P-61 Black Widows on the civil registry

[72modeler]

I have attached a link to a site that has description, history, and photos of P-61 Black Widows that were on the civil registry  after the war. NX30020 used to be based here in San Antonio where I live, and I remember seeing her parked on the ramp next to the American Airlines Airfreight hangar where my uncle worked at the time. I wish I had taken pictures of her back then, but during my teenage years, I was more involved with building and flying control line models than plastic ones!

Mike

 

http://napoleon130.tripod.com/p61blackwidow/id38.html

 

 

Edited June 18, 2019 by 72modeler
corrected spelling

[Antti_K]

Hello Mike,

 

that yellow and black paint scheme looks rather nice; I got interested in P-61s again🙂 Thank you for the link. My former boss spent a couple of years in Canada flying Catalina (or were they Cansos) water bombers and they looked equally cool in orange/white/black paint scheme.

 

I had a Monogram 1/48 P-61 that I was converting into an F-15 Reporter for years. Unfortunately the project stalled and I tossed it into the bin. Rather sad since Reporter is a good looking aircraft. Somehow it brings the Hughes high altitude reconnaissance plane prototype into mind. We had an "aviation minded flea market" (books, manuals, kits, decals,photos,...) at the Finnish Aviation Museum and there was a guy selling a F-15 conversion kit: for a price of a small car (and cars are extremely expensive here in Finland, even small ones). To my eye both the canopy and nose part were clearly out of shape. I was somewhat confused as I had read nothing but praise for that conversion set.

 

Kind Regards,

Antti

[72modeler]

Antti,

 

I don't think Mike West of Lone Star Models still lists the resin conversion anymore to do a 1/48 F-15 Reporter using the Monogram P-61B kit. It would be expensive and hard to find one at a trade table/swap meet at one of our IPMS contests, much less at one on your side of the pond. You might have better luck finding a Maintrack resin F-15 conversion in 1/72 scale, and you could use an Airfix, DML, or Hobby Boss kit, although the Hobby Boss P-61C would be a better starting point, as it already has the correct cowlings, props, and intakes, as the F-15's were modified P-61C's with a new fuselage pod and  bubble canopy. . See the links to what the Lone Star conversion set looks like, as well as a conversion done by the late, great "Bondo Phil" Brandt. Maybe Mike might make new masters for the F-15- you might try emailing him at Lone Star Models. Good luck on your quest!

Mike

 

http://acc.kitreview.com/lonestarpreview_1.htm

 

http://hsfeatures.com/features04/f15apb_1.htm

 

 

[dogsbody]

This Canso has been restored to flying condition at the Fairview Aircraft Restoration Society, in Fairview, Alberta.

 

 

 

Chris

[Antti_K]

Hello guys,

 

thank you for all the information Mike🙂 I wasn't aware that there is a 1/72 scale conversion kit available as well. As I am interested (especially) in all things with cameras and wings this is clearly for me.

 

This Canso looks very much like the one my boss flew (I guess he is the only Finnish pilot to fly a Canso/ Catalina). Thank you for the photo Chris. The planes my boss piloted had more white on them and no green areas at all. They also carried a big black number (like 1, 2, 3,...) on the fin.

 

Cheers,

Antti

[k5054nz]

On 6/18/2019 at 9:42 AM, Antti_K said:

Somehow it brings the Hughes high altitude reconnaissance plane prototype into mind.

Hear hear - almost a practical XF-11 Lite. I'm always amazed how sleek the F-15 is compared to the P-61. Would love to build one in 1/72 one day.