Northrop P-61 Build-Log designed by the 13th Squadron

[FoamyDM]

I have finally managed to get myself building the Squadron 13's P-61!

I have been drooling over most models of this plane and it has been on my radar for a while. I am finally started building the plane! After having a conversation with Jack (@Niez13 ) on the AviationRCNoob Podcast Episode 33 (Sept 18th) I was laying out the sheets, when and RC friend surprised me and laser cut a Kit for me to start from. To that friend: Many Thanks! After looking through the pieces, I realized how fortunate that was. as some are quite delicate. Don't let that discourage you though. This build has all the call signed of a Master series build, to get the edge of your table ready and follow along if you are building along

After punching the laser cut pieces out and ensuring I had all the pieces, I went to Jack's build log here and pictures on The Squadron's P-61 page

if I learned nothing from talking to Jack and reviewing the plans and notes it is:

*NOTE* - Roll tail boom pieces with tape and leave overnight.​

History of the P-61



Reserved
here is some more history to watch:

FS Plane Specs.
Specifications (P-61B-20-NO)
Northrop P-61B Black Widow 3-view drawing
Data from Jane's Fighting Aircraft of World War II,,[44] Northrop P-61 Black Widow.[45]

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 sq ft (61.535 m2)
• Airfoil: Zaparka[46]
• Empty weight: 23,450 lb (10,637 kg)
• Gross weight: 29,700 lb (13,472 kg)
• Max takeoff weight: 36,200 lb (16,420 kg)
• Fuel capacity: 640 US gal (2,400 l) internal and up to four 165 US gal (625 l) drop tanks
• Powerplant: 2 × Pratt & Whitney R-2800-65W Double Wasp 18-cylinder air-cooled radial piston engines, 2,250 hp (1,680 kW) each
• Propellers: 4-bladed Curtiss Electric constant-speed feathering propellers, 12 ft 2 in (3.72 m) diameter

Performance

• Maximum speed: 366 mph (589 km/h, 318 kn) at 20,000 ft (6,100 m)
• Range: 1,350 mi (2,170 km, 1,170 nmi)
• Ferry range: 1,900 mi (3,100 km, 1,700 nmi) with four external fuel tanks
• Service ceiling: 33,100 ft (10,100 m)
• Rate of climb: 2,540 ft/min (12.9 m/s)
• Time to altitude: 20,000 ft (6,100 m) in 12 minutes
• Wing loading: 45 lb/sq ft (220 kg/m2)
• Power/mass: 0.15 hp/lb (0.25 kW/kg)

Armament

• Guns: ** 4 × 20 mm (.79 in) Hispano AN/M2 cannon in ventral fuselage, 200 rounds per gun
  • 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

RC Plane Specs (from 13th Squadron Page)

• Motor: (2) 1806 2280kV Brushless Motor
• ESC: (2) 20A
• Battery: 3s 850mah - 1000mah
• Wingspan: 48 inches (1219.2mm)
• Center of Gravity: 1 3/4 inches (44.4 mm) from leading edge.
• Propellers: (2) 5x4.5 - 6x4.5 (5x4.5 recommended for 3 blade, 6x4.5 recommended for 2 blade)
• Other: Y-Harness needed,
• Differential Thrust

What I will likely do different:
Black DTFB
Metal Gear Servos, and 2204 2300kv motors with 5x4.5x3 dalprops that I have around.
I plan to FPV in the Cockpit and try and scale build and light a cockpit.

 

[FoamyDM]

As recommended, one of the first thing I completed was to roll and preform the boom. Heavy tape, and leave them over night (at least.)


This is me dry fitting the boom to the boom-core.

 

[SSgt Duramax]

Nice! I am cutting out templates and foam right now for their F6F! I am jealous you got some laser cut parts. I was going to build this or a Betty next.

 

[FoamyDM]

if you have a b-log for the F6F, edit a link in the previous post

 

[The Hangar]

I have finally managed to get myself building the Squadron 13's P-61!
View attachment 211007
I have been drooling over most models of this plane and it has been on my radar for a while. I am finally started building the plane! After having a conversation with Jack (@Niez13 ) on the AviationRCNoob Podcast Episode 33 (Sept 18th) I was laying out the sheets, when and RC friend surprised me and laser cut a Kit for me to start from. To that friend: Many Thanks! After looking through the pieces, I realized how fortunate that was. as some are quite delicate. Don't let that discourage you though. This build has all the call signed of a Master series build, to get the edge of your table ready and follow along if you are building along

After punching the laser cut pieces out and ensuring I had all the pieces, I went to Jack's build log here and pictures on The Squadron's P-61 page

if I learned nothing from talking to Jack and reviewing the plans and notes it is:

*NOTE* - Roll tail boom pieces with tape and leave overnight.​

History of the P-61
View attachment 211005 View attachment 211006


Reserved
here is some more history to watch:

FS Plane Specs.
Specifications (P-61B-20-NO)
Northrop P-61B Black Widow 3-view drawing
Data from Jane's Fighting Aircraft of World War II,,[44] Northrop P-61 Black Widow.[45]

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 sq ft (61.535 m2)
• Airfoil: Zaparka[46]
• Empty weight: 23,450 lb (10,637 kg)
• Gross weight: 29,700 lb (13,472 kg)
• Max takeoff weight: 36,200 lb (16,420 kg)
• Fuel capacity: 640 US gal (2,400 l) internal and up to four 165 US gal (625 l) drop tanks
• Powerplant: 2 × Pratt & Whitney R-2800-65W Double Wasp 18-cylinder air-cooled radial piston engines, 2,250 hp (1,680 kW) each
• Propellers: 4-bladed Curtiss Electric constant-speed feathering propellers, 12 ft 2 in (3.72 m) diameter

Performance

• Maximum speed: 366 mph (589 km/h, 318 kn) at 20,000 ft (6,100 m)
• Range: 1,350 mi (2,170 km, 1,170 nmi)
• Ferry range: 1,900 mi (3,100 km, 1,700 nmi) with four external fuel tanks
• Service ceiling: 33,100 ft (10,100 m)
• Rate of climb: 2,540 ft/min (12.9 m/s)
• Time to altitude: 20,000 ft (6,100 m) in 12 minutes
• Wing loading: 45 lb/sq ft (220 kg/m2)
• Power/mass: 0.15 hp/lb (0.25 kW/kg)

Armament

• Guns: ** 4 × 20 mm (.79 in) Hispano AN/M2 cannon in ventral fuselage, 200 rounds per gun
  • 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

RC Plane Specs (from 13th Squadron Page)

• Motor: (2) 1806 2280kV Brushless Motor
• ESC: (2) 20A
• Battery: 3s 850mah - 1000mah
• Wingspan: 48 inches (1219.2mm)
• Center of Gravity: 1 3/4 inches (44.4 mm) from leading edge.
• Propellers: (2) 5x4.5 - 6x4.5 (5x4.5 recommended for 3 blade, 6x4.5 recommended for 2 blade)
• Other: Y-Harness needed,
• Differential Thrust

What I will likely do different:
Black DTFB
Metal Gear Servos, and 2204 2300kv motors with 5x4.5x3 dalprops that I have around.
I plan to FPV in the Cockpit and try and scale build and light a cockpit.

Yesss, I’ll be following the build for sure. The p-61 has been on my list for a long time!

 

[FoamyDM]

Updated post #2 with some photos

 

[CrshNBrn]

Small world, Foamy! I'm 3/4 of the way through a 13th Squadron P-61 build as well. Their planes rock.

Your idea to use black foamboard is so brilliantly simple and will probably save a ton of paint weight at the end. Well done. Your booms also look really good. Hope you are enjoying the build- its a little more challenging, don't you think? Mine is already horribly wrinkled, and it hasn't even left the table yet.

Think about reinforcing skin PB2 with some thin plywood or balsa sheets (see pic) before you attach it underneath the pod. That's the grip spot for hand launches, and will suffer a lot of wear and tear. Looking forward to seeing your progress.

 

[FoamyDM]

Small world, Foamy! I'm 3/4 of the way through a 13th Squadron P-61 build as well. Their planes rock.

Your idea to use black foamboard is so brilliantly simple and will probably save a ton of paint weight at the end. Well done. Your booms also look really good. Hope you are enjoying the build- its a little more challenging, don't you think? Mine is already horribly wrinkled, and it hasn't even left the table yet.

Think about reinforcing skin PB2 with some thin plywood or balsa sheets (see pic) before you attach it underneath the pod. That's the grip spot for hand launches, and will suffer a lot of wear and tear. Looking forward to seeing your progress.

@CrshNBrn That looks amazing! There are wrinkles in min too. Thanks for the tip.
Did you build the wings then put the boom core on? Then skin the boom?

 

[CrshNBrn]

Yup. Wings first, boom core, slid the wobbly tail pieces in the boom core, then skinned the booms. The ends of my booms were a wreck because I glued the ends of the booms too low on the vertical stabilizers and had to cut the ends of the booms out and reattach them higher up on the vertical stabilizer. You may want to closely check out the build pictures on 13th squadron website of the tail before gluing that part.

 

[FoamyDM]

Thank you. Looking through the build pics of Jacks, it was somewhat unclear, the direction. If I have been able to plug through from popping out the pieces, I would've been in great shape. but now... I have to re-figure a few things. Thankfully I have the plans.

I never did describe what I hoped to do with this model that would move my modeling skill on for this build. I would say LEDs, but in fact it will be FPV pan system and a scale cockpit I think.

Radar Operators view


I wonder if I can 3D print something like this:
And here is some more interesting information and diagrams about the P-61

some more information is here on the crew stations

 

[CrshNBrn]

Way cool! Thanks for sharing. I consider myself to be a huge WW2 warbird fan, but don't really know a lot about the P-61. This would be a great bird for a scale cockpit- there's enough "glass" on the thing for a small greenhouse. Your plane is going to be awesome, I'm sure.

 

[FoamyDM]

Thank you for the Kind words. if my vision comes through, It will. but, atm - We'll see about this.

 

[FoamyDM]

Worked on the wing, and made progress.

 

[SSgt Duramax]

Nice! The black foam board really looks nice when you minwax it. You wont even need to paint most of it!

 

[CrshNBrn]

Yes, the black foamboard was smart for the P-61. Your wing looks great. The center/middle is the weak spot on the wing- when I did that hard landing on the wingtip, mine neatly broke right there. I had to reach in through the front to reglue it and added a piece of tape for extra reinforcement.

 

[FoamyDM]

At The Arc in Bill party last night, I managed to get some pretty good pack progress on the p-61 oh, here's the progress pics.

 

[CrshNBrn]

I recognize all of those little FT phillips screwdrivers. Your build looks great!

 

[FoamyDM]

Here are some pics of the Belly Guns. (found this looking for some Landing Gear Photos)

Here are the rest of the Cockpit control Identifier Drawings:
https://www.cybermodeler.com/aircraft/p-61/p-61_pit.shtml

a photo of the intake and the motor mount.




HERE WE GO - LANDING Gear!
Below is the Nose gear Strut

Main Gear

Main Gear installed and retracted.

and here are some descriptive line drawings, possibly from a model kit.

If you want more details, look at this restoration project page, there are some GREAT photos to oogle over.

 

[CrshNBrn]

Here are some pics of the Belly Guns. (found this looking for some Landing Gear Photos)
View attachment 213147
Here are the rest of the Cockpit control Identifier Drawings:
https://www.cybermodeler.com/aircraft/p-61/p-61_pit.shtml
View attachment 213146
a photo of the intake and the motor mount.
View attachment 213148
View attachment 213149
View attachment 213150

HERE WE GO - LANDING Gear!
Below is the Nose gear Strut
View attachment 213151
View attachment 213153
Main Gear
View attachment 213154
Main Gear installed and retracted.
View attachment 213152
and here are some descriptive line drawings, possibly from a model kit.
View attachment 213157 View attachment 213158

If you want more details, look at this restoration project page, there are some GREAT photos to oogle over.

My hat is off for whomever is restoring one. Thanks for sharing. Mine died a premature death when the receiver browned out (cheap Lemon one) on landing. Probably due to bad antenna placement, but I crashed it into a neighbor's fence. Lots of little pieces! I want to build another one with the black foamboard and less crinkles.

 

[FoamyDM]

I recognize all of those little FT phillips screwdrivers. Your build looks great!

Thanks. I hope to do this project justice to my minds eye. I already have wrinkled the skins more than I hoped.