Page 6 - Aerotech News and Review, Sept. 20, 2019

High Desert Hangar Stories
Northrop’s P-61 Black Widow: America’s WWII night fighter

by Bob Alvis today, finds little press and follow- aircraft were making the rounds out at
special to Aerotech News ing like its more famous brothers of Muroc and on the dry lake beds.
World War II. One Northrop project that would be-
In my hallway is a painting that is Back in the days of World War II, come very successful was the P-61 Black
unique to our household, as it’s the one Northrop was not a big supplier of mili- Widow, which in the later years of World
that my wife Patty tolerates in my collec- tary hardware. However, that did not War II would become the fear of many
tion of all things in aviation art. mean they were not knee-deep in govern- Axis pilots who braved the night on mis-
We all have our favorite aircraft, ment projects, as the flying wing design sions to attack Allied forces around the
but for some reason Patty has always was getting some heavy looks from the world. The P-61 Black Widow — de-
veloped in secrecy down in Hawthorne,
been attracted to the looks and history higher-ups in military aircraft purchas- Calif. — had its public debut at, of all
of a very mysterious aircraft that, even ing, and several other very unique test
places, the Los Angeles Coliseum at a
night-time war bond rally. The Black
Widow made a quick pass over the
festivities and the announcer teased the
crowd with what they had just seen, and
what it was — then followed by what
they were not supposed to have just seen,
and what it was not! Many a P-61 made
the trip up and over Aerospace Valley
during those development days, but all
the citizens knew was that another radial
engine plane was making the rounds in
those dark skies of the Southland. They
went on about their business, not know-
ing the lethality of the night fighter that
was passing overhead.
During that time period, night fighters
and crews were coming out of the San
See HANGAR, Page 7
Courtesy photograph Right: The artwork titled The Spider
A World War II ad announcing the existence of a new type of fighter, the very and the Fly by Stan Vosburg that fuels
first of its kind. my wife, Patty’s, passion. Courtesy photograph

Growing to Meet the Community’s Needs

Palmdale Regional is making big changes over the next few years to better serve you …

HERE IS WHAT TO WATCH FOR: More Ways to Discover the
New Maternity Labor & Delivery Unit
This 33,000-square-foot space will feature 25 private patient rooms, Diff erence at Palmdale Regional
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intensive care services (eight additional beds), plus expansion of the
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adding a 36-bed nursing unit for joint, spine and bariatric care.
Facility-wide Technology Investments
The hospital will replace its current imaging technology (MRI and CT
Scanners) as well as update its cardiac catheterization lab (cath lab),
pharmacy and clinical laboratory.
Further in the Future …
Palmdale Regional is assessing the addition of a second patient tower 38600 Medical Center Drive | Palmdale, CA 93551
and the possibility of adding a new, freestanding behavioral health
facility on the campus.

Physicians are independent practitioners who are not employees or agents
of Palmdale Regional Medical Center. The hospital shall not be liable for
actions or treatments provided by physicians. For language assistance,
disability accommodations and the non-discrimination notice,
visit our website. 190038-6555 9/19

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