Judy's P-40F Warhawk 3/2009

[mustangdriver]

I think this is a great plane to have restored. A real historic aircraft to have around.

[marine air]

Questions for the P-40 gurus;

1) Does anyone have a photo of the polished metal P-40K owned by Bob Buyrns that was at Oshkosh one year? It was painted after only a couple of months NMF.

2) What kind of prop would have gone on the Merlin engined P-40?

3) My assumption is that the other P-40's had 1200 hp. and the Merlin would have 1450 hp. or? Did the increase in hp. make any significant improvements in the P-40 as a combat aircraft?

4) Did anyone (civvy racer) ever try to put a bigger allison or race Merlin in a P-40 postwar?
Thanks

Last edited by marine air on Thu Mar 12, 2009 1:04 am, edited 1 time in total.

[JDK]

Well, Judy's P-40 prop has got Curtiss Electric decals on it...

[Dave Homewood]

There were at least two RNZAF P-40's flown in New Zealand in polished bare metal. One was NZ3110, which was the personal aircraft of Doug St George, CO of No. 17 Fighter Squadron at Ardmore. The other I know of was NZ3210.

Jack, that photo of 'Coty' Head in the grass skirt is priceless, I love seeing these types of fun photos from the war which prove they let off steam occasionally.

And by the way when it was decided to backdate the RNZAF Museum's P-40F wreck during its rebuild to a P-40E, all the uniquely -F parts were removed and went to Judy Pay's restoration I am told, so the rare parts were not disgarded.

[JDK]

Did any P-40s fly in a bare metal scheme during the war? That naked cowling looks pretty cool.

Quite a few RAAF P-40s flew in bare metal in Australia during the war. Neat scheme, IMHO.

Examples from a quick google:

http://www.naa.gov.au/about-us/publicat ... /fs97.aspx





From the Ventura website, well worth a look:
http://www.thescale.info/news/publish/R ... awks.shtml

And:

http://www.fspilotshop.com/product_info ... cts_id=446

[daveymac82c]

Hey James,

Thanks for posting those RAAF pics. I really love the scheme of the first P-40 there. I'd love to see one painted up like that someday... oh wait... I guess it would be "un-painted" like that.

Cheers,

David

[51fixer]

Questions for the P-40 gurus;



3) My assumption is that the other P-40's had 1200 hp. and the Merlin would have 1450 hp. or? Did the increase in hp. make any significant improvements in the P-40 as a combat aircraft?

4) Did anyone (civvy racer) ever try to put a bigger allison or race Merlin in a P-40 postwar?
Thanks

IIRC the Merlins in a P-40 lacked the 2 stage supercharger and intercooler as fitted to a P-51 so I think the 1450 hp might be a bit high.
Rich

[51fixer]

Questions for the P-40 gurus;



3) My assumption is that the other P-40's had 1200 hp. and the Merlin would have 1450 hp. or? Did the increase in hp. make any significant improvements in the P-40 as a combat aircraft?

4) Did anyone (civvy racer) ever try to put a bigger allison or race Merlin in a P-40 postwar?
Thanks

IIRC the Merlins in a P-40 lacked the 2 stage supercharger and intercooler as fitted to a P-51 so I think the 1450 hp might be a bit high.
Rich

Packard V-1650-1 = 2 SPEED, SINGLE STAGE BLOWER around 1300 hp and was based on the Packard built Merlin 28
Rich

[SPANNERmkV]

Great stuff Jack!!!

They earned their right to be a little weird... That they did.

SPANNER

[marine air]

Bob Burn's P-40K was basically painted in that 13 Pursuit Group schem like on the photo in an earlier post. Don't remember it having the hash mark on the fuselage. It looked great from a distance but when you got up close it had a lot of deep scrathes in the aluminum which was mostly original. IIRC.
The Lauderback twins did the restoration and they said they never dreamed that when they were stripping the paint off the wings and using a wire brush that anyone would ever want to finish the aircraft poilished metal!

[Jack Cook]

Had a email from Judy. The new radiator is in and the a/c is in the paint shop. First flight anytime. They're hoping to make a local airshow on ANZAC day on the 25th.

[Holedigger]

Nice Kitty!

[croweater]

Had a email from Judy. The new radiator is in and the a/c is in the paint shop. First flight anytime. They're hoping to make a local airshow on ANZAC day on the 25th.

Could this be a world first for Echuca?

Regards Croweater

[JDK]

Could this be a world first for Echuca?

Regards Croweater

That's the plan. Best not to count your Hawks before they're hatched, but there's a good, interesting and some new turnout aimed for there.

[Steve Nelson]

I wonder how many Merlin Fs are still out there. The Registry lists two, and I believe one more was recovered from the Medaterranian a few years back and is on display in a museum "as found."

SN