Warbird Information Exchange

Okay - next topic:

Chinese Nationalist AF P-40's - converted to two-seat configuration !







comments welcome....

Martin

Awesome Swiss Mustang!! That was actually going to be my request; photos of the military two seat conversions of the various fighters. Military use only. These seem to be the rarest of pictures.
A few I'm aware that had two seat conversions durting military use include the P-47, Sea Fury, Hurricane, Spitfire, FW-190, Me-109, and the Zero.
Thanks

Oh, now these are cool.

I've seen the first photo before, but didn't realize it was a two seater. The lack of a headrest is the only thing I can see which would suggest a possible conversion. Is it noted on the reverse of the print that this is a 2-seater?

EDIT: D'oH!! Nevermind... it's got nuthin' at all rear of the seat... how could I have missed that? LOL


I don't think that I've seen the ship shown in the second and third images before, interesting conversion. It's weird... the area immediately aft of the cutout section almost looks like this could have been a very early P-40N or a P-40M, but the aircraft is fitted with the later 'standard' P-40N hood, albeit with non-standard vertical bracing in the center of the glass.

It also has the older, larger tires... although this doesn't mean anything in and of itself. 'Tis just an interesting detail. Another interesting thing is that the ship has only one gun (or perhaps just the blast tube) installed on the starboard wing... this Hawk is a real hodge-podge!

I haven't done much research on Chinese P-40s, any idea which USAAF unit #775 may have come from?

I'd also like to see larger images, if possible...


Fade to Black...

How do I get scans of those...higher res? I am putting the finishing touches on P-40 Warhawk in Action for Squadron/Signal

That reminds me Rich, I never emailed you the larger version of that inflight P-40L photo... D'oH!

I'm so sorry guy... if it's not too late I'll hook you up.


Fade to Black...

Okay guys - PM me your e-mail addresses and you'll be served

Also thanks for the additional observations from a P-40 specialist, Mr. Peter-Four-Oh !

Martin

An interesting aside about the "older, larger wheels" comment by Peter-Four-Oh. I have heard of the 49th FG guys up in PNG ratting through dumped P40D's & E's for the 30" Wheels to fit to the N's because apparently the larger wheels handled the rough airstrips better. My guess it's either a P40M, N-1 or even a K-10.

In the secfond photo, there's the tail of an airplane visible in the hangar. Anyone know what it is? Is it a P-51A ?

Hi--

Re the tail in the hangar, looks to me like it has the fillet ahead of the fin, which would make it most likely a P-51D (or K). Some C-models had fillets too though and that version was certainly used in the CBI. I'm not aware of any Allison stangs with fillets...but (as these shots of "homebrew" TP-40Ns prove) one should never say never!

I have a thing for the dual-control versions of various prop fighters. Maybe that's because even in fantasyland I don't picture myself as making a particularly good pilot...

How about a thread on that subject? Some of the types...

TF-51D
TP-40N
Spitfire T8/T9
Fury T20/T61
Yak-7B
A6M2-N
Fw190S
Avia CS199
Hispano 1112M4L

...et cetera. A pretty cool grouping.

S.

I'd like to use at least one, since the photos I have of CACW P-40Ns are of rather poor quality. 300 dpi for an 8 by 10 or 600 dpi for a 5 by 7 works well, save in grayscale to reduce the size.

P-40L shot would be good also.

thanks,

Rich Dann

P-51D or K



Martin