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Black Widow - Aircraft Profile - : Black Widow

Black Widow

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The P-61 Black Widow built by Northrop was the first operational American military aircraft designed specifically to use the new technology of radar, The Black Widow twin engine, all-metal aircraft was used primarily as a night fighter by the United States Army Air Force squadrons in all theatres of world war two. It replaced earlier British-designed night-fighter aircraft that had been updated to incorporate radar when it became available. The P -61 Black Widow of the 548th NFS aircraft Lady in the Dark on the night of 14th August 1945, was unofficially credited with the last Allied air victory before victory over Japan was declared and the end of world war two.

Black Widow

Black Widow Artwork Collection


The Last to Fight by Craig Kodera.


Twilight Conquest by Nicolas Trudgian.


Bite of the Black Widow by Stan Stokes.
Known Aces for this aircraft
Ace NameVictories
Robert E Tierney5.00


Black Widow
Squadron details



Black Widow
Pilot and aircrew signature details



Lieutenant Colonel Herman Ernst
Our estimated value of this signature : £40
Died : 2003

Lieutenant Colonel Herman Ernst

Lt. Col. Herman E. Ernst Born in Philadelphia, his family moved here when he was very young and and he graduated from Central High School in 1936. He attended the University of Chattanooga briefly, before Enlisting in 1940, Herman Ernst arrived in the ETO with the 422nd during the build up to D-Day. He quickly got into action with his P61 Borrowed Time, shooting down a buzz bomb on his first combat mission. He finished the war an ace with 5 air victories and over 70 combat missions including hazardous ground support missions in the Battle of the Bulge. He was discharged from active service in 1945 but continued service in the Tennessee Air National Guard until 1978. He retained a life long passion for flying and was long and active member of the Chattanooga Flyers Club. Sadly Lt. Col. Herman E. Ernst died aged 85 on February 28th 2003.


Major Robert Graham
Our estimated value of this signature : £40

Major Robert Graham

Robert Graham was a highly skilled radar operator on the P61, the first American fighter to be equipped with radar. Posted to England he served with the 422nd Night Fighter Squadron. Robert Graham and his pilot R A Anderson in their P61 Double Trouble had 5 confirmed victories and 65 combat missions. They also participated in the Battle of the Bulge, providing ground cover. He retired as Major in 1965.




Major General Oris B Johnson
Our estimated value of this signature : £50
Died : 1999

Major General Oris B Johnson

Oris Baker Johnson was born in 1920 in Ashland, Louisiana. He graduated from high school in Natchitoches, Louisiana in 1935 and entered Louisiana State Normal College where he majored in chemistry and physics. After receiving his bachelor of science degree in 1939, he taught for one year in Mer Rouge, Louisiana. Oris Baker Johnson entered the Army Air Corps in November 1940 as an aviation cadet and received pilot training at Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Randolph and Kelly fields, Texas. He graduated, receiving his wings in July 1941. He then served as a pilot at several air bases in the United States. He assumed command of the 422nd Night Fighter Squadron and took them into combat in Europe. The squadron was equipped with the P61 and under his command they received the Presidential Unit Citation for their combat service during the Battle of the Bulge in the winter of 1944. He led the squadron throughout its combat operations in Europe. After the war he was assigned to the Tactical Air Command, and in July 1946 was transferred to Langley Air Force Base, Virginia. Oris Baker Johnson was assigned in August 1947 to Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C., in the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, Operations, where he served in the Fighter Branch and later as chief of the Air Defense Division. During the Korean War in April 1951, he was assigned to Headquarters Far East Air Forces in Tokyo, Japan, and became director of requirements, Directorate of Operations. He returned to the United States in October 1953 to begin a series of assignments with Aerospace Defense Command (then Air Defense Command) and took command of the 501st Air Defense Group at OHare International Airport, Chicago. In January 1956 he was assigned to Air Defense Command Headquarters at Ent Air Force Base, Colorado, where he served initially as chairman of the Distant Early Warning Operations Warning Group and then as special assistant to the deputy for operations. In August 1957 General Johnson was reassigned to Headquarters U.S. Air Force and served in the Directorate of Operations and as chief, Weapons Systems Division in the Office of the Assistant Chief of Staff for Air Defense Systems. During 1960 under the U.S. Air Force-Royal Air Force exchange program, he was a student at the Imperial Defence College in London, England. After completing the course, he assumed duty in December 1960 with Headquarters U.S. Air Forces in Europe, Wiesbaden, Germany. During this tour of duty he served as the assistant deputy chief of staff for operations. In August 1963 he returned to the United States as commander of the Washington Air Defense Sector based at Fort Lee, Virginia. In February 1966 General Johnson returned to Ent Air Force Base as director of operations for North American Air Defense and Continental Air Defense Command and in August 1966 he assumed command of the 9th Aerospace Defense Division, ADC. The division became the Fourteenth Aerospace Force in July 1968. He became commander of the 313th Air Division, with headquarters at Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, in August 1969. General Johnson again was assigned to Aerospace Defense Command in September 1971 in the position of deputy chief of staff material, Aerospace Defense Command. General Johnson retired on the 1st of August 1973. His military decorations and awards include the Distinguished Service Medal, the Legion of Merit with three oak leaf clusters, Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal with six oak leaf clusters, Air Force Commendation Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Presidential Unit Citation Emblem, Air Force Outstanding Unit Award Ribbon, French Croix de Guerre with star, and the Belgian Fourragere. Major General Johnson passed away on 14th September 1999.


First Lieutenant Bob Tierney
Our estimated value of this signature : £45

First Lieutenant Bob Tierney

Joining up in 1942, Bob Tierney arrived in Europe with the 422nd in 1944. Flying the P61 he flew his first combat mission on July 7th 1944, and during his tour completed a total of 53 combat missions, of which 16 were train strafing missions in Germany. On one occassion Pilot 1st Lt. Paul A. Smith and R/O 1st Lt. Robert E. Tierney followed a German aircraft to the ground, the German plane playing a game of tag, always staying safely ahead of the P–61, but never attempting to lose it either. After nearly thirty minutes of chase, Smith and Tierney found themselves at low altitude flying through a killing field of light German antiaircraft guns supported by searchlights. Having lost their port engine, the 422d Night Fighter Squadron (NFS) crew nursed the damaged Black Widow back to their home base. Though the P–61 bore eighty-seven holes, the Germans were unable to claim their prize. 1st Lts. Paul A. Smith and Robert E. Tierney became the first U.S. night aces the day after Christmas, shooting down two Ju 188s. First Lieutenant Bob Tierney finished the war an ace with 15 air victories. He retired from active duty in 1945. On one occassion Pilot 1st Lt. Paul A. Smith and R/O 1st Lt. Robert E. Tierney followed a German aircraft to the ground, the German plane playing a game of tag, always staying safely ahead of the P–61, but never attempting to lose it either. After nearly thirty minutes of chase, Smith and Tierney found themselves at low altitude flying through a 'killing field' of light German antiaircraft guns supported by searchlights. Having lost their port engine, the 422d Night Fighter Squadron (NFS) crew nursed the damaged Black Widow back to their home base. Though the P–61 bore eighty-seven holes, the Germans were unable to claim their prize.

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