Curtiss P-40
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O Curtiss P-40 Warhawk foi um avião monomotor norte-americano, monolugar de asa baixa. Construído completamente em metal como avião de ataque ao solo, voou pela primeira vez em 1938, e foi usado em grande número durante a Segunda Guerra Mundial. O P-40 resultou de um desenvolvimento da célula do caça P-36 Hawk de modo a se poder alcançar uma produção em massa de aviões sem uma perda significativa de tempo gasto em desenvolvimento. Quando a produção terminou, em Novembro de 1944, 13 738 P-40s tinham sido produzidos; eles foram usados pelas forças aéreas de 28 países até 1948.
Warhawk foi o nome que o United States Army Air Corps (USAAC) adotou para todos os modelos, fazendo com que todos os P-40 nos EUA tivessem esse nome. As forças aéreas do Império Britânico deram-lhe o nome de Tomahawks aos modelos equivalentes aos P-40B e P-40C, e Kittyhawk aos modelos equivalentes ao P-40E e versões posteriores.
A falta de compressor de dois estágios fez com que o P-40 obtivesse prestações bastante inferiores aos caças da Luftwaffe nos combates a altas altitudes. Por este motivo o P-40 foi pouco usado teatro de operações do noroeste da Europa. No entanto, entre 1941 e 1944, o P-40 teve um papel crucial com as forças aéreas aliadas em cinco grandes teatros da guerra: China; Mediterrâneo; Sudeste da Ásia; Sudoeste do Pacífico e na Europa Oriental.
O P-40 teve o seu baptismo de fogo com os esquadrões na Força Aérea do Deserto do Império Britânico , em agosto de 1942. A fraca performance a grandes altitudes do P-40 não era crítica no Norte da África e Médio-Oriente, onde a sua capacidade de transporte de bombas, blindagem e grande raio de acção o tornavam muito valioso. O 112º Esquadrão da R.A.F. foi o primeiro a pilotar Tomahawks no Norte da África. Este esquadrão copiou as famosas bocas de tubarão, utilizadas pelos caças-bombardeiros Messerschmitt Me 110 Zerstörer, da Luftwaffe, e a marca foi posteriormente adotada pelos P-40 pertencentes à esquadrilha Tigres voadores na China.
[edit]
[editar] Desenvolvimento
O protótipo XP-40 era na realidade um Curtiss P-36 Hawk, com o seu motor radial Pratt & Whitney R-1830 original, substituído por motor Allison V-1710 V-12 com compressor e refrigerado a água. O motor em V não possuía mais potência que o motor radial, mas permitia ao avião ter uma área frontal menor, diminuindo assim a resistência ao ar do avião. [edit]
[editar] Desempenho
O P-40 possuía uma boa agilidade, principalmente a altas velocidades. Ele foi um dos caças monoplanos com o menor raio de curva da guerra, apesar de que, a baixas velocidade, não era comparável aos altamente manobráveis caças japoneses, como o A6M Zero e o Ki-43 Oscar.
Os motores Allison V-1710 não eram potentes pelos padrões da época, e a velocidade do P-40 era mediana. O seu desempenho em subida variava entre médio e ruim, consoante o modelo. A aceleração em mergulho era boa, e atingia, a picar velocidades excelentes. No entanto, o compressor de estágio e velocidade único não podia competir com os caças de grande altitude aliados e inimigos mais modernos.
Era uma aeronave bem simples, à qual faltavam algumas inovações sofisticadas como ailerons potencializados e guias automáticas de ponta, mas tinha uma estrutura muito forte, incluindo asas com sete longrinas, que permitiam que o P-40 sobrevivesse a colisões parciais em voo, com outros caças inimigos, documentadas (alguns desses casos foram considerados como vitórias pela RAF e pela VVS).
O raio de acção operacional era bom pelos padrões do ínicio da guerra melhor que o do Supermarine Spitfire e do Messerschmitt BF-109, mas inferior ao do A6M Zero, Ki-43 Oscar, e dos posteriores caças P-38 Lightning e P-51 Mustang.
A visibilidade era adequada, mas dificultada pela complexa grelha da carlinga e era completamente bloqueada para a ré do avião.
A péssima visão para o solo e o estreito corpo e trem de aterragem provocaram muitos acidentes no solo.
O P-40 era bem armado e blindado. Ele podia carregar uma carga moderadamente eficaz para ataques ao solo (mas nunca foi equipado com foguetes), era semi-modular o que facilitava a sua manutenção, e tolerava até as piores condições, lutando em qualquer lugar, dos desertos do Norte da África às matas da Nova Guiné, das tórridas Índias Orientais Holandesas, ao clima polar da União Soviética e do Alaska.
O P-40, tal como o Bell P-39 Airacobra, foi considerado inferior por muitos oficiais da Força Aérea, e era malvisto por muitos pilotos aliados no Pacífico. Sua lenta substituição pelo caça P-38 com compressor foi recebida com alegria. No entanto o grosso da luta conduzida pela USAF durante a fase de maior poder do eixo em 1942-1943 foi suportada pelos P-40s (com os P39), e foram estes dois caças, assim como os F4F Wildcat da Marinha, os quais mais contribuíram entre os modelos americanos para quebrar o poderio aéreo do eixo durante esse período crítico, principalmente no Pacífico. Nesses combates em quase todas as frentes e sob todas as bandeiras aliadas, o P-40 oferecia a vantagem adicional de ser barato, o que o manteve em produção como um caça táctico (ataque ao solo) mesmo quando já era um veículo obsoleto no que respeita à superioridade aérea.
Em teatros de guerra onde a capacidade a grandes altitudes era menos importante, o P-40 provou ser consideravelmente eficaz como caça. Apesar de ter ganho uma reputação pós-guerra de caça medíocre e apenas apto para apoio aéreo próximo, dados mais recentes dos esquadrões aliados indicam que o P-40 trabalhou surpreendentemente bem, às vezes, como caça de superioridade aérea, sofrendo perdas severas, mas abatendo muitos caças inimigos. Prova da durabilidade do P-40: em 1944, em Kittyhawk voou mais de 200 milhas (320 quilômetros) depois de perder o aileron esquerdo e 25% da área da asa, e retornou em segurança para a base em Nova Guiné.
[edit]
[editar] História Operacional
In April 1939, the Army Air Corps, witnessing the new sleek, high-speed, in-line-engined fighters of the European air forces, placed the largest single fighter order it had ever made for fighters: 524 aircraft.
An early order came from the French Armée de l'Air, which was already fielding P-36s. The Armee ordered 140 as the Hawk 81A-1 but the French military had been defeated before they had left the factory, and the aircraft were diverted to British Commonwealth service (as the Tomahawk I), in some cases complete with metric instruments.
In all, 12 British Royal Air Force squadrons, as well as two South African Air Force and two Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) squadrons serving with the RAF used 930 P-40s. (The British government also donated 23 P-40s to the Soviet Air Force.)
The P-40B/C "Tomahawk" was deemed unsuitible for combat in the European theater, and was eventually relegated to North Africa. Entering combat in August of 1941, the Tomahawks initially proved quite effective against Axis aircraft and contributed to a slight shift of momentum in the Allied favor. It was countered by the gradual introduction of the new, very formidable "Franz" (Bf 109F) variant of the Bf 109.
The Tomahawk was superceeded by the more powerful P-40D/E/K "Kittyhawk" types beginning in 1942, though the older Tomahawks remained in service until 1943. The formidable Kittyhawk variant of the P-40 (later known as the "Kittybomber" when used in the fighter-bomber role) was a major improvement over the earlier Tomahawk, and actually became the RAF's primary air superiority type in Theater for the first six months of 1942, until it was finally replaced by sufficient numbers of tropicalized Spitfire Mark V's. Commonwealth units in North Africa received few of the more powerful Packard built Merlin-engined P-40F/Ls (Kittyhawk IIA), most of which went to the USAAF. The RAF's desire for a Merlin-engined version of the P-40 ultimately led to the design of the P-51 Mustang. The later P-40M and much improved N versions arrived later and saw use mostly in the fighter-bomber role.
P-40 squadrons bore the brunt of the Luftwaffe and the Regia Aeronautica onslaught in North Africa in the crucial years of 1941 and 1942, playing a critical role in the North African campaign. Because most of the air combat took place well within the performance envelope of the P-40 (below 16,000 feet), in the hands of competent pilots the P-40 proved effective against even the best of the Luftwaffe and Regia Aeronautica.[4][6] Considered markedly superior to the older Hawker Hurricane which it replaced as the primary fighter of the Desert Air Force,[4] the P-40 was deadly against Axis bombers in theater, and dominated the Bf 110 and the early Italian fighter types such as the Fiat G.50 and the Macchi C.200, though the Bf 109 proved a greater challenge, particularly the later F and G variants. The P-40 was at least equal in firepower to the 109, superior in maneuverability and of a much stronger overall structure, but inferior in climb and (somewhat less) in speed.[4] P-40's also eventually faced the Fw 190 and several much-improved late Italian fighter types such as the excellent Macchi MC.202 and Macchi MC.205, the Regianne 2000 / 2001 / 2005, and the superlative Fiat G.55 which were superior in many aspects.
In escort, fighter sweep, and combat air patrol missions P-40's continued to give a generally good account of themselves however, with 46 British Commonwealth pilots reaching ace (five or more kills) in P-40s, including seven double aces.[6] But as P-40 squadrons began to fly more close air support missions, losses rose dramatically. Many Tomahawks and Kittyhawks were caught slow and low by marauding Bf 109's, flown by the veteran pilots of elite Luftwaffe units such as the famous Jagdgeschwader 27, and the Allied squadrons suffered heavy casualties.
In addition, some Commonwealth units, in particular the South African squadrons, are alleged to have utilized poor tactics — such as the defensive Lufbery circle — and suffered even higher attrition rates as a result. German aces made good use of the superior climb rate of the Bf 109 and specialized in destroying Allied fighter aircraft in slashing vertical attacks. Most notable was fighter ace Hans-Joachim Marseille who may have destroyed as many as 70 P-40 fighters in his career before being killed.[7] However, some researchers have suggested that German pilots in North Africa over-reported kills,[8] due in part to the German practice at the time of rewarding aces according to the number claimed.
It is clear that a good and experienced pilot, able to use the P-40 to its utmost, could fare well against the finest German aircraft, flown by the best Luftwaffe pilots. For example, the most successful Australian ace of the war, Clive "Killer" Caldwell, scored most of his victories flying Tomahawks and Kittyhawks with the RAF's 112 and 250 Squadrons in North Africa. On August 29, 1941, while on a mission over northwest Egypt, Caldwell became separated from other members of his squadron and was returning to base. He was attacked by two Bf 109s. One of his attackers was one of Germany's top aces, Werner Schroer—who would be credited with 114 Allied planes in only 197 combat missions — in the Bf 109e-7 "Black 8" . Although Caldwell's Tomahawk was hit by more than 100 7.9 mm bullets and five 20 mm cannon shells, he destroyed the Bf 109 accompanying Schroer and heavily damaged "Black 8", causing Schroer to disengage. Caldwell is also believed to have killed another German ace, Erbo Graf von Kageneck (69 kills).[9] While flying P-40s, Caldwell achieved 22 victories, 10 of which were Bf 109s and two Macchi C.202s. (He later achieved another 6.5 victories flying Spitfires in the Pacific.)[10] Canadian pilot James "Stocky" Edwards, who achieved 13 kills in the P-40 with the RAF's 94 and 260 Squadrons in North Africa, shot down German ace Otto Schulz (51 kills) while flying a Kittyhawk. Edwards and Caldwell were only two of at least a dozen pilots of several different Allied nations who achieved ace status two or more times over (10 or more kills) while flying the P-40.[6] and.[11]
[edit] Royal Australian Air Force
The Kittyhawk was the main fighter used by the RAAF in World War II, ahead of the Spitfire. Two RAAF squadrons serving with the Desert Air Force, No. 3 and No. 450 Squadrons, were the first Australian units to be assigned P-40s. Other Australians served with RAF Squadrons in the theater.
Many RAAF pilots achieved high scores in the P-40 (some while flying for the RAF early in the war), at least five reaching double-ace status: Caldwell (22 kills), Barr (11 kills) and Gibbs (10) in North Africa, Whittle and Waddy (11 kills each) in North Africa and New Guinea. In all, 18 RAAF pilots became aces while flying P-40s.[6]
At the same time as the heaviest fighting in North Africa, the Pacific War was also in its early stages, and RAAF units in Australia were completely lacking in state-of-the-art fighters. Spitfire production was being absorbed by the war in Europe, Mustangs had not yet reached squadrons anywhere and Australia's tiny and inexperienced aircraft industry was geared towards larger planes. US-built P-40s were seen as the main solution to this problem. During the course of the war, the RAAF ordered 880 Kittyhawks for use in the South West Pacific Area. The P-40 fought on the front line as a fighter during the critical early years of the war in the Pacific in 1942 and 1943, and later the durability and bomb-carrying abilities of the P-40 made it ideal for the close air support role until the end of the war.
The RAAF units which made the most use of Kittyhawks were: No. 75, 76, 77, 78, 80, 82, 84, 86 and No. 120 (Netherlands East Indies) Squadron (an RAAF unit recruited from Dutch fliers). Kittyhawks from 75 and 76 Squadrons were instrumental in the historic defeat of Japanese ground forces at the Battle of Milne Bay.
Late in 1945, RAAF fighter squadrons began converting to P-51Ds. However, Kittyhawks were in use with the RAAF until the very last day of the war, in the Borneo campaign.
[edit] Royal New Zealand Air Force
A total of 301 P-40s were allocated to the Royal New Zealand Air Force under lend lease, 297 seeing service, (the remaining 4 being lost on delivery). These aircraft equipped 14 Squadron, 15 Squadron, 16 Squadron, 17 Squadron, 18 Squadron, 19 Squadron, and 20 Squadron. Some RNZAF pilots in North Africa and Italy also flew British P-40s while serving with RAF squadrons.
RNZAF P-40s were successful in air combat against the Japanese during intense fighting in the Pacific Ocean Areas theatre from 1942 until 1944, when they were replaced by F4Us. New Zealand pilots claimed 99 aerial victories in P-40s, losing 20 aircraft in aerial combat. Geoff Fisken, the Commonwealth's highest scoring flying ace in the Pacific, flew P-40s with No. 15 Squadron RNZAF, although half his victories came on the Brewster Buffalo.
From late 1943 and 1944, RNZAF P-40s were increasingly used against ground targets. The last frontline RNZAF P-40s were replaced by F4U Corsairs in 1944, with P-40s relegated to use as advanced pilot trainers.[12][13][14]
Remaining RNZAF P-40s, excluding the 20 shot down and 154 written off, were mostly scrapped at Ruhukia in 1948. At least six RNZAF P-40s have survived. Fisken's machine is owned by The Old Stick and Rudder Company (OSRC) and is currently being restored in New Zealand.[15] Three are currently airworthy: NZ3009 with the OSRC, whilst NZ3094 and NZ3125 are flying in Australia. Other New Zealand P-40s are on display at the Museum of Transport and Technology in Auckland and under restoration at the Royal New Zealand Air Force Museum in Christchurch. The remains of two others are part of a private collection in New Zealand.
[edit] Chinese Air Force/Flying Tigers (American Volunteer Group) A Chinese soldier guards a line of P-40 fighter planes used by the Flying Tigers. Enlarge A Chinese soldier guards a line of P-40 fighter planes used by the Flying Tigers.
The Flying Tigers known officially as the American Volunteer Group, were a unit of the Republic of China Air Force, and were led by a retired Army Air Force officer and military observer Claire Chennault. From late 1941, the P-40 was the fighter used by the Flying Tigers.
Compared to opposing Japanese fighters, the P-40's strengths were that it was very sturdy, heavily armed, generally faster in a dive, and possessed a good rate of roll.[16] While the P-40 could not match the maneuverability of the Japanese Nakajima Ki-27 and Nakajima Ki-43 monoplanes they were facing, Chennault trained the AVG pilots to use the performance advantage the P-40 held over the Japanese fighters to gain the upper hand in combat. The P-40 had a higher dive speed than the Japanese fighters, for example, and would often be used with so called "boom-and-zoom" tactics. The AVG was highly successful, and accordingly their exploits were widely published in order to boost the morale of the American public. According to the American count, the Flying Tigers were credited with destroying 297 aircraft in the air and on the ground for the loss of only 21 pilots and their aircraft. Alternative counts have been as low as 115-21, but never any lower.
[edit] United States Army Air Forces
[edit] South West Pacific Area
USAAF P-40 squadrons were massacred on the ground and slaughtered in the air by Japanese fighters like the Ki-43 "Oscar" and the A6M Zero in the first major battles at Pearl Harbor, the Philippines and in the Dutch East Indies. But in later battles improved tactics and training allowed the strengths of the aircraft to be more effectively utilized, enabling often outnmbered P-40 squadrons to hang on against heavy odds, and eventually triumph over the IJN and the JAAF.
The 49th Fighter Group was one of the most important U.S. fighter groups in the South West Pacific, in action from the beginning of the war to the very end, playing a key role in the defense of Darwin, Australia and Port Morseby, New Guinea. The 49th flew P-40's until they were replaced by P-38's in 1944.
Robert Marshall DeHaven was an ace with the 49th FG, scoring 10 kills in the P-40, 14 kills overall. He compared the P-40 to the P-38:
"If you flew wisely, the P-40 was a very capable aircraft. In many conditions, it could outturn a P-38, a fact that some pilots didn't realize when they made the transition between the two aircraft. The P-40 kept me alive and allowed me to accomplish my mission. The real problem with it was lack of range. As we pushed the Japanese back, P-40 pilots were slowly left out of the war. So when I moved to P-38s, an excellent aircraft, I did so not because I believed that the P-40 was an inferior fighter, but because I knew the P-38 would allow us to reach the enemy. I was a fighter pilot and that was what I was supposed to do.".[17]
[edit] China Burma India Theater
The P-40 performed extremely well in this theater, scoring high kill ratios against Japanese Army types such as the Nakajima Ki-43 Hayabusa ("Oscar" to the Allies), Nakajima Ki-44Shoki ("Tojo" to the Allies) and even Navy types like the A6M Zero throughout the war. The P-40 remained in use in the CBI until 1944 and was reportedly preferred over the P-51 Mustang by some U.S. pilots flying in China.
At least 40 US Pilots reached Ace status flying the P-40 in the CBI.[11]
The American Volunteer Group (Flying Tigers) were integrated into the USAAF as the 23rd Fighter Group. The unit continued to fly P-40s (of newer models) until the end of the war, racking up a high kill-to-loss ratio.[18][11]
[edit] Mediterranean theater Top to Bottom: P-40 F/L, P-40K Warhawk Enlarge Top to Bottom: P-40 F/L, P-40K Warhawk
Though the P-40 suffered heavy loses in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations (MTO), many US P-40 units had good combat records in the theater, racking up high kill to loss ratios against the Germans and Italians. For example the 324th Fighter Group scored better than a 2:1 ratio while fighting in the (MTO).[3] In all, 23 US pilots became aces in the MTO while flying the P-40, most during a fairly short period during the first half of 1943.[19] As in the Pacific, success in combat seemed to largely be a matter of experience and effective tactics. It is also worth noting that like the Soviets, many United States pilots stripped down their P-40s to improve performance, often even removing two or more of the wing guns from their P-40F/L Warhawks. It was also in this theater that the lightened P-40L (which also had some wing guns removed) was most heavily used, primarily by U.S. pilots.
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The 57th Fighter Group was equipped with the Curtiss fighter until early 1944, during which time they were credited with at least 140 air-to-air kills. It was the 57th that took part in the "Palm Sunday Massacre" which took place on April 18, 1943. On this day, decoded Ultra ciphers had given away a Luftwaffe plan to cross the Mediterranean Sea with a large formation of German transport planes (Junkers Ju 52) and their escorts (Bf-109). An ambush was laid for them, and three squadrons of the 57th, one squadron from the 324th Fighter Group (also flying P-40s) and a small group of British Spitfires intercepted the German formation and shot down at least 70 German planes, with six or seven Allied airplanes being downed.[19]
The 325th Fighter Group, better known as the "Checkertail Clan", also fought in the MTO. While flying the P-40, the three squadrons of the 325th were credited with at least 133 air-to-air kills while flying the P-40, from April to October 1943, of which 95 were Me 109 and 26 were the superior Macchi C.202, for the loss of only 17 P-40's in combat.[20][19] One incident with the 325 FG indicates what could happen if Bf 109 pilots made the mistake of trying to turn-fight with the P-40.
On 30 July 20 P-40s of the 317th and 16 P-40s of the 319th Squadron took off on a fighter sweep, to rendezvous over Sardinia. As they turned to fly south over the west part of the island, they were attacked near Sassari and 20 miles north of the rendezvous point where they were to meet the 319th coming from the east. The attacking force consisted of 25 to 30 Bf 109s and Ma-202s, bringing the estimated total of enemy aircraft engaged to between 40 and 50 planes. Radio communications with the other squadron was poor, and repeated inquiries received no answers, so the 319th was unable to locate the battle. In the brief, intense battle that occurred, 20 P-40s engaged and destroyed 21 enemy aircraft. General observations on the encounter show that in addition to the 21 victories and 4 probables reported, there may have been many more. It is believed that Lt. Robert Sederberg, who singly went to the aid of a fellow pilot who was being attacked by 5 Bf 109s, in addition to destroying one Me-109 for sure, scored at least four victories. Lt. Sederberg was last seen engaged in combat with 5 Bf 109s. Many months later he was reported a prisoner of war in Germany.
[21]
As combat waned in North Africa, the 325th focused in supporting Sardinia, then Sicily and finally Italy, and they transitioned to P-47 Thunderbolts, and later to P-51 mustangs, continuing to rack up their excellent record against the Luftwaffe.
[edit] Soviet Union
Though only moderately popular with the Soviets, the Soviet Air Force used the relatively few P-40's they had been given quite extensively against the Germans on the Eastern front, and most Soviet P-40 squadrons had good combat records. The Warhawk provided close air support as well as air-to-air capability for the Soviet Air Force, with many Soviet pilots becoming aces on the P-40 (although not as many as on the P-39 Airacobra, which was the most popular American fighter used by the Soviet Air Force).[5]
The Soviets stripped down their P-40s significantly for combat, in many cases removing the wing guns altogether in P-40B/C types, for example. Soviet pilots interviewed in the 1990s reported that they considered the type quite capable of handling the Messerschmitt Bf 109 using "Turn and Burn" tactics, since it could out-turn the Bf 109 though not follow one into a climb.[5] and many squadrons racked up good kill ratios against the 109 and the early Fw 190 variants. Soviet Air Force reports state that they liked the range and fuel capacity of the P-40 which were superior to most of the Soviet fighters, though they still preferred the P-39. Their biggest complaint was its poor climb rate and problems with maintenance, especially with burning out the engines. VVS pilots usually flew the P-40 at War Emergency Power settings while in combat, this would bring the acceleration and speed performance closer to that of their German rivals, but could burn out engines in a matter of weeks.[5] They also had difficulty with the more demanding requirements for fuel quality and oil purity of the Allison engines. A fair number of burnt out P-40s were re-engined with Soviet Klimov engines but these performed relatively poorly and were relegated to rear area use.[5]
The P-40 saw the most front-line use in Soviet hands in 1942 and early 1943. It was used in the Northern sectors and played a significant role in the defense of Leningrad. The most numerically important types were P-40B/C, P-40E, and P-40K/M. By the time the better P-40F and N types became available, production of superior Soviet fighters had increased sufficiently that the P-40 was replaced in most Soviet Air Force units by the Lavochkin La-5, and various later Yakovlev types.
[edit] Other nations
The P-40 was used by over two dozen countries during and after the war. The P-40 was used by Brazil, Canada, China, Chile, Egypt, Finland, France, Netherlands East Indies, South African Air Force and Turkey. The last P-40s in military service were serving with the Brazilian Air Force (FAB) when they were finally retired as late as 1958.
[edit] Variants and design stages P-40 Kittyhawk - Australian War Memorial Enlarge P-40 Kittyhawk - Australian War Memorial
See also: Comparison of P-40 variants
*Departing from normal USAAC convention, there was no P-40A. Some records indicate this might have been reserved for a reconnaissance variant that was briefly in development by Curtiss, but quickly discarded.
*Revised versions of the P-40 soon followed: the P-40B or Tomahawk IIA had extra .30 cal (7.62 mm) US, or .303 cal (7.7 mm) British machine guns in the wings and self-sealing tanks; the P-40C or Tomahawk IIB added underbelly drop tank and bomb shackles, as well as improved self-sealing fuel tanks and other minor revisions, but the extra weight did have a negative impact on aircraft performance. (All versions of the P-40 had a relatively low power-to-weight ratio compared to contemporary fighters.)
*Only a small number of P-40D or Kittyhawk Mk Is were made—less than 50. With a new, larger Allison engine, slightly narrower fuselage, redesigned canopy, and improved cockpit, the P-40D eliminated the nose-mounted .50 cal guns and instead had a pair of .50 cal (12.7 mm) guns in each wing. The distinctive chin airscoop grew larger in order to adequately cool the large Allison engine.
*Retrospective designation for a single prototype. The P-40A was a single camera-carrying aircraft.
*The P-40E or P-40E-1 was very similar in most respects to the P-40D, except for a slightly more powerful engine and an extra .50 in (12.7 mm) gun in each wing, bringing the total to 6. Some aircraft also had small underwing bomb shackles. Supplied to the Commonwealth air forces as the Kittyhawk Mk IA. The P-40E was the variant that bore the brunt of air to air combat by the type in the key period of early to mid 1942, for example with the first US squadrons to replace the AVG in China (the AVG was already transitioning to this type from the P-40B/C), the type used by the Australians at Milne Bay, by the New Zealand squadrons during most of their air to air combat, and by the RAF / Commonwealth in North Africa as the Kittyhawk IA.
*P-40F and P-40L, which both featured a Packard Merlin engine in place of the normal Allison, and thus did not have the carburetor scoop on top of the nose. Performance for these models at higher altitudes was better than their Allison-engined cousins. The L in some cases also featured a fillet in front of the vertical stabilizer, or a stretched fuselage to compensate for the higher torque. The P-40L was sometimes nicknamed "Gypsy Rose Lee", after a famous stripper of the era, due to its lighter weight. Supplied to the Commonwealth air forces under the designation Kittyhawk Mk II. A total of 330 Mk IIs were supplied to the RAF under Lend-Lease. The first 230 aircraft are sometimes known as the Kittyhawk Mk IIA. The P-40F/L was extensively used by U.S. fighter groups operating in the Mediteranian Theater.
*P-40G : 43 P-40 aircraft fitted with the wings of the Tomahawk Mk IIA. 16 aircraft were supplied to the Soviet Union, and the rest to the US Army Air Force. It was later redesignated RP-40G.
*P-40K, an Allison engined P-40L, with the nosetop scoop retained and the Allison configured scoop and cowl flaps. Supplied to the Commonwealth air forces as the Kittyhawk Mk III. Widely used by U.S. squadrons in the CBI.
*P-40M, version generally similar to the P-40K, with a stretched fuselage like the P-40L and powered by an Allison V-1710-81 engine giving better performance at altitude (compared to the previous Allison versions). It had some detail improvements and it was characterized by two small air scoops just before the exhaust pipes. Most of them were supplied to Allied countries (mainly UK and USSR), while some others remained in the USA for advanced training. Also supplied to the Commonwealth air forces as the Kittyhawk Mk. III.
*P-40N (manufactured 1943-44), the final production model. The P-40N featured a stretched rear fuselage to counter the torque of the larger, late-war Allison engine, and the rear deck of the cockpit behind the pilot was cut down at a moderate slant to improve rearward visibility. A great deal of work was also done to try and eliminate excess weight to improve the Warhawk's climb rate. Early N production blocks dropped a .50 cal (12.7 mm) gun from each wing, bringing the total back to 4; later production blocks reintroduced it after complaints from units in the field. Supplied to Commonwealth air forces as the Kittyhawk Mk IV. A total of 553 P-40Ns were acquired by the Royal Australian Air Force, making it the variant most commonly used by the RAAF. Subvariants of the P-40N ranged widely in specialization from stripped down 4 gun hot-rods which could reach the highest top speeds of any production variant of the P-40 (up to 378 mph), to overweight types with all the extras intended for Fighter Bombing or even training missions.
*P-40P : The designation of 1,500 aircraft ordered with V-1650-1 engines, but actually built as the P-40N with V-1710-81 engines.
*XP-40Q with a 4-bladed prop, cut-down rear fuselage and bubble canopy, supercharger, squared-off wingtips and tail surfaces, and improved engine with two-speed supercharger was tested, but its performance was not enough of an improvement to merit production when compared to the current late model P-47Ds and P-51Ds pouring off the production lines. The XP-40Q was however the fastest of the P-40 series, with a top speed of 422 mph becoming possible as a result of the introduction of a high-altitude supercharger gear. (No P-40 model with a single-speed supercharger could even approach 400 mph or 640 km/h.) With the end of hostilities in Europe, the P-40 came to the end of its life.
*P-40R : The designation of P-40F and P-40L aircraft, converted into training aircraft in 1944.
*RP-40 : Some American P-40s were converted into reconnaissance aircraft.
*TP-40 : Some P-40s were converted into two-seat trainers.
[edit] Famous P-40 pilots
*Gregory "Pappy" Boyington: American Volunteer Group (Flying Tigers), Chinese Air Force. (Later leader of the US Marine Corps' "Black Sheep Squadron".) *Clive "Killer" Caldwell: RAAF, Australia's greatest WW2 ace. (Caldwell scored most of his 28.5 kills while flying Tomahawks in North Africa.) *James Francis Edwards: RCAF, 22 kills. (Wrote two books about Commonwealth Kittyhawk pilots in WW2.) *Geoff Fisken: the highest scoring RNZAF and British Commonwealth ace in the Pacific theater. Xis of his 11 victories were claimed in Kittyhawks. *John Gorton: RAAF, later Prime Minister of Australia, 1968-71. (Gorton survived two serious crashes. One required Gorton to undergo extensive plastic surgery with his face being changed significantly as a result. When asked in later life what his most memorable flight had been, Gorton replied: "The one in which I got my face mixed up with the instrument panel of a Kittyhawk.") *Nikolai F. Kuznetsov: VVS, ace, twice Hero of the Soviet Union. (Most of his 22 kills were scored in the P-40.) *Petr Pokryshev: VVS, ace, twice Hero of the Soviet Union. (Scored 22 personal victories.) *Robert Lee Scott, Jr.: Flying Tigers/USAAF, later commander of the U.S. 23rd Fighter Group, in the Fourteenth Air Force. (Scored 10+ kills in the P-40.) *Len Waters: RAAF, the only Australian Aboriginal fighter pilot of WW2. *Daniel H. David (later known as TV/film comedian/actor Dan Rowan): flew with the USAAF in the Southwest Pacific theater and scored two kills against Japanese aircraft before being shot down and seriously wounded.
[edit] Popular culture
*In the contemporary John Wayne movie: Flying Tigers, real P-40s are featured, along with some inaccurate studio models. *In the 1945 film, God is My Co-Pilot about the Flying Tigers and the USAAF pilots who replaced them in China and Burma, real P-40s are featured. *In Tora Tora Tora, P-40s are depicted at the attack on Pearl Harbor, both being shot up on the ground, and shooting down Zeros. *A P-40 is in the less-than-capable hands of "Wild Bill" Kelso John Belushi in the Stephen Spielberg comedy 1941. *In the alternative history/science fiction pastiche Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow (2004), a computer-generated P-40 performs amazing feats, including doubling as a submarine, an ability which would have been appreciated by many WW2 fliers, had it been possible. *In the film: Pearl Harbor, P-40s are the main plane seen in the film besides the Japanese Zeros. Rafe Macauley and Danny Walker fly these during the raid on Pearl Harbor being the only two pilots able to get in the air. This also happened in the real attack on Pearl Harbor, but the pilots were George "Wheaties" Welch and Ken Taylor. A P-40N and a P-40E in this movie came from the Warhawk Air Museum in Nampa, Idaho. *In the play written by Arthur Miller, All My Sons, Joe Keller and his partner, Steve Deever, knowingly sold cracked cylinder heads to the Army Air Force. As a result, twenty-one P-40s crashed in Australia. For this, Keller and Deever served time in prison, although Keller was released shortly after when he was found innocent. At the beginning of the play, his partner is still in prison.
[edit] Specifications (P-40E) General characteristics
*Crew: 1 *Length: 31 ft 8 in (9.66 m) *Wingspan: 37 ft 4 in (11.38 m) *Height: 12 ft 4 in (3.76 m) *Wing area: 235.94 ft² (21.92 m²) *Empty weight: 6,350 lb (2,880 kg) *Loaded weight: 8,280 lb (3,760 kg) *Max takeoff weight: 8,810 lb (4,000 kg) *Powerplant: 1× Allison V-1710-39 liquid-cooled V12 engine, 1,150 hp (860 kW)
Performance
*Maximum speed: 360 mph (310 knots, 580 km/h) *Cruise speed: 270 mph (235 knots, 435 km/h) *Range: 650 mi (560 nm, 1,100 km) *Service ceiling: 29,000 ft (8,800 m) *Rate of climb: 2,100 ft/min (11 m/s) *Wing loading: 35.1 lb/ft² (171.5 kg/m²) *Power/mass: 0.14 hp/lb (230 W/kg)
Armament
*Guns: 6× .50 in (12.7 mm) Browning M2 machine guns, 281 rounds/gun *Bombs: 1,500 lb (680 kg) on three hardpoints
