The P-61 Black Widow was America’s first purpose-built night fighter, a heavily armed, twin-engine aircraft equipped with ...

What You Need to Know: The Northrop P-61 Black Widow was the U.S. Army Air Force’s first dedicated night-fighter, featuring innovative radar technology. With its twin-engine, twin-boom design ...

P-61 Black Widow – Could This Be the Best Fighter of World War II? – As the U.S. military’s first operational warplane designed as a night fighter, the Northrop P-61 Black Widow is ...

By the war’s end, the P-61 was credited with numerous kills, including aircraft and V-1s, and had earned a reputation as a reliable and versatile night fighter.

Both companies have storied histories. The Northrop side of Northrop Grumman produced the P-61 fighter during World War II as well as the famous Flying Wing bombers.