Northrop F-15A Reporter

The Northrop F-16A Reporter was an unarmed reconnaissance aircraft based on the XP-61E Black Widow. The XP-61E was to have been a long-range daylight escort fighter, of which two prototypes were built. The stepped cockpit and turret of the standard P-61 was replaced by a two-man cockpit with a bubble canopy, and they were powered by the turbo-supercharged engines used on the P-61C, but the design lost out to the Twin Mustang, and none were ordered.

During 1945 the Army returned the first XP-61E prototype to Northrop to be converted into the XF-15. The only significant change was the removal of the guns from the nose and their replacement with cameras. The top of the nose could open forward on hinges, and camera ports were cut in the side of the nose.

In June 1945 the Army ordered 175 F-15As, and on 3 July the XF-15 made its maiden flight. It was followed by the XF-15A, which was produced by giving a standard P-61C the camera nose of the XF-15 and the canopy from the second XP-61E. The XF-15A made its maiden flight on 17 October 1945.

The production F-15A was very similar to the XF-15A, but without the fighter brakes of the P-61C. The first was accepted in September 1946, but it was clear that piston engined aircraft were becoming obsolete, and production ended in 1947, after thirty-six aircraft had been built.

Twenty-seven of the F-15As were sent to the 8th Photo Reconnaissance Squadron, at Johnston Air Base, Japan, arriving from March 1947. Operations began in July and the squadron was up to full strength by October, but their time in Japan was limited, and on 1 April 1949 the remaining aircraft were withdrawn from service. By this time they had been reclassified as the RF-61C.

Engine: Two Pratt & Whitney R-2800C radial engines
Power: 2,800hp each
Crew: 2
Wing span: 66ft
Length: 50ft 4in
Height: 14ft 2in
Empty Weight: 21,350lb
Maximum Weight: 37,190lb
Max Speed: 440mph
Service Ceiling: 41,000ft
Range: 4,000 miles
Armament: None
Bomb-load: None

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How to cite this article: Rickard, J (1 July 2009), Northrop F-15A Reporter , http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/weapons_northrop_F-15_reporter.html

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