Historical: 

The 418th Night Fighter Squadron was activated on 1 April 1943 at the Army Air Force School of Applied Tactics, Orlando Army Air Base, Florida. After several months of training with Douglas P-70 Havoc night fighters, the unit was deployed to Dobodura Airfield, New Guinea. It was the first dedicated night interceptor squadron assigned to the Pacific Theater. However, it was found that the P-70 was not very successful in actual combat interception of Japanese fighters at night. In September 1944, the squadron was re-equipped with Northrop P-61 Black Widows and moved to Morotai Island in the Netherlands East Indies where they engaged enemy aircraft. In the East Indies, additional North American B-25 Mitchells and P-38s were assigned, using the B-25s for night intruder operations, P-61s for night fighter operations and the P-38s for searchlight cooperation operations. In November the squadron moved to the Philippines, arriving on Leyte on 14 November.

The heavily-armed Black Widow-the United States' first aircraft specifically designed as a night-fighter-first flew on May 21st, 1942. The P-61 had four forward-firing 20mm cannons and a dorsal turret housing four .50-caliber machine guns. The radar equipment in its nose enabled its crew to locate and attack enemy aircraft in total darkness. The twin boom arrangements housed two Pratt & Whitney turbocharged engines and were joined at rear by a large plane and twin rudder formation. The pilot was seated in the main fuselage, with the gunner immediately behind him and the radar operator at the rear of the gondola.

Info: P-61B Black Widow - USAAF 418th NFS, #42-5595 Time's A 'Wastin', Morotai Island, 1944