Hobbyboss Northrop P-61C Black Widow. 1:48

[Shar2]

Northrop P-61C Black Widow
Hobbyboss 1:48

The Northrop P-61 Black Widow, named for the American spider, was the first operational U.S. military aircraft designed specifically for night interception of opposing aircraft, and was the first aircraft specifically designed to use radar. The P-61 had a crew of three: pilot, gunner, and radar operator. It was armed with four 20 mm Hispano M2 forward-firing cannons mounted in the lower fuselage, and four .50 in (12.7 mm) M2 Browning machine guns mounted in a remote-controlled dorsal gun turret.

It was an all-metal, twin-engine, twin-boom design developed during World War II. The first test flight was made on 26 May 1942, with the first production aircraft rolling off the assembly line in October 1943. The last aircraft was retired from government service in 1954.
Although not produced in the large numbers of its contemporaries, the Black Widow was effectively operated as a night-fighter by United States Army Air Forces squadrons in the European Theatre, the Pacific Theatre, the China Burma India Theatre and the Mediterranean Theatre during World War II. It replaced earlier British-designed night-fighter aircraft that had been updated to incorporate radar when it became available. After the war, the P-61—redesignated the F-61—served in the United States Air Force as a long-range, all weather, day/night interceptor for Air Defence Command until 1948, and Fifth Air Force until 1950.

The subject of this kit is the P-61C, which was a high-performance variant designed to rectify some of the combat deficiencies encountered with the A and B variants. Work on the P-61C proceeded quite slowly at Northrop because of the higher priority of the Northrop XB-35 flying wing strategic bomber project. In fact, much of the work on the P-61C was farmed out to Goodyear, which had been a subcontractor for production of Black Widow components. It was not until early 1945 that the first production P-61C-1-NO rolled off the production lines. As promised, the performance was substantially improved in spite of a 2,000 lb (907 kg) increase in empty weight. Maximum speed was 430 mph (690 km/h) at 30,000 ft (9,000 m), service ceiling was 41,000 ft (12,500 m), and an altitude of 30,000 ft (9,000 m) could be attained in 14.6 minutes.
The P-61C was equipped with perforated fighter airbrakes located both below and above the wing surfaces. These were to provide a means of preventing the pilot from overshooting his target during an intercept. For added fuel capacity, the P-61C was equipped with four underwing pylons (two inboard of the nacelles, two outboard) which could carry four 310 gal (1,173 l) drop tanks. The first P-61C aircraft was accepted by the USAAF in July 1945. However, the war in the Pacific ended before any P-61Cs could see combat. The 41st and last P-61C-1-NO was accepted on 28 January 1946. At least 13 more were completed by Northrop, but were scrapped before they could be delivered to the USAAF. Service life of the P-61C was quite brief, since its performance was being outclassed by newer jet aircraft. Most were used for test and research purposes. By the end of March 1949 most P-61Cs had been scrapped. Two entered the civilian market and two others

The Model
This kit is the third release in the series of P-61 Black Widows from Hobbyboss and comes in a sturdy top opening box with some very nice artwork on the lid of the aircraft in flight over some rather threatening clouds. Inside there are nice sprues of medium grey styrene, two separate engine cowlings, two sprues of clear styrene, six metal parts and the decal sheet. On inspection of the sprues it becomes quite clear that there is a pretty major problem with the kit, and that is the fact that although the box artwork and photographs on the internet show the aircraft, (the only option on the decal sheet), with a dorsal turret, it is completely missing from the kit. There isn’t even provision for one on the fuselage parts. Although this omission doesn’t make the kit unbuildable, purists will no doubt be hunting round for a spare turret to fit. It is a great shame though, that the company’s research or lack of, has let them down again. If I can find a decent photograph of the aircraft, (which is still extant in the National Museum of the United States Air Force), in seconds, why couldn’t Hobbyboss?

That said, it still looks like it is a nice kit, not particularly difficult, in fact it looks quite a bit simpler than the old Monogram release. I’ve seen the A version built at my club and it looked fantastic, so there’s no reason that this shouldn’t build up the same, albeit incorrect. The build begins with the front cockpit and the fitting of the pilot and co-pilot seats, joysticks, two piece gun sight/controller, heater unit, rudder pedals and instrument panels, each with decal instruments, to the single piece floor. The nose wheel bay is then fitted out with the three piece nose wheel leg and wheel, which has the distinctive mudguard moulded to it. On top of the wheel bay the first of the metal parts is attached, before the bay is glued to the underside of the cockpit floor. Another, much large metal part is glued forward of the pilots instrument panel. Inside the two fuselage halves, the cockpit side walls are attached, as are the four 20mm cannon muzzles. The rear cockpit is then assembled, from floor, rear bulkhead, with moulded radio sets, joystick, two piece gun sight/controller and seat. The front and rear cockpits are then enclosed within the two fuselage halves. The radar set is made up from the support base, radar dish and two metal parts. The radar is then glued to the front of the fuselage and encased in the clear nose section, which, unfortunately doesn't look quite the right shape, being too short. The single piece front windscreen and canopy is then glued into place, followed by the four glazed areas of the rear cockpit. The clear parts are exceptionally clear, as can be seen in the photographs.

The nose wheel bay doors are then added before work moves on to the two booms. Each boom comes in two halves and fitted with the main wheel bays, which are fitted with a separate mid bulkhead, main oleo, retraction jack, scissor link and main wheel. The wheel bays are sandwiched between the boom halves, which are then put to one side to set fully. Each wing is made up of a single piece upper section and two lower sections with two radiators glued between them. If you are going to add the external tanks or bombs then the holes will need to be opened up before the wind sections are glued together. The wings are then attached to their respective booms, and fitted with the ailerons and landing light covers. Each engine is made up from a metal firewall part, just the front bank of cylinders, and gearbox cover, into which the propeller shaft is fitted. The propeller is then attached and the engines fitted to the booms, along with the large inter-cooler intakes and main wheel bay doors. The completed boom assemblies are then attached to the fuselage assembly with the horizontal tail plane fitted in between. The external tanks are each made up from two halves, and include the pylons, whilst the bombs are made from separate bodies and tails, then fitted to the pylons. The bombs and tanks are then fitted to their respective positions. Along with the pitot probe and side mounted aerials.

Decals
The single aircraft option provided on the decal sheet is for P-61C, Ser. No. 43-8353, Moonlight Serenade in an overall black scheme, with green spinners, cooling gills and upper nose section. The decals are well printed, in register and nicely opaque. They are quite glossy and should settle down well on a gloss varnish as there is minimal carrier film on all but the serial numbers, but it is pretty thin.

Conclusion
Well, being one of my favourite aircraft, I'm quite disappointed, it’s shame that Hobbyboss have managed to produce another clunker. I guess if you can get some other decals for a P-61C, one which didn’t have a dorsal turret, (were there any during the war?), or build it as a post war test aircraft. It also seems to be over simplified, although that is not necessarily a bad thing in an age where kits seem to be getting more and more complicated. It’ll certainly be good for a beginner, as the parts should all fit well and it will look great when built, and quite large. I do like the idea of the metal parts incorporated in the build to save on finding places to fill with lead.

Review sample courtesy of

[andym]

FWIW I think "Moonlight Serenade " was actually P-61B-1-NO serial number 42-39468? The markings in the kit are the spurious museum ones on P-61C-1-NO 43-8352.

Can anyone confirm?

Andy

[Shar2]

Thanks Andy. Something is certainly screwy.

[Julien]

Yes the aircraft at Wright-Patterson is P-61C-1-NO serial number 43-8352. I have seen pictures of it without a top turret though it seems to have gained one. Midnight Serenade was indeed a P-61B-1.

They are not too good on their research with these. When I reviewed the P-61A one of the options had the turret, though this was not shown on the box art, or the instructions. However the parts were in the box.

Julien

[kpc7676]

Big oops there Hobby Boss, not doing yourselves any favours with boo boos like this one.

[Antoine]

They are not too good on their research with these.

It's not a matter of being good or not, they simply doesn't do any research.

I'm pretty sure that they do not have an historical research department.

[mungo1974]

All 3 kits are messed up,very sad since they have one in a museum in China to study

[SleeperService]

I agree that it is very sad about the lack of research. A real pity as the engineering is usually top rate and I find their plastic very easy to work with, which is just as well in many cases.

I think they would do well to establish an Internet presence for research as several others are doing already. But only if they take note of the information they receive.

[TGA]

They haven't learned from their mistakes that's for sure. Exactly like the bigger 1/32nd scale P-61 they have mixed various types of P-61s in one kit. The nose cone, for one, is wrong. Same for the markings which were definitely on a P-61B and never on a 61C. Only 41 P-61Cs were ever built and it never saw combat in the Pacific theatre. The first ever C was put in service in july 1945.

[Antoine]

They haven't learned from their mistakes that's for sure.

Maybe they don't need to.

They've the whole Chinese market nearly for themselves, with a lot of modellers that used the same kind of references, that is, references in chinese.

Could be sufficient for a given MiG, but not adequate for a Mossie or a... P-61.

[TGA]

By the way I really don't dislike the 1/32nd model. It's very very useable and the mistakes are understandable if you look at the reference material. I've done quite a lot of 'research' and there is a lot to correct but the base model is very good. The only thing I really dislike are the decals for all the panels.

[planeart]

thanks for the kind words Shar2 about the box art!! I have painted it, but i think they have erased my name from the corner of the painting! They do that some times no matter if i complained about it! I quess in the designing room, somebody does not like my name!! They have erased my name in a number of box art images i did....and i feel sick about it!! The prize of the painting is the signature of the artist!!!!!!

Very good review!!!

[SleeperService]

I've just looked at the sprue shots and realised that the cheap-skates have only included two drop tanks when, as Mike says, the C could handle 4 (and seems to have done so quite often).

 

AFAIK these aren't available as after-market parts so another glitch by HB. Rather annoying....

[Orangesherbert]

I got the revell version for Christmas. I was worried.  Now, not so much. 

[iSteve]

So the Great Wall version is still the one to get?

[Gorby]

4 hours ago, iSteve said:

So the Great Wall version is still the one to get?

That was the conclusion I came to after building the Hobby Boss P-61B.

 

The first thing I noticed was the lack of painting information – the only colour it mentions on the interior was 'Interior Green'. There isn't even any colour instructions for the engines.

The next thing I noticed (quit soon after the first thing because it was in step one of the assembly instructions) was that some of the parts are not labelled on the instruction sheet.

The next thing I noticed (very soon after the second thing) was that the three seats look too small. I'm not talking about a rivet-counters idea of too small – they look like 1/72 seats. I tired sitting a Tamiya 1/48 pilot figure in them and it didn't come close to fitting. Maybe the Black Widow was flown by infant school children?

The next thing I noticed (remarkably soon after the third thing) was that although there are plenty of decals to use in both the front and rear cockpit, there is nothing in the instructions to say where they should go! About half are reasonably obvious, but the placement of rest is a mystery and left to the builder to sort out.

Fitting the two fuselage halves together was awful. Didn't matter what I did there was still quite a wide gap at the top and bottom of the nose. There isn't much you can do as most of the stuff in the front fuselage area is metal – so not that easy to shave a bit off. Of course this has the knock on problem when you try to fit the nose cone...

The next problem I noticed (I had stopped attributing the problems with numbers by this point) was that the bottom of one side of the fuselage had a mottled texture, the plastic was very thin and the panel lines faded out as if there wasn't enough plastic in the mould.

The final problem was with the glazed dome for the rear cockpit. The dome has two sprue attachment points and two overflow stubs and all four attachments are on the clear bit, not on the edge, which required a lot of work to sort out.

 

Don't was you money on this kit, it was awful.