P-61B-1 Black Widow

“ANONYMOUS III”
Bu No. 42-39405, 548th NFS, Saipan 1944
LT M.W. Bode (Pilot) & LT A.J. Miller (R/O)

Recommended reading:
“Conquering the Night: Army Air Forces Night Fighters at War,” McFarland, Stephen L.

Most everyone who is a fan would agree, the aircraft had a very brief presence towards the end of the war with less than a year to go on the Pacific front, before the Japanese surrender. However, the role was important and so was the technology. Daylight air superiority forced the Japanese into the night, and the pressure could not let up to secure victory in the pacific, the night had to be owned as well, and protecting the Pacific forward positions to launch blows into the Japanese mainland was unquestionable. Ushering in the technology to fire before being seen; the beginning of capitalizing the advantage of airborne radar and stealth.