Who here has actually flew a P-40?

[Nathan]

Was wondering if anyone here has ever flown the P-40? How did it compare with other planes you flew? Likes, dislikes?


Thanks!
-Nathan

[bdk]

Was wondering if anyone here has ever flown the P-40? How did it compare with other planes you flew? Likes, dislikes?

I got to fly Bob Pond's dual control P-40 from the back seat if that counts for anything. At the time I was an accomplished Luscombe pilot so I'll say it had a lot of power and flew really fast. I've got a bunch of Stearman time too, but it didn't fly at all like that. I've flown a few hours of dual in a T-6. It flew more like that than anything else I've flown. Does that help any?

I suppose John-Curtiss Paul could be more helpful.

[CWBuff]

Only in sims... and that's as close as I'll ever get most likely.


Fade to Black...

[Steve Nelson]

Are you kidding?...I've never even stayed at a Holiday In Express...

[Jack Cook]

I've sat in John Paul's N with the canopy closed and
growled like a Allision engine
We clearly need J-C Paul heare to save this thread

[Steve Nelson]

Well, I did sit in the cockpit of a P-40N once, but the plane was pink, and the cockpit had red shag carpet...so It may not really count.

SN

[Stoney]

I rode in the back seat of John Paul's, "SUE" but it didn't have a stick back there.

[CWBuff]

Okay, so I did come close once. But it was a long time ago in a galaxy far, far... nevermind...




Fade to Black...

[Warbirdnerd]

In June of 1989 I rode in the back of Bob Pond's P-40 to and from the Quad Cities Air Show with Larry Daudt driving. Bob's P-40 has a second set of instruments and controls and I got about 10 minutes of stick time. Unfortunately the motorcycle helmet I was wearing did not allow for a headset or mike, so all of my dual was given with hand signals....
A very fun trip. On the way down we flew off the TBM and on the way home Randy Sohn was off our wing in the P-47... My camera died that morning so I did not get any pics. At one point on the way home I heard a large THUNK to my left, not sure what it was and not able to hear Larry and Randy, all I could do was enjoy the show as Randy flew all around us checking for damage and ascertaining the situation. After we landed safely at FCM I found out that the rear most exhaust shroud on the left side of Miss Josephine (P-40) came off over Iowa and hit the fuselage under my canopy and again back by the tail before most likely ending up in some corn field...
Man those were the days...

[Steve Rister]

This is as close at I got. Picture taken at Breckenridge in late 80's.

[PeterA]

Ray Hanna - North Weald - 30 June 1984.

PeterA

[Taylor Stevenson]

My Dad, Gordon Stevenson, is a sponsor on the CAF's P-40. He has 3 landings and 3 engine overhauls... Those are some expensive landings! He loved it though.

[John-Curtiss Paul]

Well... Frank Tallman summed it up best when he said to my Dad "John, your really gonna love flying the P-40... it's better than sex....especially if you just had some!". Frank was right.

In all honesty I love flying the P-40. It's a very fun airplane to fly. I like everything about it except the painfully slow landing gear (13-15 seconds). That's not even a big deal unless you have an emergency. Just have to plan ahead.

[maxum96]

Nope, not been able to fly a P-40 yet. Just my p-47. ':rofl:'






http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2007-1/1236639/P-47d.jpg

[David_Aiken]

My Wing CO was Major General Frank Nichols... four of his 5 kills were in a P-40K-1...he told me that the key recognition of a fellow P-40 pilot was the wrist watch on the left arm. Either the crystal on the watch was broken or the pilot had the watch crystal on the palm side of his wrist. Seems that the throttle control was too close to the 'cabin' wall and the watch took the brunt of the punishment. The leather band on Nichols' own watch finally broke from the situation and he wore it dangling from his shirt pocket!

Cheers,
David