Combat Chronicles of the Northrop P-61 'Black Widow' (soft back) Dramatic first-hand accounts by the pilots, radar observers, and gunners who saw combat aboard the first dedicated U.S. night fighter in World War II fill this unique volume, the first in Squadron/Signal's new Combat Chronicles series. Combat Chronicles books bring you action-packed, eye-witness war stories, interviews, and first-hand reminiscences from the front lines. In this premier volume we hear from the crews who rode the 'Black Widow' into battle all over the world. The outbreak of war in Europe in September 1939 and the Battle of Britain in 1940 left no room for doubt that the United States needed quickly to come up with a specialized night fighter to confront the totally new fa ce of air combat. Northrop was able to come up with designs for a new, specially designated night fighter and a contract for what was to become the P-61 'Black Widow' was signed on 11 January 1941. After the first production aircraft rolled off the assembly line in October 1943, the P-61 went on to operate in the European, Pacific, China-Burma-India, and Mediterranean Theaters of the war. Experience World War II as it was seen by the men in the cockpit of this history-making radar-equipped night interceptor. Illustrated with 152 photographs, 112 pages.