Curtiss P-40 Warhawk

The Curtiss P‑40 Warhawk, produced by the Curtiss‑Wright Corporation from 1938 to 1944, became one of the most recognizable American fighters of World War II. Developed from the earlier XP‑40 prototype, the aircraft combined a rugged all‑metal airframe with a powerful Allison V‑1710 liquid‑cooled V‑12 engine, delivering up to 1,150 horsepower and a top speed near 360 mph. Its distinctive single‑engine, low‑wing design featured a large, rounded cowling and a long, smooth canopy that offered pilots excellent forward visibility. Armament typically consisted of six .50‑caliber machine guns—four in the wings and two in the fuselage—supplemented by external racks for bombs or drop tanks, giving the P‑40 versatility in air‑to‑air combat, ground‑attack, and escort missions. Though its high‑altitude performance lagged behind contemporary German and Japanese fighters, the Warhawk excelled at low to medium altitudes, proving vital in the North African, China‑Burma, and Pacific theaters. Its ruggedness, ease of maintenance, and ability to operate from rough airstrips made it a workhorse for allied air forces and a training platform for countless pilots, cementing its legacy as a pivotal contributor to Allied air superiority.

Curtiss-Wright

Curtiss P-40 Warhawk

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