P-40 ID help please

[phas3e]

Looking for some help from P-40 experts

Serial Number is what I'm really after though I'm only assuming its 57th FG in Tunisia
Based on the Lack of Bars on the Stars the style of Numbering and the 'desert pink' paint scheme.

The image has the serial as 413926 but 4-413926 is the well known P-51D E2*S of the 361st FG

Most P-40Fs I have looked into use 4-113xxx to 4-114xxx I can safely assume the above number is wrong or incomplete.

any help would be great

 

[vikingBerserker]

There is a P-40F that had a serial number 41-13926. Perhaps the extra 1 was left out.


http://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/1941_3.html

 

[Siccmade]

Looks like the P-40E

 

[Colin1]

Looks like the P-40E

Lack of facility for down-draught carburation - it's not an E

Serials for F production would be

P-40F
41-13600 to 41-13695 and
41-13697 to 41-14299
Total run - 699 a/c
Jan - Aug 1942

P-40F-5
41-14300 to 41-14422
Total run - 123 a/c
Aug 1942

P-40F-10
41-14423 to 41-14599
Total run - 127 a/c
Oct - Nov 1942

P-40F-15
41-19733 to 41-19932
Total run - 200 a/c
Dec 1942

P-40F-20
41-19933 to 41-20044
Total run - 112 a/c
Jan 1943

That puts your bird, if the serial is correctly reported, in the second run of P-40Fs

 

[vikingBerserker]

I have to disagree, according to America's Hundreed Thousand, 1,311 were produced as Warhawks, and another 250 were built as Kittyhawk II's for export.

 

[Colin1]

I have to disagree, according to America's Hundred Thousand, 1,311 were produced as Warhawks, and another 250 were built as Kittyhawk IIs for export.

230 Kittyhawk IIs
were delivered to the RAF but Kittyhawk IIs were P-40Fs and Ls. This is not a separate count, these can be subtracted from USAAF deliveries.

RAF serials FL219 to FL488
Jul - Aug 1942
Lend-Lease

 

[vikingBerserker]

I believe the 250 is in addition to those that were delivered to the US Military and then give to other countries. The 250 I quoted were Kittihawk II's that were the export version of the P-40F and not all of those went to the RAF.

 

[Colin1]

I believe the 250 is in addition to those that were delivered to the US Military and then give to other countries. The 250 I quoted were Kittihawk II's that were the export version of the P-40F and not all of those went to the RAF.

They were the export version alright
but I'm pretty sure they were Fs and Ls - not that there was a great deal of difference
I'll dig around but it's getting pretty late here

 

[vikingBerserker]

You are correct about the Kittihawk II's being both F's L's. According to the book there were 250 Kittihawk II's (P-40F) 100 Kittihawk II's (P-40L). Seems like an odd way of doing it though.

 

[Colin1]

Seems like an odd way of doing it though.

There was nothing normal about P-40 model numbering
Off the top of my head, there were two 'versions' of the P-40K that bore no resemblance whatsoever to one another, one had the shortened fuselage and the other was sleek and streamlined with no chin radiator.

They were the early signs, if anyone did but see them, of the demise of Curtiss-Wright

 

[P-40K-5]

There was nothing normal about P-40 model numbering
Off the top of my head, there were two 'versions' of the P-40K that bore no resemblance whatsoever to one another, one had the shortened fuselage and the other was sleek and streamlined with no chin radiator.

They were the early signs, if anyone did but see them, of the demise of Curtiss-Wright

there were four production and one experimental version of the 'K' series.

P-40K-1CU P-40K-5CU were short fuse with a strake on the dorsal fin.
P-40K-10CU were long fuse.
P-40K-15CU were winterized versions
XP-40K-10CU was an experimental aircraft with the radiators moved to the wings,
and had the 'mustang' appearing nose. never went to production.

 

[vikingBerserker]

You forgot one, the Kittihawk III which was an RAF Version of the P-40K

But I agree with Colin, there is like 43 different versions of the plane - I mean holy crap!

Getting back to the original question, did the US ever paint their P-40's Pink or is it just Olive Drab that has faded?

 

[P-40K-5]

the RAF also refered to the P-40M as a KittyHawk III too.
anyways,
the colour was Light Sand (pink.. but not really). some others were OD,
and others yet were earth/middlestone. depend really on which fighter
group. 'pink' was primarly used by the 57th.

 

[vikingBerserker]

Very interesting, thanks for the info.

 

[P-40K-5]

no problem. anything P-40 related don't hessitate to ask me.

 

[Colin1]

No problem. Anything P-40 related don't hesitate to ask me

Sure
can you clear up the issue in the thread over the Kittyhawk II?

 

[P-40K-5]

Sure
can you clear up the issue in the thread over the Kittyhawk II?

sure. that one is from the 66th FS / 57th FG. 'GOODBYE' was written on
it by the retreating Germans. kind of a 'salute'.

 

[vikingBerserker]

Nice!

 

[P-40K-5]

I guess I should add that it was flown by Capt. George W 'Pop' Long, Egypt, 1942.

 

[Colin1]

Good info
but I meant the issue of manufacturing quantities for the P-40F
Were Kittyhawk II numbers inclusive or exclusive of USAAF deliveries?