Aircrafttotal Encyclopedia

The Curtiss P-40 Warhawk is an American single-engined, single-seat, all-metal fighter and ground-attack aircraft that first flew in 1938. The P-40 design was a modification of the previous Curtiss P-36 Hawk which reduced development time and enabled a rapid entry into production and operational service. The Warhawk was used by most Allied powers during World War II, and remained in frontline service until the end of the war. It was the third most-produced American fighter of World War II, after the P-51 and P-47.

P-40 Warhawk was the name the United States Army Air Corps gave the plane, and after June 1941, the USAAF adopted the name for all models, making it the official name in the U.S. for all P-40s. The British Commonwealth and Soviet air forces used the name Tomahawk for models equivalent to the original P-40, P-40B, and P-40C, and the name Kittyhawk for models equivalent to the P-40D and all later variants. P-40s first saw combat with the British Commonwealth squadrons of the Desert Air Force in the Middle East and North African campaigns, during June 1941.[4][5] No. 112 Squadron Royal Air Force, was among the first to operate Tomahawks in North Africa and the unit was the first Allied military aviation unit to feature the "shark mouth" logo,[6][7] copying similar markings on some Luftwaffe Messerschmitt Bf 110 twin-engine fighters

Performance characteristics

The P-40 was conceived as a pursuit aircraft and was agile at low and medium altitudes but suffered from a lack of power at higher altitudes. At medium and high speeds it was one of the tightest-turning early monoplane designs of the war, and it could out turn most opponents it faced in North Africa and the Russian Front. In the Pacific Theater it was out-turned at lower speeds by the lightweight fighters A6M Zero and Nakajima Ki-43 "Oscar". The American Volunteer Group Commander Claire Chennault advised against prolonged dog-fighting with the Japanese fighters due to speed reduction favoring the Japanese

Curtiss Wright P-40 Kittyhawk

General Info

Crew: One Length: 31 ft 8.5 in (9.665 m) Wingspan: 37 ft 3.5 in (11.367 m) Height: 10 ft 8 in (3.25 m) Wing area: 236 sq ft (21.9 m²)

Powerplant

Empty weight: 5,922 lb (2,686 kg) Gross weight: 8,515 lb (3,862 kg) Powerplant: 1 × Allison V-1710-39 V-12 liquid-cooled piston engine, 1,240 hp (920 kW) Propellers: 3-bladed Curtiss-Wright electric constant-speed propeller

Performance

Maximum speed: 334 mph (538 km/h, 290 kn) at 15,000 ft (4,600 m)
Cruise speed: 308 mph (496 km/h,
Range: 716 mi (1,152 km, 622 nmi) at 70% power
Service ceiling: (8,900 m)
Time to altitude: (4,600 m) in 6 minutes 15 seconds
Wing loading: 35.1 lb/sq ft (171 kg/m²)

Armament

Guns: 6 × 0.5 in (12.7 mm) M2 Browning machine guns in the wings
Bombs: 250 to 1,000 lb (110 to 450 kg) bombs to a total of 2,000 lb (910 kg) on hardpoints under the fuselage and two underwing

Special Links Curtiss Wright P-40 Kittyhawk

Links to Youtube & Others

The MB-339 was developed during the 1970s in response to an Italian Air Force requirement that sought a replacement for the service's existing fleet of Aermacchi MB-326s.

Curtiss Wright P-40 Kittyhawk

The P-40 was the United States' best fighter available in large numbers when World War II began.

Youtube Link

Last fully restored and flying fighter that survived the attack on Pearl Harbor.

Curtiss Wright
P-40 Kittyhawk
First Flight 14 October 1938 Produced 1939–1944