy aircraft in the dead of night.

The P-61C-1 is powered by dual Pratt & Whitney R-2800-73 double wasp engines, the same engines which powered the Republic P-47N Thunderbolt. The one difference between the Thunderbolt's -57C and the -73s built explicitly for the P-61 was each had a General Electric CH-5-A3 turbocharger installed. The modified engines allowed the P-61C-1 to fly at all altitudes effectively. While outfitted with powerful engines, turning the aircraft causes loss of energy, and such manoeuvres should be limited as places the aircraft in vulnerable situations.

Three-quarter view of an P-61C-1 in standard all-black night-fighter paint scheme.

One of the roles of the P-61C-1 is to operate as a bomber interceptor. During these operations, if detected, the heavy fighter is likely to encounter defensive fire. To increase survivability and protection of the crew, the Black Widow utilizes various bulletproof glass and armour protective plates throughout the fighter. The gunner who operates the remote turret has the option to utilise armour plates, which fold out of the way when not in use. The crew member sitting in the aft of the aircraft has the least amount of armour protection but is the least likely to be shot at unless being attacked from the rear.

The armament configuration of the P-61C-1 is unique compared to most fighters which either utilise nose-mounted or wing-mounted guns. The Black Widow incorporates two weapon systems, the first consisting of four 20 mm AN/M2 autocannons mounted in the belly of the aircraft with a total of 800 rounds of ammunition (200 RPG). Convergence is not a factor when utilising these guns. The aircraft also incorporates a dorsal turret outfitted with four 50 calibre machine guns (2,120 rounds or 530 RPG), which can be remotely operated by the gunner or the radio/radar operator. The turret has 360-degree mobility and can fire at elevations up to 90-degrees. The turret cannot depress lower than horizontal or else it would risk firing into the wings, cockpit, tail booms or tail section. The dorsal turret is utilised for both offensive and defensive uses.

General info

Flight performance

Describe how the aircraft behaves in the air. Speed, manoeuvrability, acceleration and allowable loads - these are the most important characteristics of the vehicle.

P-61C-1 opening up with its four 20 mm autocannons.
Characteristics
Stock
Max Speed
(km/h at 7,100 m) 		Max altitude
(meters) 		Turn time
(seconds) 		Rate of climb
(meters/second) 		Take-off run
(meters)
AB RB AB RB AB RB
656 643 9143 26.3 27.5 12.2 12.2 457
Upgraded
Max Speed
(km/h at 7,100 m) 		Max altitude
(meters) 		Turn time
(seconds) 		Rate of climb
(meters/second) 		Take-off run
(meters)
AB RB AB RB AB RB
732 692 9143 23.8 25.0 21.3 16 457
Takeoff and landing speeds (critical for Simulator battles)- all speeds in kph
  • AB: 173 RB/SB: 163 - VR (aircraft rotate speed) - The speed at which the aircraft's control stick can safely be pulled back for takeoff, causing liftoff without risk of a tailstrike on the runway.
  • AB: 126 RB/SB: 120 - VS0 - Landing speed with full flaps (depending on the aircraft, this could be landing flaps or take-off flaps).
  • AB: 148 RB/SB: 145 - VS1 - Landing speed without flaps (clean). Knowing this speed is useful when the flaps are damaged or missing to prevent spins or tail strikes upon landing.

Details

A view of the P-61C-1 Black Widow's wing. Note the air brakes, "fences" are fully extended on the upper and lower surface of the wings. Also, note the long spoiler extended on the upper surface of the wing replaced ailerons due to increased efficiency at high speeds. The P-61 was the only aircraft in US inventory during WWII which utilised spoilers.
Features
Combat flaps Take-off flaps Landing flaps Air brakes Arrestor gear
✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ X
Limits
Wing-break speed
(km/h) 		Gear limit
(km/h) 		Combat flaps
(km/h) 		Max Static G
+ -
340 ~7 ~3
Optimal velocities
Ailerons
(km/h) 		Rudder
(km/h) 		Elevators
(km/h) 		Radiator
(km/h)
< 530 < 420 < 450 > 337
Compressor (RB/SB)
Setting 1
Optimal altitude 100% Engine power WEP Engine power
8,000 m 2,200 hp 2,783 hp

Survivability and armour

  • 12.7 mm Steel - Nose armour plating (behind radar unit)
  • 60 mm Bulletproof glass - Pilot and gunner armoured windscreens
  • 12.7 mm Steel - Gunner front armour (folds out of the way when not in use)
  • 12.7 mm Steel - Lower gun plate
  • 9.5 mm Steel - Gun turret ammo protection plates
  • 12.7 mm Steel - Turret protection plate

With such beefy engines on the P-61C-1 it stood to reason that armour protection would be necessary to help protect the pilot and the gunner during a conflict against a potential bomber or attacker aircraft which may have defensive gunner positions. Since the main source of incoming bullets would most likely come towards the front of the P-61C-1 from defensive positions, it was reasonable to protect both the pilot and the gunner position, while the radio/radar operator received most of their protection from the gun turret and radio/radar equipment as there is no protection provided from the rear plane of the aircraft.

The pilot is afforded protection through the bulletproof canopy windscreen which is 60 mm thick and a 12.7 mm steel plate located directly behind the radar unit in the nose. These two items will aid to protect the pilot in the event a bomber or attacker’s defensive gunners fire on an attacking P-61C-1, however, note that these protections will wain in their ability if the pilot of the Black Widow decides to take another aircraft head-on, especially if that aircraft is sporting 20 or 30 mm autocannons.

The P-61C-1’s gunner sits directly behind the pilot, however, his station is slightly elevated giving him an unobstructed view of the front and side of the aircraft, allowing him great visibility to be able to aim and fire the machine gun turret. Since the gunner station is elevated, the gunner is exposed to incoming fire which the pilot's protective plate and armoured windscreen will not cover. To remediate this there are two 12.7 mm steel plates which the gunner can swing in front of him for protection or out of the way when not in use.

The rest of the armour protection for this aircraft are several steel plates which protect the critical components and the ammunition of the turret. Since the turret is mechanical in operation (remotely by the gunner or radio/radar operator), it is important that critical components are protected to ensure continued usage, as when the remote components fail, the turret is useless. Protecting the ammunition storage is also important not only to have it available for usage, setting the ammunition on fire or off in the storage container could cause catastrophic results to the aircraft and crew in the event they start firing.

Armaments

Offensive armament

The cones of fire for the upper machine gun turret on the P-61C-1.
Main article: AN/M2 (20 mm)

The P-61C-1 is armed with:

  • 4 x 20 mm AN/M2 cannons, belly-mounted (200 rpg = 800 total)

The P-61C-1 is armed with 4 x 20 mm AN/M2 autocannons which are mounted in the belly of the fuselage just below the cockpit. Each cannon is outfitted with 200 rounds which may not seem like very much, but for those who are conservative by maintaining trigger control (short bursts), the ammunition will go a long way. Having the guns clustered along the lower fuselage allows for both in-close and longer-ranged shots without the necessity of having to calculate for convergence, the only factor will be bullet-drop over a distance which comes with practice. The cannons are very effective when used against any aerial vehicle encountered as they have no problem disabling engines and destroying wings or puncturing fuel tanks.

Suspended armament

Main articles: AN-M64A1 (500 lb), AN-M65A1 (1,000 lb)

The P-61C-1 can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

  • Without load
  • 4 x 500 lb AN-M64A1 bombs (2,000 lb total)
  • 4 x 1,000 lb AN-M65A1 bombs (4,000 lb total)

The P-61C-1 is typically used as a night or strike fighter which is used to sneak up on unwary targets and destroy them with the four forward-facing 20 mm autocannons, however, there is an opportunity to mix it up as a multi-role aircraft and outfit the plane with bombs. There are four external hardpoint pylons in which either 500 lb or 1,000 lb bombs can be loaded for a total of either 2,000 or 4,000 lbs of bombs. With payloads like this, the P-61C-1 can rival the B-25 bombers in their payload deliveries. Unfortunately, for a strike fighter, the P-61C-1’s flight performance and manoeuvrability suffer when adding the extra 2,000 or 4,000 lbs of weight and can be a challenge to fly when attacked, however after the bombs have been released on their target, the P-61C-1 can get back to its heavy-fighter role.

Defensive armament

Main article: Browning M2 (12.7 mm)

The P-61C-1 is defended by:

  • 4 x 12.7 mm Browning M2 machine guns, dorsal turret (560 rpg outer + 500 rpg inner = 2,120 total)

It is interesting to note that later fighters started to reduce or eliminate the ability to carry defensive weapons in order to help save on weight and crew needed to staff the aircraft, however, it was deemed necessary that the P-61C-1 should have a defensive turret. Utilising state-of-the-art technology, four .50 calibre machine guns were mounted on a dorsal turret which could be remotely controlled by either the gunner (sitting behind the pilot) or the radio/radar operator located in a separate compartment at the rear of the fuselage. The four machine guns in the dorsal turret had virtually a full 360° rotation field with an elevation straight up. Effectively the only dead zones for this turret were the upper propeller arcs and the vertical stabilizers to the rear. When enemy aircraft attempt to sit on the rear of the aircraft, the pilot will need to pitch the aircraft up and to one side or the other to allow the gunner the best possible chance of bearing the turret down on the enemy fighter.

Usage in battles

Heavy vs heavy.

The below tactics are recommended for all game modes:

How to offensively engage an enemy aircraft: Climb to high altitude and keep on a straight heading once you have seen the enemy. Overshoot the enemy plane, then perform a 180-degree turn. Make sure you stay on his tail and gradually descend. It is recommended to do something similar to a shallow descent, where you can keep speed and height to your advantage in case the enemy aircraft changes course and altitude. Do not perform a dive which requires you to dive straight down since you will rip the wings off and crash. Once you are within firing range, fire a short salvo from your cannons. A couple of bursts from the Black Widow are sufficient to easily rip an enemy plane to shreds.

How to perform defensive fighting: When you are being engaged by an enemy fighter, make sure you keep descending. Very Important: Do not allow enemy aircraft to get lower than your elevator on the tail boom. You have no defensive armament to cover the belly or full-rear of the plane; these are your weakest defended parts.

  • Tactic one: Descend slowly. Put the plane in a steep dive that does not exceed your structural limit. However, it must be steep enough to provide the turret gunner full visibility of the enemy plane. The four Browning machine guns will take care of the enemy plane.
  • Tactic Two: Put the plane in a steep climb and make sure you set the throttle to at least 70%. Jump into the gunner turret and operate it. This will be the most accurate and fastest way of shooting down the hostile plane. When you operate the turret, make sure you try and perform defensive manoeuvres when operating it i.e. sharp turns, rapidly decreasing in height as well as gaining height and changing the speed of the plane in an irrational way. This will give you a higher chance of survival against the enemy.

Radars

Main article: AI Mk. X
A front view of an P-61C-1 AI Mk. X radar.

The P-61C-1 is equipped with an AI Mk. X search radar, located in the nose of the aircraft. The radar utilised a 29 in (74 cm) parabolic dish which it rotated at 360 rpm when set to ranges below 100 miles, however, it is slowed down to 100 rpm when set to the 100 miles setting. The scopes could be set to one of four ranges, 1, 10, 20 or 100 miles (1.6, 16, 32 or 160 km). The parabolic dish could be adjusted to different altitude settings which included 0° to 0°, -5° to +5°, +5° to +20°, and +20° to +50°. One of the benefits to the multiple choices in range and altitude settings of the radar was that it provided partial immunity to chaff and other radar interference or countermeasures deployed by the enemy.

AI Mk. X - Target Detection Radar
Maximum
Detection
Range 		Guaranteed
Detection
Range 		Max Azimuth
Scan Angle 		Max Elevation
Scan Angle
14,000 m 8,500 m ±75° -20°/+40°
A view of a P-61C-1 pilot's instrument panel with a BC-1152-A pilots indicator portion of the AI Mk. X radar. (The BC-1152-A is the square box with the rectangular window just above the control yoke)

Manual Engine Control

MEC elements
Mixer Pitch Radiator Supercharger Turbocharger
Oil Water Type
Controllable Controllable
Not auto controlled 		Controllable
Auto control available 		Controllable
Auto control available 		Separate Not controllable
1 gear 		Not controllable

Modules

Tier Flight performance Survivability Weaponry
I Fuselage repair Radiator Turret 12 mm
II Compressor Airframe New 12 mm MGs (turret) FMBC mk.1
III Wings repair Engine Offensive 20 mm
IV Engine injection Cover New 20 mm cannons FLBC mk.1

The P-61C-1 is a thoroughbred Boom & Zoom aircraft. However, when the plane is first unlocked the flight performance will be very lacklustre to support this tactic. As such, the initial priority should be to improve the aircraft, by researching the upgrades that improve flight performance the most, namely Compressor, Engine and Engine injection. When the flight performance has reached a satisfactory level to allow for effective Boom & Zoom tactics, the priority should be switched towards researching the New 20 mm cannons upgrade in order to improve the accuracy of the cannons. After this is done, either finish upgrading the flight performance or focus on the turret upgrade. The bomb racks should be left to research last, as they are not critical to the P-61's main role as a fighter.

Pros and cons

A P-61C-1 night-fighter as seen at night, virtually invisible.

Pros:

  • The offensive armament is mounted under the belly of the plane, this provides excellent accuracy
  • Powerful offensive armament with 4 x AN/M2 cannons with a total amount of 800 rounds
  • Powerful defensive armament with 4 x Browning machine guns in a rotating turret, a total of 2,120 rounds
  • Defensive armament is able to be used offensively by the gunner, also remotely controlled
  • Defensive turret can elevate to a full 90 degrees, can provide a Schräge Musik-like surprise of its own to enemy bombers, providing the P-61 is below the bomber and in the enemy bomber gunners' dead zones
  • Very stable climb rate
  • Engines are able to cool down very fast
  • Able to perform sharp movements at low and high speed
  • Excellent bomber hunter
  • Very strong and rugged airframe; is able to fly with wing tips missing
  • Can keep a lot of momentum from a gradual dive
  • Can carry 4 x 1,000 lb bombs: enough to fully destroy one base or four light pillboxes
  • Air brakes installed, allows you to slow down faster for a bomb run or landing
  • Powerful engines when upgraded giving great acceleration
  • Can fly on one engine
  • Fairly good roll rate at high speeds thanks to spoilers
  • Very little adverse yaw effect thanks to spoilers (SB)
  • Has access to a target detection radar, with much better range than German radars found around this battle rating
  • Low stalling speed, enabling it to land on carriers
The fearsome P-61C-1 bearing down on an opponent.

Cons:

  • Slow acceleration when not upgraded and requires a long airstrip to take off due to weight
  • Uncompetitive roll rate at slow speeds
  • Bad turn rate (utilise Immelmann turns, chandelles or normal loops)
  • Due to size, slow to gain speed in a dive, however, can exceed structural limits if not careful. Per the pilot's manual while in a dive:
    • Between 0 - 10,000 ft do not exceed 415 mph IAS
    • Between 10,000 - 20,000 ft do not exceed 375 mph IAS
    • Between 20,000 - 30,000 ft do not exceed 305 mph IAS
  • Bottom of aircraft is unprotected (utilise climbs and/or dives that does not exceed the structural limits of the plane, along with manually controlling the gunner to protect the bottom of the aircraft, though not completely)
  • Large body airframe, not meant for turn-fighting (Boom & Zoom or Boom & Run)
  • Dorsal turret might hit friendlies when active under AI control during furballs or when you're behind friendlies chasing an enemy

History

In 1940, the British Purchasing Commission wanted a high-altitude, high-speed interceptor to shoot down Luftwaffe bombers when they raided British cities. This called for a high-endurance heavy fighter with Aerial Interception (AI) radars and specified gun armament mounted in a 360 degrees gun turret. The requirements were sent to many aircraft manufacturers, one of them being Jack Northrop. The USAAC accepted his proposal, resulting in one of the most deadly and large fighters in World War Two. The prototype YP-61, had a long fuselage gondola in between two engine nacelles. The tail was a new radical twin-boom design. Full span flaps were fitted on the wings and it had two Pratt & Whitney R-2800-10 Double Wasp 18-cylinder radials, producing 2,000 horsepower each. The plane was mounted on a tricycle landing gear and had a three-man crew: a radar operator, gunner, and pilot. Armament includes four Browning 12.7 mm heavy machine guns mounted in a four-gun powered turret. The original design also had a ventral turret, but that was replaced by Hispano Mk.II cannons. Some versions also had air brakes so the pilot would not overshoot the target.

Media

Images
  • P-61 frontview.jpg
  • P-61 rearview.jpg
  • P-61 cockpit.jpg
  • P-61 radiooperator.jpg
  • P-61c-1 zippitydoodah 001.jpg
  • P-61c-1 argiegrit 001.jpg
Videos
The Shooting Range #2 - Metal Beasts section at 02:59 discusses the P-61C-1.
P-61 Black Widow - America's Night-Interceptor
BLACK WIDOW - The P-61C-1 RB Gameplay - MikeGoesBoom
War Thunder Arcade- P-61C-1 Black Widow - Jengar

See also

External links


Northrop Corporation
Fighters  P-61A-11 · P-61C-1
Jet fighters  F-89B · F-89D
  F-5A · F-5C · F-5E
  F-20A
Export  ␗F-5A · ▄F-5E FCU

USA twin-engine fighters
P-38  XP-38G · P-38E · P-38G-1 · P-38J-15 · Bong's P-38J-15 · P-38L-5-LO · P-38K · YP-38
P-61  P-61A-11 · P-61C-1
F7F  F7F-1 · F7F-3
Other  XF5F · XP-50 · F-82E

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