Men of the 490th Armament Section, 386th Service Group, remove ammunition from the four 50 caliber machine guns in the dorsal turret on a 548th Night Fighter Squadron Northrop P-61A Black Widow. The removed turret cover can be seen on the wing just behind the cowl flaps of the left engine.

With four 50 caliber machines in the dorsal turret, and four 20 millimeter cannons in the lower fuselage, the Black Widow was the most lethal United States fighter produced during World War II. It also holds the distinction of being the first operational United States warplane specifically designed as a night fighter.

Operationally, the dorsal turret was problematic as it buffeted considerably when not in the forward position. This led ground crews to fix the four 50 caliber machine guns in place in the forward firing position. While solving the buffeting problem, it negated the true purpose of a gun turret.

Although not built in great numbers, the Black Widow served effectively as a night fighter in the European, Mediterranean, China-Burma-India, and Pacific theaters of operation. It was extremely maneuverable aircraft for its size.

On August 14, 1945, a P-61B named Lady in the Dark of 548th NFS was unofficially credited with the last aerial victory of the war.

The official caption to this photo is Men of the 490th Armament Section, 386th Service Group removing ammunition from 50 cal machine guns on a Northrop P-61 “Black Widow”. They are left to right: Sgt. John Harvatick, 1522 Myrtle Avenue, Whiting Indiana; Sgt. Allen A. Ross, 4532 North Mobile Avenue, Chicago, Illinois; Sgt. Lawrence Schank, 900 East Main Street, Melville, New Jersey; and (on wing) T/Sgt. Warren A. Burr, 6887 North Overhill Avenue, Chicago, Illinois. Iwo Jima, Bonin Islands, 17 April 1945.