P-61 Black Widow Desk Mat

Sale price$19.99 USD

Tax excluded.


Size: 31.5" × 15.5"

The Northrop P-61 Black Widow was the first U.S. aircraft designed specifically as a night fighter and one of the most advanced of World War II. Introduced in 1944, it was equipped with onboard radar, allowing it to detect and intercept enemy aircraft in complete darkness. Powered by twin Pratt & Whitney R-2800 Double Wasp engines, the P-61 could reach speeds over 366 mph (589 km/h) and altitudes exceeding 30,000 feet (9,144 metres). Armed with four 20mm cannons and four .50 calibre machine guns, it was a formidable interceptor in the Pacific, European, and China-Burma-India theatres.

 

The P-61 is famously credited with achieving the last aerial kill of World War II on August 14, 1945, when a Black Widow named Lady in the Dark forced a Japanese Nakajima Ki-44 "Tojo" to crash into the sea near Okinawa without firing a single shot. This remarkable feat, combined with its advanced technology, solidified the Black Widow’s legacy as a pioneering and highly effective night fighter.