German Pilots Couldn’t Believe One P-61 Black Widow Was Hunting Them at Night The Northrop P-61 Black Widow was America’s first purpose-built night fighter and one of the most advanced aircraft of World War II. Designed to hunt in total darkness, the P-61 combined airborne interception radar, heavy 20mm cannons, long endurance, and twin-engine power to intercept enemy bombers, V-1 flying bombs, and night intruders over Europe and the Pacific. Developed in response to the German Blitz and Luftwaf