Northrop P-61 Ideas and Inspiration

[GTX_Admin]

What about a variant with the fuselage modified to make a transport version - basically leave the pilot's cockpit but then fair over the rest and have a rear opening hate at the rear.

[Kerick]

I've thought about an updated version in SEA colors in place of the Invaders used in Vietnam.

[finsrin]

> A-26 looks mean.  Be a bad day on receiving end of that firepower.
> Updated P-61 version in SEA colors works.
> My first BTS era (21st century) kitbash is partly P-61. 
   http://beyondthesprues.com/Forum/index.php?topic=189.0

[Kerick]

Spider venom looks bada$$.

[elmayerle]

What about a variant with the fuselage modified to make a transport version - basically leave the pilot's cockpit but then fair over the rest and have a rear opening hate at the rear.

Clamshell or beavertail aft hatch?  The former makes for faster loading and unloading while the latter makes for easier para-dropping.

[Jeffry Fontaine]

What about a variant with the fuselage modified to make a transport version - basically leave the pilot's cockpit but then fair over the rest and have a rear opening hate at the rear.

Clamshell or beavertail aft hatch?  The former makes for faster loading and unloading while the latter makes for easier para-dropping.

Kit bashing between an Italeri 1:72nd scale C-119 and a 1:48th scale P-61? 

[upnorth]

A couple of ideas:

1: Turboprop power via a pair of Darts.

2: Firekiller role.  If the WWII era fuselage was kept, a retardant tank could be put in the belly gun bay area with a spray device installed in place of the rear crewman's  entry/exit hatch.

The firekiller role could also extend to other aerial spray jobs as well I would imagine.

[GTX_Admin]

What about a variant with the fuselage modified to make a transport version - basically leave the pilot's cockpit but then fair over the rest and have a rear opening hate at the rear.

Clamshell or beavertail aft hatch?  The former makes for faster loading and unloading while the latter makes for easier para-dropping.

I was actually thinking of something quite simple like that on the rear of the OV-10:



In fact, the OV-10 is probably closest to what I had in mind re the Cargo CP-61 derivative:



Possible application could be covert dropping of operatives/special forces teams in occupied Europe or USSR in either an extended WWII or early Cold/Hot WWIII scenario.

[jcf]

Speaking of cargo proposals. 





- from the new book.

[GTX_Admin]

 :)

[Gingie]

Reminds me of one of these:

[Alvis 3.1]

Well, there's a use for one of the many 1/48 Monogram (Or the Great Wall) P-61s I have laying around!


Alvis 3.1

[GTX_Admin]

Random idea:

Take two 1/48 P-61s and merge them into a 4 engined (and 4 boomed) aircraft with a longer centre pod (maybe) which is also streamlined to remove step ups.  Rescale to 1/72 and make it a long range transporter/airliner maybe with booms also holding cargo.

Will ty to sketch something up shortly to better illustrate.

[ericr]

by the way, on this topic I had a banana crossing idea :

http://beyondthesprues.com/Forum/index.php?topic=4100.msg115836#msg115836

[Kerick]

The transport version looks really interesting.

I have a Revelogram 1/48th P-61 a friend gave me. I would like to build an updated version with turbo prop engines. Anybody have a good suggestion as where to get something to kitbash with? I'm on the verge of trying to scratch build something believable.

[Jeffry Fontaine]

Ask Alvis about modifying the P-61.  He built a very nice what-if turbine powered Black Widow COIN bird several years ago.

[Kerick]

Thank you! I'll do that!

[GTX_Admin]

One option if you wanted to use the RR Dart in 1/48 would be to get a pair of the 1/48 Heritage Cavalier Turbo Mustang 111 conversions:

[GTX_Admin]

[The Big Gimper]

Wow!!! Where does the flight engineer sit?

[Kelmola]

I've thought about an updated version in SEA colors in place of the Invaders used in Vietnam.

If sufficently intact hulks would have been available in the Boneyard (but weren't in OTL), that would have actually made more sense: P-61 already had a radar (which could have been upgraded to one that could track ground targets) so would be inherently more suited to the night role.

Also, its turret was originally designed to fire sideways as an offensive weapon (instead of the Invader's two remote control defensive turrets), meaning that in a pinch it could have acted as a poor man's gunship, circling the area and strafing sideways (volume of fire and ammo capacity from four Ma Deuces on a nightfighter will obviously be lower than a cargo plane full of Miniguns and Vulcans). They even experimented with the turret automatically aiming and firing at targets designated by its radar already back in WW2, if the radar could have picked up trucks it should've made quite an impression on the Ho Chi Minh Trail (provided that the inability to aim downwards would not have prevented its use against ground targets).

I wonder if it had been called F/A-61K or AF-61K, or just F-61K?

[The Big Gimper]

Hope these help. All courtesy of John "Maverick" Lacey.


FAA-TBT-1A-Blue-Widow by
Big Gimper, on Flickr


SEAC-P-61D-BrownWidow by
Big Gimper, on Flickr


SEAC-P-61C-Green-Widow by
Big Gimper, on Flickr


RN-P-61B-GreyWidow by
Big Gimper, on Flickr


RCAF-P-61G-Blackwidow by
Big Gimper, on Flickr


RCAF-P-61E-BlackWidow by
Big Gimper, on Flickr


RCAF-CF-61-Blackwidow-Camo by
Big Gimper, on Flickr


RAAF-P-61E-01 by
Big Gimper, on Flickr

[Kerick]

Any ideas how to convert a 1/48th P-61 to a turbo powered version? I've been kicking this idea around for a long time ever since my friend gave me a 1/48th Monogram kit. I'm sure he's wondering if I'm ever going to build it. I just can't seem to get any traction on this idea and I'm hoping you guys can help.

[kitnut617]

I've been playing with the idea to turbo-prop a DC-6, I looked at aircraft with similar engines which had been converted to turbo-prop. The Canadair CL-215 was R-2800 powered, same as the P-61, and the CL-415 was turbo-prop converted with PW123's. Viking is converting CL-215's into CL-215T's using the same engine. I think something along those lines would work for your project kerick. There is a turbo-prop conversion set for the Grumman Tracker, in 1/48 too IIRC. You could use that as a starting point.

[tankmodeler]

Any ideas how to convert a 1/48th P-61 to a turbo powered version?

What is the time period and who might the operator have been? I'f you're thinking mid-50s to late 60s you options are rather limited, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. You could pick from RR Darts as well as even the twin Mamba of the Gannet. The Dart is handy because the shape of the nacelle is cylindrical and easier to scratchbuild. If you want to have more power, the Armstrong Siddeley Python, from the Wyvern, comes in at about 3500 hp allowing an increase in capability in the Black Widow.

Just some thoughts to help frame your project.