Curtiss P-40 Warhawk

The Curtiss P-40 Warhawk was a fighter aircraft in service with the US Army Air Forces during World War II. It was also used by the British, Australian, and Canadian Royal Air Force during this armed conflict. Until the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, it had been the most numerous and the most important monoplane fighter in the arsenal of the US Air Forces. However, by 1943, it would be replaced by the P-38 Lightning, the P-47 Thunderbolt, and the P-51 Mustang in the vicious dogfight arena as it would be relegated to the ground-attack role.

The Curtiss P-40 Warhawk was developed from the P-36A. When the tenth P-36A was upgraded with a 1,150-HP, Allison V-1710-19 supercharged engine, it became the protype XP-40, whose first flight took place on October 14, 1938. It entered service in June 1940 as the P-40-CU, which was the first production version. In the British RAF, it would be called the Tomahawk Mk I and, later, the Kittyhawk. Since the Kittyhawk was inferior in maneuverability to the British fighters, it would be used by the RAF only as a ground-attack aircraft.

Below, underside view of the Curtiss P-40N version in 1944.

The P-40-CU would be followed by the P-40B, which had armored cockpit; then the P-40C, which featured self-sealing fuel tanks; the P-40D, which introduced a slightly shortened nose and a new radiator; The P-40E, with six 12.7mm machine guns; The P-40F, which was powered by a Rolls Royce Merlin engine; and the P-40N, which had a more powerful engine and shackles for up to 680 kg of bombs. From all these versions, the P-40E and the P-40N were the most massively produced and the most extensively deployed, from the Pacific to Europe and North Africa. The production of all Warhawks totaled 16,802, which included the 13,738 aircraft for the US Army Air Forces.

Technical Characteristics

The Curtiss P-40 Warhawk was a single-seat, single-engine monoplane. It was of all-metal construction and it was fitted with cantilever low wings, whose leading edge was straight. On the trailing edge, the wings had the ailerons and long split flaps. The tail had a large rudder, located behind the elevator hinge. The fuselage was modern, with an alloy framework covered with Alclad aluminum. The engine cowling had a large scoop, on which a 'shark mouth' was often painted by the Americans. The landing gear was retractable, with the wheels folding up into root of wing.

Specifications (P-40N)

Type: fighter

Length: 10.20 m (33 ft, 6 inch)

Wingspan: 11.42 m (37 ft, 6 inch)

Wing Area: 21.95 m2 (236 sq ft)

Height: 3.77 m (12 ft, 4 inch)

Powerplant: one Allison V-1710-81, V-12 piston engine, delivering 1,360 HP.

Maximum Speed: 609 km/h (378 mph)

Combat Range: 386 km (240 miles)

Ceiling: 11,630 m (38,160 ft)

Armament: six 12.7-mm M2 Browning machine guns in wing; provision of 227-kg bombs.

Below, the P-40-CU (P-40A), the first production aircraft.

Color photo of the P-40E flying over North Africa.

The Kittyhawk Mk I (P-40D) in service with the RAF.

Below, the P-40N variant in flight over Italy in 1944.

The XP-40 prototype in 1938.