P-40K Warhawk, Kittyhawk III

Despite the success of the Merlin engine in the Warhawk, parallel production of the Allisonpowered version continued owing to the limited supplies of the license-built British engine. The -!"# series marked the introduction of the more powerful Allison $-%&%"-&' ()!*+ engine rated at %',- hp for takeoff and %%-" hp at %%,."" feet. This engine had an automatic boost control. /n /ctober ,., %0!%, 1"" -!"#s were ordered for 2end-2ease suppl3 to 4hina. 5t was envisaged that this would be the last -!" model to be built in 6uantit3, the -1" replacing the !" on the 4urtiss production lines thereafter. 7owever, dela3s in the -1" program caused the order for -!"#s to be increased to a total of %'"" aircraft on 8une %-, %0!,. The first -!"# model rolled off the production line in August %0!,. )or some odd reason, the compan3 model number used for the -!"# is unknown. The -!"#-%-49 and -!"#---49 were generall3 similar to late-production -!":s e;cept for the more powerful Allison engine. The #-- added rotar3 valve cooling. The #-% and #-retained the short fuselage of the -!":, but with the e;tra power there was a tendenc3 to swing during takeoff and a dorsal fin was added to correct this problem. The -!"#-%"s and later production blocks had the longer fuselage that was introduced on the -!")---49. The -!"#%--49 was winteri<ed. The ma;imum speed of the -!"# was '," mph at -""" feet and '1, mph at %-,""" feet. A climb to %-,""" feet took &.- minutes. *ange was '-" miles with a -""-pound bomb attached. )err3 range was %1"" miles. Weights were 1!"" pounds empt3, .!"" pounds gross, and %",""" pounds ma;imum. Most of the -!"#s served with the 9= forces in Asia and the acific and under 2end-2ease with the 4hinese Air )orce. %0, -!"#-%-49s were diverted to :ngland under 2end-2ease as #itt3hawk 555. *A) serials were )2.&->)20"-, )*%%%>)*%%-, )*,%">)*'1%, and )2&%">)2&%'. The first e;amples were delivered to the Middle :ast in late %0!,. )ort3-two -!"#s served with the *AA) under serials A,0-%1!>,", ( -!"#-%"-49+ and A,0,"'>,"- ( -!"#-%--49+. -!"#s servicing with the *?@A) were ?@'"!->'"1-, ?@'"0", and ?@'"00. ?ine -!"#-%-49s served with the *4A) under 9= Arm3 serial numbers !,-!-0,%, !-0!!, !-0!-, !-0-%, !-0-,, !-0-!, !-0&&, !1""', and !1""!. ,- -!"#s were diverted to Bra<il The serials for the -!"#s were as followsA !,-0&'">00,0 4urtiss -!"#---49 Warhawk !,-00'">%",1! 4urtiss -!"#-%"-49 Warhawk !,-%",1->%"!,0 4urtiss -!"#-%--49 Warhawk !,-!-&,,>!1',% 4urtiss -!"#-%-49 Warhawk The -!"#-% had originall3 been assigned serials !,-1-0",>11-"%. The -!"#-- thru -%- were originall3 assigned serials !,-1!-",>1-,"%. These were all cancelled and reassigned as shown above. /ne -!"#-%"-49, !,-%",%0, was fitted with an Allison $-%&%"-!' and used to develop some proposed -!" improvements under the designation B -!"#. :;periments with cowling and relocated cooling s3stems altered the appearance of the aircraft from time to time. /ne such modification produced an aircraft with radiators in a swollen wing center section and a slim, pointed nose. Sources: War lanes of the =econd World War, )ighters, $olume )our, William Creen, Doubleda3, %01!. The American )ighter, :n<o Anguluci and eter Bowers, /rion Books, %0.&. 9nited =tates Militar3 Aircraft since %0"0, Cordon =wanborough and eter M. Bowers, =mithsonian 5nstitution ress, %0.0. 4urtiss Aircraft, %0"&-%0!&, eter M. Bowers, ?aval 5nstitute ress, %0&0. The 4urtiss -!" Tomahawk, *a3 Wagner, Aircraft in rofile, $olume ,, Doubleda3, %01-.

D Joseph Baugher