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New P-61C here!


JPuente54

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I was just perusing the Squadron Mail Order website and discovered that the HobbyBoss 1/72nd scale P-61C is now available. Squadron has it priced at $30.99USD; your mileage may vary. @72modeler, you may like this; you have told me that you prefer the 0.50 cal. turreted versions. The painting indicates an intake of some sort under the cowlings. This looks good; I believe that HobbyBoss intends to release the entire series of P-61s.

Joe

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6 minutes ago, JPuente54 said:

I was just perusing the Squadron Mail Order website and discovered that the HobbyBoss 1/72nd scale P-61C is now available. Squadron has it priced at $30.99USD; your mileage may vary. @72modeler, you may like this; you have told me that you prefer the 0.50 cal. turreted versions. The painting indicates an intake of some sort under the cowlings. This looks good; I believe that HobbyBoss intends to release the entire series of P-61s.

Joe

Joe-

Saw that the P-61C is out, now. Only problem with the C-model is they arrived too late to see combat service. They were used as the basis for the F-15 Reporter recon version, but were unarmed. The F-15's were in natural metal and the P-61C's were in gloss black, The P-61C differed from the B-model by having C-series R-2800-73 engines with GE CH-5 turbosuperchargers with  asymmetrical paddle blade props, perforated speed brakes on the upper and lower wing,  and  the cowlings had two cheek air inlets for the intercoolers, and there was another scoop and fairing  at the bottom for the supercharger. Top speed and climb rate were dramatically increased, but by that time there was no real need for them. Both of the surviving P-61's in the U.S. are P-61C's but the Mid Atlantic Air Museum is restoring a genuine P-61B recovered from the Pacific to airworthy status. I intend to get the HB P-61C and use it as the basis for an F-15 conversion. Thanks for the heads-up, though!

Mike

 

XP-61E Two built from existing P-61B airframes; one had a sliding bubble canopy and the other had a bubble canopy that hinged to the RH side 

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:XP-61E_-_-_Ray_Wagner_Collection_Image_(27945737421).jpg

 

F-15A Reporter Built from existing P-61C airframes

https://alchetron.com/Northrop-F-15-Reporter

 

P-61C with the speedbrakes deployed

https://ww2aircraft.net/forum/threads/p-61-with-air-brakes.10901/

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Mike, you're welcome. The supercharger intake is rather prominent in the box-top painting; that's why I mentioned it. Good luck on your conversion, and the NMF, that's where the real fun starts! Right now all 3 P-61 models(A, B, C) are the same price(mentioned in Post #1) at Squadron Mail Order, www.squadron.com, (your mileage may vary). I know that you know that Mike; just letting everyone else know.

Joe

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The interesting thing is, the kit comes with matkings for "Moonlight Serenade."  While the USAF Museum's P-61C is painted in those markings, the real "Moonlight Serenade" was a wartime B-model.  The museum presumably thought a combat scheme would be more interesting.

 

SN 

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13 hours ago, Steve N said:

The interesting thing is, the kit comes with matkings for "Moonlight Serenade."  While the USAF Museum's P-61C is painted in those markings, the real "Moonlight Serenade" was a wartime B-model.  The museum presumably thought a combat scheme would be more interesting.

 

SN 

The NASM also has a P-61C, but it is displayed unrestored in the postwar markings it wore as part of a thunderstorm weather research unit, IIRC. It had the dorsal turret removed. The MAAM's P-61B, which is being restored to flight, is the only Widow existing in wartime fit. The AFM's example used to belong to a boy scout pack in the Midwest, IIRC, and was displayed outside for many years...I have no idea how they got it!

Mike

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