A&A Models has announced the upcoming release of a new Northrop P-61C Black Widow model kit in 1/72 scale.
The P-61C was the final production version of America’s first purpose-built night fighter, a large, twin-engine, twin-boom aircraft that used onboard radar to find enemy aircraft in darkness. Developed to improve the earlier P-61A and B models’ speed and high-altitude performance, it featured more powerful turbosupercharged engines and wing-mounted air brakes, reaching roughly 430 mph. Its heavy armament comprised four 20 mm cannons beneath the fuselage and four .50-caliber machine guns in an upper turret. Only 41 production examples were delivered, beginning in July 1945—too late to see combat in World War II—and they subsequently served mainly in testing and research, including thunderstorm studies.
The new kit (7249) represents the P-61C in thunderstorm research and includes 154 plastic parts, photo-etched parts, painting masks (canopy and wheels), and decals with two marking options. It is currently scheduled for release in mid-December.
(via A&A Models)
