P-40C

The initial P-40 order was finally completed with 193 P-40Cs (company designation H81- !" #erials were 41-133$8%13&$0 (c%n 1'104%1'$9'!" The first flight of a P-40C was made on (pril 10) 1941" The P-40C retained the 11&0 hp (llison *-1+10-33 engine) ,-t was fitted with a new f-el system with 134 gallons in new tan.s with impro/ed self sealing" 0n addition) pro/isions were made for a &$-gallon drop tan. carried ,elow the f-selage" The P-40C had a #C1-$4+2 radio instead of the #C1-$83" These additions prod-ced yet another -pward crawl in the weight--the weights for the P-40C were &81$ po-nds empty) +4&9 po-nds gross) and 80&8 po-nds ma3im-m loaded" Conse4-ently) the performance contin-ed to degrade" 5a3im-m speed was 34& mph at 1&)000 feet" 2ormal and ma3im-m ranges were +30 and 94& miles respecti/ely" #er/ice ceiling was $9)&00 feet) and initial clim, rate was $'&0 feet per min-te" 6imensions were wingspan $+ feet 3 1%$ inches) length 31 feet 8 1%$ inches) height 10 feet + inches) wing area $3' s4-are feet" 6-ring 1941) a s-,stantial n-m,er of P-40 s and Cs were shipped to 7#((C ,ases o/erseas) incl-ding the 1&th and 18th P-rs-it 8ro-ps at 9heeler :ield) Hawaii and the $0th P-rs-it #4-adron of the $4th P-rs-it 8ro-p at Clar. :ield in the Philippines" 0n addition) a do;en P40Cs had ,een deli/ered to the 18th P-rs-it 8ro-p<s 44th P-rs-it #4-adron at ellows :ield) Hawaii" =/er '0 P-40Cs were destroyed on the gro-nd at 9heeler d-ring the Pearl Har,or attac. on 6ecem,er +) 1941" =nly a few were a,le to get air,orne) and were 4-ic.ly shot down ,y >eros" ( few others from Haleiwa airfield and fo-r planes from the 4+th P-rs-it 8ro-p managed to ma.e some attac.s on the ?apanese formation) claiming & .ills" Howe/er) at the end of the Pearl Har,or attac.) only $& P-40s remained airworthy" ( similar scenario too. place in he Philippines) where many P-40s were destroyed on the gro-nd" The e3port e4-i/alent of the P-40C was the Tomahaw. 00 (5odel H81-($!" ( total of 930 were ,-ilt" 1(: serials were (H991%999 (all to 7##1!) (@100%&+0 (3' to China!) (53+0%&19 ('4 to China!) and (2$18%&1+" $3 of these Tomahaw. 00 s went to the 7##1) and -nspecified n-m,ers went to T-r.ey and Agypt" The rest were -sed e3tensi/ely ,y the 1(: and #o-th (frican (ir :orce in the 2orth (frican theatre" Sources: 9ar Planes of the #econd 9orld 9ar) :ighters) *ol-me :o-r) 9illiam 8reen) 6o-,leday) 19'4" The (merican :ighter) An;o (ng-l-ci and Peter owers) =rion oo.s) 198+" 7nited #tates 5ilitary (ircraft since 1909) 8ordon #wan,oro-gh and Peter 5" owers) #mithsonian 0nstit-tion Press) 1989" C-rtiss (ircraft) 190+-194+) Peter 5" owers) 2a/al 0nstit-te Press) 19+9" The C-rtiss P-40 Tomahaw.) 1ay 9agner) (ircraft in Profile) *ol-me $) 6o-,leday) 19'&" Haw. 6ynastyB The C-rtiss Haw. 5onoplanes) Part $) @en 9i3ey) (ir Anth-siast 2o +$ (199+!" C Joseph Baugher