- List of surviving Curtiss P-40s
-
The Curtiss P-40 was an American single-engine, single-seat, all-metal fighter and ground attack aircraft. Flown by the air forces of 28 nations, when production of the P-40 ceased in November 1944, 13,738 had been built. As of 2008, 19 P-40s remain airworthy,[1] with only three having dual controls. Approximately 80 aircraft are on static display or under restoration.[2]
Contents
Background
By the fall of 1944, the United States Army Air Force (USAAF) had already surveyed, retired or scrapped the majority of the early versions (P-40B/P-40L) and was in the midst of transiting the remaining combat units from the P-40N to the either P-47D or P-51D. At the end of World War II, the only remaining P-40 were in several Operational Training Units (OTUs). These aircraft quickly were struck-off charge and placed into storage.
Most foreign users of the P-40 also quickly retired their usage as well – the Royal New Zealand Air Force retired their last P-40 in 1947 (but did not scrap the aircraft until 1962) and the last military to use the P-40 operationally was the Brazilian Air Force who used them until late 1950s.
In 1947 the Royal Canadian Air Force put their P-40s up for sale at a price of $50.00 each. Mr. Fred Dyson purchased 35 P-40E Ms and Ns) and barged them from Vancouver to Seattle to sell. Numerous example of the RCAF fleet of P-40s were also purchased by farmers looking to strip the aircraft of hardware, which was in short supply after the war. These RCAF aircraft for the next 30 years would be preponderance of the remaining examples of the P-40 family.
The P-40Es and Ms were declared experimental aircraft by the FAA and had strict restrictions placed on their operations. The P-40N however, was placed in the limited category (typical for most warbirds). To bypass the stringent FAA limitations, many P-40Es were licensed by the owners as P-40Ns.
In 1950, the Korean War put on hold USAF plans to retire the P-51 Mustang, and anyone who wanted a high performance aircraft had to settle for these Canadian P-40. It was not until the late 1950s that once again the P-51 became available but by this time, the Kittyhawks/Warhawks had found a popular niche in the aviation community. The airshow display was becoming popular and having an aircraft, which could be painted in spurious AVG markings, made them a popular entertainer.
In the mid 1970s to late 1980s, collectors from the United States started traveling to former South Pacific battlefield airfields and recovered the second generation of P-40 survivors. A vast majority of these airframes were RNZAF and RAAF combat veterans. These recovered P-40s are still being taken from storage and after a considerable amount of time and resources, being returned to airworthy status.
The third generation of P-40s survivors became available with the fall of the Soviet Union in the late 1980s and numerous example were discovered and recovered from former World War II Arctic battlefields near Murmansk. Other examples also included airframes being recovered from Alaskan wartime crashes during this same time frame.
There are still numerous example of wrecked P-40s that have yet to be recovered in China, United States, Canada as well as Russia in addition to the South Pacific sites. One difficulty being faced by those wishing to recover the crashed aircraft from New Guinea is that this government has decreed that these wrecks are to remain where they crashed (and allowed to deteriorate due to weather/vandalism or scrap dealers) with no plans other than hostility, many of these restorable airframes will be lost.
Survivors
Airworthy
- Australia
- P-40E Warhawk, s/n 41-5336 is airworthy and owned by RAAF Museum in RAAF Point Cook, Victoria.[4]
- New Zealand
- P-40E Warhawk, s/n 41-25158 is airworthy and owned by Old Flying Machine Co (NZ) Ltd. in Auckland.[5]
- United Kingdom
- P-40M Warhawk, s/n 43-5802 is airworthy and owned by Hanger 11 Collection in North Weald, Essex.[7]
- United States
- P-40E Warhawk, s/n AK827 is airworthy and owned by Yanks Air Museum in Chino, California.[8]
- P-40E Warhawk, s/n AK905 is airworthy and owned by Rudolf Fresca DBA in Champaign, Illinois.[9]
- P-40E Warhawk, s/n AK933 is airworthy and owned by Kitty Hawk Museum LCC in Boise, Idaho.[10]
- P-40E Warhawk, s/n AK940 is airworthy and owned by Banta Aviation Corp. in Dover, Delaware.[11]
- P-40E Warhawk, s/n AK979 is airworthy and owned by Federal Express Corp in Memphis, Tennessee.[12]
- P-40E Warhawk, s/n AL152 is airworthy and owned by the War Eagles Air Museum in Santa Teresa, New Mexico.[13]
- P-40E Warhawk, s/n AL171 is airworthy and owned by Fantasy of Flight in Polk City, Florida.[14]
- P-40E Warhawk, s/n 41-5709 is airworthy and owned by the Liberty Foundation Inc. in Miami, Florida.[15]
- P-40C Warhawk, s/n 41-13390 is airworthy and owned by Vulcan Warbirds Inc. in Seattle, Washington.[16]
- P-40E Warhawk, s/n 41-35918 is airworthy and owned by Training Services Inc. in Virginia Beach, Virginia.[17]
- P-40K Warhawk, s/n 42-9733 is airworthy and owned by Spitfire USA Ltd. in Easton, Maryland.[18]
- P-40K Warhawk, s/n 42-9749 is airworthy and owned by Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum in McMinnville, Oregon.[19]
- P-40K Warhawk, s/n 42-10256 is airworthy and owned Aleutian Tiger LCC in Dover, Delaware.[20]
- P-40N Warhawk, s/n 42-105306 is airworthy and owned by Chris Prevost in Sonoma, California.[21]
- P-40N Warhawk, s/n 42-105861 is airworthy and owned by Chuzy Suzy LCC in Lafayette, Louisiana.[22]
- P-40N Warhawk, s/n 42-105867 is airworthy and owned by Commemorative Air Force (TexHill Wing) in Fredericksburg, Texas.[23]
- P-40N Warhawk, s/n 42-106396 is airworthy and owned by Warhawk LCC in Meridian, Idaho.[24]
- P-40M Warhawk, s/n 43-5795 is airworthy and owned by NA-50 Inc. in Dover, Delaware.[25]
- P-40N Warhawk, s/n 44-7084 is airworthy and owned by Palm Springs Air Museum in Palm Springs, California.[26]
- P-40N Warhawk, s/n 44-7192 is airworthy and owned by Museum of Flight in Seattle, Washington.[27]
- P-40N Warhawk, s/n 44-7368 is airworthy and owned by Leestown Aviation Warhawk Inc. in Wilmington, Delaware.[28]
- P-40N Warhawk, s/n 44-7369 is airworthy and owned by Cavanaugh Flight Museum in Addison, Texas.[29]
- P-40N Warhawk, s/n 44-7619 is airworthy and owned by Kalamazoo Aviation History Museum in Kalamazoo, Michigan.[30]
- P-40N Warhawk, s/n 44-47923 is airworthy and owned by Fantasy of Flight in Polk City, Florida.[31]
On display
- Australia
- P-40E Warhawk, s/n 41-36084 is on display at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra.[32]
- P-40N Warhawk, s/n 42-104947 is on display as a crashed diorama at the Classic Fighter Jets Museum in Adelaide, South Australia.[33]
- Brazil
- P-40N Warhawk, s/n 44-7700 is on display at Museum Aerospacial, Rio de Janeiro.[34]
- Canada
- P-40E Warhawk, s/n AL135 is on display at the Canada Aviation Museum in Ottawa.[35]
- Italy
- P-40L Warhawk, s/n 42-10857 is on display in its recovered condition at the Piana delle Orme near Latina, Lazio.[36]
- New Zealand
- P-40E Warhawk, s/n 41-36385 is on display at the Museum of Transport and Technology in Auckland.[37]
- Russia
- Thailand
- P-40C Warhawk, s/n AK498 is on display as a crashed diorama at the Royal Thai Air Force Museum.[39]
- United States
- P-40C Warhawk, s/n AK255 is on display at the National Museum of Naval Aviation in NAS Pensacola, Florida.[40]
- P-40E Warhawk, s/n AK875 is on display at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia.[41]
- P-40E Warhawk, s/n AK987 is on display at the National Museum of the United States Air Force in Dayton, Ohio.[42]
- P-40N Warhawk, s/n 42-105270 is on display at the Hill Aerospace Museum, Hill AFB, Utah. This aircraft is actually a composite of a P-40E fiberglass relica and a wrecked P-40N recovered from Alaska. The dataplates were unreadable so the Hill Aerospace Museum chose the serial number of a scrapped P-40 that had been flown by the same squadron that the wrecked aircraft belonged to.[43]
Under restoration
- Australia
- P-40E Warhawk, s/n 41-5632 is under restoration by Ben Saunders in Melbourne, Victoria.[45]
- P-40E Warhawk, s/n 41-13522 is under restoration by Moorabbin Air Museum in Melbourne, Victoria.[46]
- P-40F Warhawk, s/n 41-14112 is under restoration by Judy Pay in Melbourne, Victoria.[47]
- P-40E Warhawk, s/n 41-25109 is under restoration by Col Pay in Scone, New South Wales.[48]
- P-40E Warhawk, s/n 41-35984 is under restoration by P-40E Syndicate in Queensland.[49]
- P-40E Warhawk, s/n 41-36843 is under restoration by Murray Griffiths in Deniliquin, New South Wales.[50]
- P-40N Warhawk, s/n 42-104954 is under restoration by Edwin Sedgman in Melbourne, Victoria.[51]
- P-40N Warhawk, s/n 42-105051 is under restoration by Keith W. Hopper in Townsville, Queensland.[52]
- P-40N Warhawk, s/n 42-105472 is under restoration by Bruno Carnival in Melbourne, Victoria.[53]
- P-40N Warhawk, s/n 42-105513 is under restoration by Australian Aerospace Museum in Melbourne, Victoria.[54]
- P-40N Warhawk, s/n 42-105915 is under restoration by Jack McDonald & John Rayner in Melbourne, Victoria.[55]
- New Zealand
- P-40F Warhawk, s/n 41-14205 is under restoration by the RNZAF Museum.[56]
- United States
- P-40 Warhawk, s/n unknown is under restoration by Kenneth A. Hake in Tipton, Kansas. It will be based on four crash hulks recovered from Russia[60]
- P-40K Warhawk, s/n unknown is under restoration by Kenneth A. Hake in Tipton, Kansas. It will be based on two crash hulks recovered from Aleutians, Alaska. [61]
- P-40N Warhawk, s/n unknown is under restoration by Simpson Vintage Aircraft in Kissimmee, Florida.[62]
- P-40N Warhawk, s/n unknown is under restoration to airworthiness by C&G Air in Wilmington, Delaware.[63]
- P-40E Warhawk, s/n AK752 is under restoration to airworthiness by James E. Smith in Fortine, Montana.[64]
- P-40E Warhawk, s/n AK753 is under restoration to airworthiness by N4420K LLC in Granite Falls, Minnesota.[65]
- P-40E Warhawk, s/n AK863 is under restoration to airworthiness by Ron J. Fagen in Granite Falls, Minnesota.[66]
- P-40M Warhawk, s/n NZ3119 is under restoration to airworthiness by the Tri-State Warbird Museum in Batavia, Ohio.[67]
- P-40E Warhawk, s/n 40-401 is under restoration by Jason Hodge in Cool, California.[68]
- P-40B Warhawk, s/n 41-13297 is under restoration by Project Tomahawk in Torrance, California.[69]
- P-40E Warhawk, s/n 41-13570 is under restoration by CPSI in Jefferson City, Missouri.[70]
- P-40E Warhawk, s/n 41-35918 is under restoration by Training Services Inc. in Suffolk, Virginia.[71]
- P-40K Warhawk, s/n 42-10083 is under restoration by The Curtis Hawk Factory in Griffin, Georgia.[72]
- P-40K Warhawk, s/n 42-45946 is under restoration to airworthiness by Dwight Jones in Anchorage, Alaska.[73]
- P-40N Warhawk, s/n 42-104959 is under restoration to airworthiness by Legacy Aviation Partners LLC in Wilmington, Delaware.[74]
- P-40N Warhawk, s/n 42-105192 is under restoration to airworthiness by Planes of Fame in Chino, California.[75]
- P-40N Warhawk, s/n 42-105526 is under restoration to airworthiness by Craig Schultz in Santa Rosa, California.[76]
- P-40N Warhawk, s/n 42-106096 is under restoration by Neil Bird in Jacksonville, Florida.[77]
- P-40M Warhawk, s/n 43-5788 is under restoration by Texas Air Museum in Rio Hondo, Texas.[78]
- P-40N Warhawk, s/n 43-24363 is under restoration by Hal Thompsen in Arcadia, Florida.[79]
- P-40N Warhawk, s/n 44-7983 is under restoration to airworthiness by Skyfire Corp. in Wilmington, Delaware.[80]
Replicas
P-40 mounted on plinth at entrance to the March Field Air Museum, March ARB, California.
Notes
- ^ Warbird Alley: Curtiss P-40 Warhawk
- ^ McSweeny, Paul. "Surviving Hawk 75, P-36 and P-40 series aircraft" (Surviving Curtiss Fighters). Pioneer Restorations, 3 June 2004. Retrieved: 3 August 009.
- ^ Template:Title = The Fighter Collection - Curtiss P-40B
- ^ "P-40 Warhawk/41-5336" Warbirds Resource Group. Retrieved: 29 April 2011.
- ^ "P-40 Warhawk/41-25158" Warbirds Resource Group. Retrieved: 29 April 2011.
- ^ "P-40 Warhawk/42-104730" Warbirds Resource Group. Retrieved: 29 April 2011.
- ^ "P-40 Warhawk/43-5802" Warbirds Resource Group. Retrieved: 29 April 2011.
- ^ "P-40 Warhawk/AK827" FAA Registry. Retrieved: 19 May 2011.
- ^ "P-40 Warhawk/AK905" FAA Registry. Retrieved: 19 May 2011.
- ^ "P-40 Warhawk/AK933" FAA Registry. Retrieved: 19 May 2011.
- ^ "P-40 Warhawk/AK940" FAA Registry. Retrieved: 19 May 2011.
- ^ "P-40 Warhawk/AK979" FAA Registry. Retrieved: 19 May 2011.
- ^ "P-40 Warhawk/AL152" FAA Registry. Retrieved: 19 May 2011.
- ^ "P-40 Warhawk/AL171" FAA Registry. Retrieved: 19 May 2011.
- ^ "P-40 Warhawk/41-5709" FAA Registry. Retrieved: 19 May 2011.
- ^ "P-40 Warhawk/41-13390" FAA Registry. Retrieved: 19 May 2011.
- ^ "P-40 Warhawk/41-25158" FAA Registry. Retrieved: 19 May 2011.
- ^ "P-40 Warhawk/42-9733" FAA Registry. Retrieved: 19 May 2011.
- ^ "P-40 Warhawk/42-9749" FAA Registry. Retrieved: 19 May 2011.
- ^ "P-40 Warhawk/42-104730" FAA Registry. Retrieved: 19 May 2011.
- ^ "P-40 Warhawk/42-105306" FAA Registry. Retrieved: 19 May 2011.
- ^ "P-40 Warhawk/42-105861" FAA Registry. Retrieved: 19 May 2011.
- ^ "P-40 Warhawk/42-105867" FAA Registry. Retrieved: 19 May 2011.
- ^ "P-40 Warhawk/42-106396" FAA Registry. Retrieved: 19 May 2011.
- ^ "P-40 Warhawk/43-5795" FAA Registry. Retrieved: 19 May 2011.
- ^ "P-40 Warhawk/44-7084" FAA Registry. Retrieved: 19 May 2011.
- ^ "P-40 Warhawk/44-7192" FAA Registry. Retrieved: 19 May 2011.
- ^ "P-40 Warhawk/44-7368" FAA Registry. Retrieved: 19 May 2011.
- ^ "P-40 Warhawk/44-7369" FAA Registry. Retrieved: 19 May 2011.
- ^ "P-40 Warhawk/44-7619" FAA Registry. Retrieved: 19 May 2011.
- ^ "P-40 Warhawk/44-47923" FAA Registry. Retrieved: 19 May 2011.
- ^ "P-40 Warhawk/41-36084" Warbirds Resource Group. Retrieved: 29 April 2011.
- ^ "P-40 Warhawk/42-104947" Warbirds Resource Group. Retrieved: 29 April 2011.
- ^ "P-40 Warhawk/44-7700" Warbirds Resource Group. Retrieved: 29 April 2011.
- ^ "P-40 Warhawk/AL135" Warbirds Resource Group. Retrieved: 29 April 2011.
- ^ "P-40 Warhawk/42-10857" Warbirds Resource Group. Retrieved: 29 April 2011.
- ^ "P-40 Warhawk/41-36385" Warbirds Resource Group. Retrieved: 29 April 2011.
- ^ "P-40 Warhawk/unknown" Warbirds Resource Group. Retrieved: 29 April 2011.
- ^ "P-40 Warhawk/AK498" Warbirds Resource Group. Retrieved: 29 April 2011.
- ^ "P-40 Warhawk/AK255" Warbirds Resource Group. Retrieved: 29 April 2011.
- ^ "P-40 Warhawk/AK875" Warbirds Resource Group. Retrieved: 29 April 2011.
- ^ "P-40 Warhawk/AK987" Warbirds Resource Group. Retrieved: 29 April 2011.
- ^ "P-40 Warhawk/42-105270" Warbirds Resource Group. Retrieved: 29 April 2011.
- ^ "P-40 Warhawk/42-105927" Warbirds Resource Group. Retrieved: 29 April 2011.
- ^ "P-40 Warhawk/41-5632" Warbirds Resource Group. Retrieved: 29 April 2011.
- ^ "P-40 Warhawk/41-13522" Warbirds Resource Group. Retrieved: 29 April 2011.
- ^ "P-40 Warhawk/41-14112" Warbirds Resource Group. Retrieved: 29 April 2011.
- ^ "P-40 Warhawk/41-25109" Warbirds Resource Group. Retrieved: 29 April 2011.
- ^ "P-40 Warhawk/41-35984" Warbirds Resource Group. Retrieved: 29 April 2011.
- ^ "P-40 Warhawk/41-36843" Warbirds Resource Group. Retrieved: 29 April 2011.
- ^ "P-40 Warhawk/42-104954" Warbirds Resource Group. Retrieved: 29 April 2011.
- ^ "P-40 Warhawk/42-105051" Warbirds Resource Group. Retrieved: 29 April 2011.
- ^ "P-40 Warhawk/42-105472" Warbirds Resource Group. Retrieved: 29 April 2011.
- ^ "P-40 Warhawk/42-105513" Warbirds Resource Group. Retrieved: 29 April 2011.
- ^ "P-40 Warhawk/42-105915" Warbirds Resource Group. Retrieved: 29 April 2011.
- ^ "P-40 Warhawk/41-14205" Warbirds Resource Group. Retrieved: 29 April 2011.
- ^ "P-40 Warhawk/42-10178" Warbirds Resource Group. Retrieved: 29 April 2011.
- ^ "P-40 Warhawk/42-104818" Warbirds Resource Group. Retrieved: 29 April 2011.
- ^ "P-40 Warhawk/43-5813" Warbirds Resource Group. Retrieved: 29 April 2011.
- ^ "P-40 Warhawk/unknown" Warbirds Resource Group. Retrieved: 29 April 2011.
- ^ "P-40 Warhawk/unknown" Warbirds Resource Group. Retrieved: 29 April 2011.
- ^ "P-40 Warhawk/unknown" Warbirds Resource Group. Retrieved: 29 April 2011.
- ^ "P-40 Warhawk/unknown" FAA Registry. Retrieved: 19 May 2011.
- ^ "P-40 Warhawk/AK752" FAA Registry. Retrieved: 19 May 2011.
- ^ "P-40 Warhawk/AK753" FAA Registry. Retrieved: 19 May 2011.
- ^ "P-40 Warhawk/AK863" FAA Registry. Retrieved: 19 May 2011.
- ^ "P-40 Warhawk/NZ3119" FAA Registry. Retrieved: 19 May 2011.
- ^ "P-40 Warhawk/40-401" Warbirds Resource Group. Retrieved: 19 May 2011.
- ^ "P-40 Warhawk/41-13297" Warbirds Resource Group. Retrieved: 29 April 2011.
- ^ "P-40 Warhawk/41-13570" Warbirds Resource Group. Retrieved: 29 April 2011.
- ^ "P-40 Warhawk/41-35918" Warbirds Resource Group. Retrieved: 29 April 2011.
- ^ "P-40 Warhawk/42-10083" Warbirds Resource Group. Retrieved: 29 April 2011.
- ^ "P-40 Warhawk/42-45946" FAA Registry. Retrieved: 19 May 2011.
- ^ "P-40 Warhawk/42-104959" FAA Registry. Retrieved: 19 May 2011.
- ^ "P-40 Warhawk/42-105192" FAA Registry. Retrieved: 19 May 2011.
- ^ "P-40 Warhawk/42-105526" FAA Registry. Retrieved: 19 May 2011.
- ^ "P-40 Warhawk/42-106096" Warbirds Resource Group. Retrieved: 29 April 2011.
- ^ "P-40 Warhawk/43-5788" Warbirds Resource Group. Retrieved: 29 April 2011.
- ^ "P-40 Warhawk/43-24363" Warbirds Resource Group. Retrieved: 29 April 2011.
- ^ "P-40 Warhawk/44-7983" Warbirds Resource Group. Retrieved: 19 May 2011.
References
- United States Air Force Museum. Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio: Air Force Museum Foundation. 1975.
Categories:- United States fighter aircraft 1930–1939
- Curtiss aircraft
- Lists of surviving military aircraft
- Individual aircraft of World War II
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.