Erickson Aircraft: Curtiss P-40 Kittyhawk (photo diary)

by Ojibwa for Kossack Air Force

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Friday, Aug. 30, 2024 Friday, Aug. 30, 2024 at 7:15:04am PDT

The Curtiss P-40 was first flown in 1938. It was a modification of the earlier P-36 Hawk and was designated as the Warhawk by the United States Army Air Corps and Tomahawk by the British Commonwealth and Soviet air forces. The designation Kittyhawk was given to the P-40D and all later variants. The Kittyhawk was the main fighter used by the Royal Australian Air Force in World War II. When production ended in 1944, over 13,700 had been built. The Erickson Aircraft Collection in Madras, Oregon has a Kittyhawk on display.

According to the Museum:

“Although the P-40 did not have the best performance of its contemporaries, it did have a reputation as a rugged aircraft and it was available when needed.”