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| USAAF 5th AF 421st NFS
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Aircraft History Built by Northrop in Hawthorne, California completed by January 4, 1944. Constructors Number 748. At the factory, painted overall black. On January 10, 1944 delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as P-61A-1-NO Black Widow serial number 42-5502. On January 11, 1944 flown to Sacramento Air Depot (SAD) then to Oakland and disassembled and loaded on a ship as cargo and departs March 20, 1944 bound for the South West Pacific Area (SWPA). Wartime History Assigned to the 5th Air Force (5th AF), 421st Night Fighter Squadron (421st NFS) at Nadzab Airfield. Assigned to pilot Lt. David Corts and radar operator Lt. Alexander Berg. Nicknamed "Skippy" on the left side of the nose in double quotations in a cursive font named by Corts for a girl he knew in Orlando, Florida. Nicknamed "Nocturnal Nemesis" on the right side of the nose with the nose art of a woman in underwear seated atop a bed with a pillow. On June 15, 1944 became part of the Far East Air Force (FEAF). On September 9, 1944 at night took off from Owi Airfield piloted by Lt. David Corts and radar operator Lt. Alexander Berg and gunner SSgt Millard Braxton on a patrol with P-61 pilot Lt. Bjorum on a patrol. While over Yapen (Japen) were vectored by ground controllers (GCI) to intercept a number of bogies that had just attacked Owi Island. While approaching a target from the rear, this P-61 was fired on from behind but pulled off and the fire hit their target causing it to catch fire and crash into the sea at 3:05am. Although this P-61 had not fired a shot, it was credited with an aerial victory. During March 1945 the victory was removed by the Far East Air Force (FEAF). On November 15, 1944 while parked at Tacloban Airfield on Leyte destroyed by a Japanese bombing raid. Afterwards, usable parts were salvaged. Ultimate fate unknown, likely scrapped. References USAF Serial Number Search Results - P-61A-1-NO Black Widow 42-5502 "5502 condemned bombed Nov 15, 1944." The 421st Night Fighter Squadron in World War II (2010) pages 49 (photo "Skippy"), 50 (photos "Skippy" and "Nocturnal Nemesis"), 54 (September 9, 1944), 62 (November 15, 1944), 197 (Appendix C: P-61A 42-5502), 201 (November 15, 1944) Contribute
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