In all, the P-40 proved itself a worthy and rugged fighter.
The Curtiss P-40 Warhawk was the third most widely produced American fighter of World War II, after the North American P-51 Mustang and the Republic P-47 Thunderbolt. First introduced in 1939, the P-40 was a staple of the Allied air forces throughout North Africa, the South Pacific, and China.
While the P-40 has gained a reputation as a lackluster air superiority fighter, best used only in a close air support role, the P-40’s actual combat record suggests adequate air superiority performance. Indeed, more than 200 Allied fighter pilots became aces in the P-40.
Introducing the P-40 Warhawk
Over 13,000 P-40s were built—all in Buffalo, New York, at the Curtiss-Wright Corporation’s main production facility. The P-40’s design was based on the Curtiss P-36 Hawk, which saved time and costs relative to building a new plane from scratch. Originally conceived as a pursuit aircraft, the P-40 was agile at low and medium altitudes, but did not have the power to perform impressively in the thinner air at higher altitudes. Similarly, it lacked climbing power; climbing to 15,000 feet took the pilot over six minutes. However, the aircraft did have an impressive dive speed. The maximum speed for the P-40 was just 361 miles per hour, with a range of 716 miles, and a service ceiling of 29,100 feet.
The P-40’s lack of power stemmed from the Allison V-1710 engine, which produced just 1,040 horsepower and was hardly powerful compared to the P-40’s peer fighters. Eventually, the engine was upgraded to a 1,200 horsepower Allison or a 1,400 horsepower Packard Merlin, each of which was more capable and allowed for better performance at high altitude.
The P-40 Goes to War
The P-40 was excellent with respect to its turning radius; it could out-turn most of its adversaries in the North African and Russian theaters. However, in the Pacific Theater, the Japanese Mitsubishi A6M Zero and Nakajima Ki-43 Hayabusa could easily out-turn the P-40 at low speeds. Accordingly, P-40 pilots were advised against engaging in Japanese fighters for long duration dogfights, in which pilots tended to bleed energy and engage at lower speeds—conditions which favored the tighter-turned Japanese fighters.
The P-40 did get high marks for ruggedness and durability. The aircraft’s semi-modular design allowed for easy maintenance in the field, which was especially helpful while deployed to the far corners of the Earth. The P-40 was structurally very strong, with a five-spar wing design that allowed the aircraft to pull high-G maneuvers, survive mid-air collisions, and even record some ramming attack victories.
For armament, the P-40 relied on six 0.5-inch M2 Browning machine guns, all situated in the wings. The P-40 could also carry up to 2,000 pounds worth of bombs on hard points under the fuselage and wing.
In all, the P-40 proved itself a worthy and rugged fighter. While not as cutting-edge or impressive as the P-51, Supermarine Spitfire, or Messerschmitt Bf 109, the P-40 played an important role in the Allied victory.
About the Author: Harrison Kass
Harrison Kass is a defense and national security writer with over 1,000 total pieces on issues involving global affairs. An attorney, pilot, guitarist, and minor pro hockey player, Harrison joined the U.S. Air Force as a Pilot Trainee but was medically discharged. Harrison holds a BA from Lake Forest College, a JD from the University of Oregon, and an MA from New York University. Harrison listens to Dokken.
Image: Shutterstock / Bill Chizek.
