The image above is a United States Army Air Force photo taken on Iwo Jima on March 6, 1945, and shows Midnite Madness, a 548th Night Fighter Squadron Northrop P-61A-11 Black Widow (Serial No. 42-5610) landing on South Field with the tails of two 47th Fighter Squadron/15th Fighter Group Mustangs in the foreground.

On March 6th, Brigadier General Ernest M. “Mickey” Moore, commanding officer of the 7th Fighter Command, and 24 North American P-51D Mustangs landed on South Field. Shortly thereafter, 13 Northrop P-61A Black Widows of the 548th NFS landed on South Field in flights of four, the extra being a 6th NFS Black Widow “guide dog” with the first flight. Which P-61 Black Widow was the first to land on Iwo Jima?

According to the photo above, it was Midnite Madness. The official caption for the photo reads, “A Northrop P-61 ‘Black Widow’ taxies to the parking area at No.1 Airfield on Iwo Jima, Bonin Islands. This is the first night fighter to land at the field. 6 March 1945.” But that caption may not be accurate.

According to Eric Shulenberger, the author of Deny Them the Night Sky: A History of the 548th Night Fighter Squadron, the first P-61 Black Widow to land on Iwo Jima was most likely the 6th NFS “guide dog” P-61 on Temporary Additional Duty leading the 548th NFS’s A Flight from the Marianas to Iwo Jima. Piecing together written statements of 548th pilots and personnel, Dr. Shulenberger believes that Bat Out’A Hell (Serial No. 42-5609) was the first 548th P-61 to land on Iwo Jima. Midnite Madness landed with the second flight and was most likely the 7th P-61 to land on Iwo Jima.

I will review several decal sheets containing markings for 548th NFS Black Widows in the near future, in addition to reviewing Deny Them the Night Sky: A History of the 548th Night Fighter Squadron. Excellent book!

References:

Eric Shulenberger, PhD, JD; Deny Them the Night Sky: A History of the 548th Night Fighter Squadron, self published by Dr. Shulenberger (2005).