seesul
Senior Master Sergeant
Don´t know if soemone posted it before, if so I´m sorry...
P-40 Recovery in Russia
Curtiss-Wright P-40C (C/N 16194) Serial 41-13390
Construction
The Curtiss-Wright model H81 A-3 was manufactured for the US Army Air Corps between March and May 1941. The order number was W-535, account 15802 and it cost the US Government $40,148.00. Curtiss-Wright completed 193 P-40Cs in the Curtiss construction block of 16104-16296. The Allison engine order was for a V-1710-33, which originally would have been in the 41.35??? range as seen on other P40Cs in the same block. The P-40C described was completed in Olive Drab 41 to upper surfaces and Neutral Gray to the under-side. The pre-war star and meatball was on the upper surfaces, whilst the underside of the wings had a US ARMY marking in large black letters.
Curtiss-Wright P-40C factory number 16194 was the 90th P-40C manufactured at the main production facility in Buffalo, NY. It was completed in March 1941 with the serial 41-13390 and was then issued to Holabird, Central District, on 9 April 1941. It is thought that this P-40C did not have any previous USAAC service. To support this, there are no listings on the record card and no evidence on the recovered airframe of any previous markings or painted rudder.
It became the property of the Office of Defense Aid (ST-41-24390) on 11 June 1941. P-40C 41-13390 was one of ten P-40Cs purchased by the British to be included within their Tomahawk IIB order, of which the British ordered 1180 examples. (The ten were 41-13389/13390/13396-13401/13406/13407.) Serial 41-13390 was allocated to the Soviet Union as part of the Defense Aid Program in September 1941.
Recovery
The P-40C was located by satellite photography in a desolate part of Russia in 1993. It was recovered from behind Murmashi, a rail depot south of Murmansk, where it had crash-landed during WWII.
The pilot undertook an emergency wheels-up landing in the tundra. Very little damage occurred in the crash-landing, except to the radiator chin cowl assembly. The pilot, and possibly others, then removed the radio and gun sight.
The P-40C was recovered by helicopter, dismantled, and eventually returned to the UK, where the restoration was being planned by The Fighter Collection at Duxford.
The ID located on the tail oleo showed it is P-40C-CU Model 81A-3, serial 41-13390. The serial number was also located on the oil tank. The fuselage longerons, back armor, and other panels were stamped with the construction number 194. Other panels and components clearly stated B model and these are thought to be from the production line where the B models and Tomahawk IIBs ran into the C-model batch. There was very little difference between these models and parts certainly just ran through.
The P-40 was clearly marked up with a tactical number '53' on the faded camouflage. All upper surfaces had been scoured nearly down to bare metal during over 50 years of snow storms. The old-style American star was faintly visible on the fuselage side. The US ARMY on the underside of the wings was clearer and had been overpainted, and red stars had been applied. There was evidence also of brown and green camouflage and possibly the outline of an RAF roundel, also on the side of the fuselage. It is not known whether this was possibly added before being completed for the US Army or after it was taken over by the British Purchasing Commission. A number of the engine cowling panels had clearly come from a British Tomahawk IIB (with green and brown camouflage), and could have been added during its operational period in Russia.
The P-40C had clearly suffered combat damage and there were small-caliber bullet holes along the fuselage and to the wings. The oil tank was holed, which most likely led to the loss of the aircraft. It was clear, though, that repairs had been undertaken previously, particularly to one wing tip (according to V. Romanenko, it could be the result of a ramming attack).
The engine recovered from the airframe was a British-ordered Allison V1710-33 with UK War Office stamps and the number A.200541. This was one of 1,000 Allison V-1710 engines (A.199588 through to A.200587) ordered against Contract No A-196.
History
The Soviet Union received their first 47 Tomahawk IIBs in September 1941. They were assembled by an RAF team at Yagodnik airfield near Archangel and from here were flight- tested by USAAC pilot Lt. Zemke (later Col 'Hub' Zemke, 56 FG 8AF) and less so by Lt. Alison. The first two Tomahawks, serials AK300 with Allison A.200767 and AK242 with Allison engine A.200663, were handed over to the Soviet Air Force on 5 October 1941. Unfortunately, in both cases, within half an hour both had crashed/emergency landed. It was found that both had suffered gear, generator-drive gear, and accessory-drive gear failure. It appeared that the generator-drive gear on these aircraft had not received the necessary modification prior to being dispatched for the Soviet Union! As of 28 November 1941, the Soviets had suffered 19 failures with their Tomahawks due to no modification and they were not too happy! The Soviets grounded all their Tomahawks until it was all sorted out.
According to Soviet research data, the Curtiss-Wright P40C 41-13350 arrived at Murmansk in early 1942 by convoy. It was then most probably assembled and flight tested at Yagodnik airfield before being assigned to a fighter regiment. The Soviets recorded American-supplied P-40 aircraft by their construction (factory) number, so in the case of 41-13390 it was recorded as '194' as painted on the pilot's back armor (the British-supplied aircraft were easier to inventory as they were recorded by the RAF serial). The first entry for '194' was the following:
P-40 "194" was issued new to the 147 IAP VVS 14 Army (147th Fighter Regiment, 14th Army) in early 1942. On 5 February 1942, at 1340 CET (Central European Time) P-40 '194' suffered engine failure and had to make a belly-landing at Murmashi airfield, south of Murmansk. It was considered as "medium damaged" (30-50%). Pilot was Sr. Lt. N. V. Jurilin, who survived unhurt.
After repairs and with a new Allison engine fitted, it was issued to 20 GIAP (Guards Fighter Regiment) on 12 July 1942. This regiment had 20 P-40s on strength, 16 of which were operational. 147 IAP became a Guards Unit on 7 March 1942, becoming 20 GIAP. The records mention Tomahawk "194" as powered by a British Air Ministry-ordered Allison C-15 No A.200541. Whether this was from a damaged Tomahawk IIB or a crated spare is still unknown. At this time, the 20 GIAP was a part of the 1SAD (Combined Air Division) of Soviet Air Force (VVS) and was on the Karelian Front as part of the defense of Murmansk.
On 27 September 1942, the Soviet War Diary records the following combat activities:
1617 - 1723 hrs (CET), five Hurricanes of 837 IAP covered the air over own bases when nine P-40s of 20 GIAP and one P-39 of 19 GIAP were engaged in combat with eighteen Bf-109s at altitudes of 4000 - 5000meters. The air battle lasted 25 minutes. The Russians claimed three Bf-109s shot down (Luftwaffe records report undercarriage damage to a Bf-109F-4 of 7./JG5). Russian losses were two aircraft from 837 IAP and two aircraft from 20 GIAP (Jr. Lt. N. A. Fikljunin was shot down and killed in a Hurricane, Sr. Sgt. P. K. Prochan made a force landing in a Hurricane 3km east of Shonguj, Sgt A. P. Pakov was shot down and parachuted to safety from his P-40 and, finally, Major Ermakov belly-landed his P-40 "194".
The last available record for "194" is on 5 January 1944, when it was written off from the inventory of 20 GIAP of the 1st Combined Air Division. It was a common Soviet practice not to strike off wrecked equipment immediately (the Soviet Navy did the same with ships and aircraft) until a period of time after the event. There is no evidence of P-40 "194" being on the inventory list of 20 GIAP on 31 December 1942, or on the inventory of 7 VA (Air Army) on 1 June 1943. It can safely be assumed that 27 September 1942 was when "194" was lost and 5 January 1944 was the date that "194" was eventually written off from Soviet records.
P-40 Recovery in Russia
P-40 Recovery in Russia
Curtiss-Wright P-40C (C/N 16194) Serial 41-13390
Construction
The Curtiss-Wright model H81 A-3 was manufactured for the US Army Air Corps between March and May 1941. The order number was W-535, account 15802 and it cost the US Government $40,148.00. Curtiss-Wright completed 193 P-40Cs in the Curtiss construction block of 16104-16296. The Allison engine order was for a V-1710-33, which originally would have been in the 41.35??? range as seen on other P40Cs in the same block. The P-40C described was completed in Olive Drab 41 to upper surfaces and Neutral Gray to the under-side. The pre-war star and meatball was on the upper surfaces, whilst the underside of the wings had a US ARMY marking in large black letters.
Curtiss-Wright P-40C factory number 16194 was the 90th P-40C manufactured at the main production facility in Buffalo, NY. It was completed in March 1941 with the serial 41-13390 and was then issued to Holabird, Central District, on 9 April 1941. It is thought that this P-40C did not have any previous USAAC service. To support this, there are no listings on the record card and no evidence on the recovered airframe of any previous markings or painted rudder.
It became the property of the Office of Defense Aid (ST-41-24390) on 11 June 1941. P-40C 41-13390 was one of ten P-40Cs purchased by the British to be included within their Tomahawk IIB order, of which the British ordered 1180 examples. (The ten were 41-13389/13390/13396-13401/13406/13407.) Serial 41-13390 was allocated to the Soviet Union as part of the Defense Aid Program in September 1941.
Recovery
The P-40C was located by satellite photography in a desolate part of Russia in 1993. It was recovered from behind Murmashi, a rail depot south of Murmansk, where it had crash-landed during WWII.
The pilot undertook an emergency wheels-up landing in the tundra. Very little damage occurred in the crash-landing, except to the radiator chin cowl assembly. The pilot, and possibly others, then removed the radio and gun sight.
The P-40C was recovered by helicopter, dismantled, and eventually returned to the UK, where the restoration was being planned by The Fighter Collection at Duxford.
The ID located on the tail oleo showed it is P-40C-CU Model 81A-3, serial 41-13390. The serial number was also located on the oil tank. The fuselage longerons, back armor, and other panels were stamped with the construction number 194. Other panels and components clearly stated B model and these are thought to be from the production line where the B models and Tomahawk IIBs ran into the C-model batch. There was very little difference between these models and parts certainly just ran through.
The P-40 was clearly marked up with a tactical number '53' on the faded camouflage. All upper surfaces had been scoured nearly down to bare metal during over 50 years of snow storms. The old-style American star was faintly visible on the fuselage side. The US ARMY on the underside of the wings was clearer and had been overpainted, and red stars had been applied. There was evidence also of brown and green camouflage and possibly the outline of an RAF roundel, also on the side of the fuselage. It is not known whether this was possibly added before being completed for the US Army or after it was taken over by the British Purchasing Commission. A number of the engine cowling panels had clearly come from a British Tomahawk IIB (with green and brown camouflage), and could have been added during its operational period in Russia.
The P-40C had clearly suffered combat damage and there were small-caliber bullet holes along the fuselage and to the wings. The oil tank was holed, which most likely led to the loss of the aircraft. It was clear, though, that repairs had been undertaken previously, particularly to one wing tip (according to V. Romanenko, it could be the result of a ramming attack).
The engine recovered from the airframe was a British-ordered Allison V1710-33 with UK War Office stamps and the number A.200541. This was one of 1,000 Allison V-1710 engines (A.199588 through to A.200587) ordered against Contract No A-196.
History
The Soviet Union received their first 47 Tomahawk IIBs in September 1941. They were assembled by an RAF team at Yagodnik airfield near Archangel and from here were flight- tested by USAAC pilot Lt. Zemke (later Col 'Hub' Zemke, 56 FG 8AF) and less so by Lt. Alison. The first two Tomahawks, serials AK300 with Allison A.200767 and AK242 with Allison engine A.200663, were handed over to the Soviet Air Force on 5 October 1941. Unfortunately, in both cases, within half an hour both had crashed/emergency landed. It was found that both had suffered gear, generator-drive gear, and accessory-drive gear failure. It appeared that the generator-drive gear on these aircraft had not received the necessary modification prior to being dispatched for the Soviet Union! As of 28 November 1941, the Soviets had suffered 19 failures with their Tomahawks due to no modification and they were not too happy! The Soviets grounded all their Tomahawks until it was all sorted out.
According to Soviet research data, the Curtiss-Wright P40C 41-13350 arrived at Murmansk in early 1942 by convoy. It was then most probably assembled and flight tested at Yagodnik airfield before being assigned to a fighter regiment. The Soviets recorded American-supplied P-40 aircraft by their construction (factory) number, so in the case of 41-13390 it was recorded as '194' as painted on the pilot's back armor (the British-supplied aircraft were easier to inventory as they were recorded by the RAF serial). The first entry for '194' was the following:
P-40 "194" was issued new to the 147 IAP VVS 14 Army (147th Fighter Regiment, 14th Army) in early 1942. On 5 February 1942, at 1340 CET (Central European Time) P-40 '194' suffered engine failure and had to make a belly-landing at Murmashi airfield, south of Murmansk. It was considered as "medium damaged" (30-50%). Pilot was Sr. Lt. N. V. Jurilin, who survived unhurt.
After repairs and with a new Allison engine fitted, it was issued to 20 GIAP (Guards Fighter Regiment) on 12 July 1942. This regiment had 20 P-40s on strength, 16 of which were operational. 147 IAP became a Guards Unit on 7 March 1942, becoming 20 GIAP. The records mention Tomahawk "194" as powered by a British Air Ministry-ordered Allison C-15 No A.200541. Whether this was from a damaged Tomahawk IIB or a crated spare is still unknown. At this time, the 20 GIAP was a part of the 1SAD (Combined Air Division) of Soviet Air Force (VVS) and was on the Karelian Front as part of the defense of Murmansk.
On 27 September 1942, the Soviet War Diary records the following combat activities:
1617 - 1723 hrs (CET), five Hurricanes of 837 IAP covered the air over own bases when nine P-40s of 20 GIAP and one P-39 of 19 GIAP were engaged in combat with eighteen Bf-109s at altitudes of 4000 - 5000meters. The air battle lasted 25 minutes. The Russians claimed three Bf-109s shot down (Luftwaffe records report undercarriage damage to a Bf-109F-4 of 7./JG5). Russian losses were two aircraft from 837 IAP and two aircraft from 20 GIAP (Jr. Lt. N. A. Fikljunin was shot down and killed in a Hurricane, Sr. Sgt. P. K. Prochan made a force landing in a Hurricane 3km east of Shonguj, Sgt A. P. Pakov was shot down and parachuted to safety from his P-40 and, finally, Major Ermakov belly-landed his P-40 "194".
The last available record for "194" is on 5 January 1944, when it was written off from the inventory of 20 GIAP of the 1st Combined Air Division. It was a common Soviet practice not to strike off wrecked equipment immediately (the Soviet Navy did the same with ships and aircraft) until a period of time after the event. There is no evidence of P-40 "194" being on the inventory list of 20 GIAP on 31 December 1942, or on the inventory of 7 VA (Air Army) on 1 June 1943. It can safely be assumed that 27 September 1942 was when "194" was lost and 5 January 1944 was the date that "194" was eventually written off from Soviet records.
P-40 Recovery in Russia
