Northrop F-15 Reporter


Reporter.jpg (43330 bytes)

The F-15 Reporter was a photographic reconnaissance version of the P-61 Black Widow. In the summer of 1945, the last XP-61E was modified as an unarmed photographic reconnaissance aircraft. All the guns were removed, and a new nose was fitted, capable of holding an assortment of aerial cameras. The aircraft was redesignated XF-15 (in the pre-1948 F-for photo recon series, not to be confused with the post-1948 F-for-fighter series). It flew for the first time on July 3, 1945. Even before the first flight of the XF-15, the USAAF had shown enough interest in the recon version of the Black Widow that in June of 1945 they ordered 175 production F-15As. These were given the popular name "Reporter".  The F-15A was basically the P-61C with the new bubble-canopy fuselage and the camera-carrying nose. The fighter brakes on the wing were eliminated. The first production F-15A-1-NO was accepted in September 1946. However, the contract was abruptly canceled in 1947, possibly because the performance of the Reporter was rapidly being overshadowed by jets. Only 36 F-15As were accepted before the contract was cancelled. (This information is from the Joe Baugher website.)

For more data on this aircraft, click here for Joe Baugher's webpage.
Additional information on this aircraft can be found at Wikipedia here.
(updated February 2009)


Northrop F-15 Reporter

Type:           Photo reconnaissance
Crew:           2
Armament:       none; capable of carrying 6 cameras

Specifications:
        (see data for Northrop P-61)

(go to Northrop page)

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