eBay: Curtiss P-40 (1 Viewer)

Snautzer01 · May 10, 2020

WWII Flying Tigers Plane "Idiots Delight" with Pilot Sitting on Wing 8x10 | eBay

Snautzer01 · May 10, 2020

WWII War Plane 41 Photograph Plane Down 12 point "Sun/Star" Insignia | eBay

Wurger · May 10, 2020

MiTasol · May 11, 2020

I found this photo from The Hawk's Nest - An Online Resource for the P-40 Warhawk most interesting because it appears the aircraft has had a rivet line failure on the factory split line (the long dark line just below the playing cards). Obviously this is not the case so I wondered if anyone on this forum has any better ideas. I also note the tail gear doors are shorter than later aircraft.

Wurger · May 11, 2020

Dana Bell · May 11, 2020

MiTasol said:
I found this photo from The Hawk's Nest - An Online Resource for the P-40 Warhawk most interesting because it appears the aircraft has had a rivet line failure on the factory split line (the long dark line just below the playing cards). Obviously this is not the case so I wondered if anyone on this forum has any better ideas. I also note the tail gear doors are shorter than later aircraft.
View attachment 580894

A nice shot - perhaps the only known photo of a P-40G - a straight P-40 fuselage mated to a set of British Tomahawk wings (note the pair of guns in the right wing). The tail wheel is an interim version - the tire is larger and the strut extended, with the after portion of the door cut away (since the larger tail wheel could no longer retract fully). IIRC, the fuselage code is the 77th Pursuit Sq.

The P-40 did have a fuselage seam there - you're seeing dirt and moisture accumulated below that seam. Interestingly, the skin above the seam was primed with Lionoil (a blue varnish) while the area below the seam was primed with zinc chromate. Since Lionoil adhered poorly, you can find the occasional image of the a P-40 with heavy chipping above the seam and intact paint below.

Cheers,

Dana

MiTasol · May 11, 2020

Thank you. That makes sense. And there I thought it was an A, B, or C model. The great thing on this forum is that there are so many with so much knowledge they are willing to share.