U.S. Navy P-40

[fubar57]

Did the U.S. Navy trial P-40s during WW2? This is supposedly one; note catapult harness and hold-back.

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Captions says, "Curtiss P-40K USAAF 42-46205 15FG6NFS 18 USS Breton Dec 10 1943-01"

 

[fubar57]

Hmmmm.....and so I find this,

WINGS PALETTE - Curtiss P-40 Warhawk/Kittyhawk/Tomahawk - USA
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Still curious though if the U.S. Navy did trial the P-40

 

[Glider]

I have seen reference to a 'hooked Harvard' which I found interesting

 

[Dana Bell]

Hi Fubar,

The tests began in 1940, not to assign new Army aircraft to the Navy, but to use Navy carriers to deliver Army aircraft to remote locations such as Iceland, North Africa, and Pacific islands.

The photos on board Breton were a squadron of the 15th Fighter Group being delivered in the Pacific - I can't remember the squadron or the island, but the best available aircraft were drawn from all the 15th's units. The artwork is almost totally wrong - aircraft #18 would have been from the 6th NFS, but this is actually aircraft 181 from the 47th FS. The nose bands would have been a Robin Egg Blue - much lighter from the unit records. And the unit emblem would have been entirely different.

Here's a pre-launch shot of the other side:

Hope this helps!

Cheers,



Dana

 

[fubar57]

Greatly appreciated Dana. The Wings Palette profiles aren't usually the best source

 

[vikingBerserker]

I had no idea they were catapulted, very interesting.

 

[Dana Bell]

I knew I had this photo somewhere:

This was taken on Wasp on 14 Oct 1940 - here's what Bob Cressman at DANFS had to say:

Now ready to join the fleet and assigned to Carrier Division 3, Patrol Force, Wasp shifted to Naval Operating Base, Norfolk (NOB Norfolk) from the Norfolk Navy Yard on 11 October. There, she loaded 24 Curtiss P-40 fighters from the Army Air Corps' 8th Pursuit Group and nine North American O-47A reconnaissance aircraft from the 2d Observation Squadron, as well as her own spares and utility unit Grumman J2F Duck flying boats on the 12th. Proceeding to sea for maneuvering room, Wasp flew off the Army planes in a test designed to compare the take-off runs of standard Navy and Army aircraft. That experiment, the first time that Army planes had flown from a Navy carrier, foreshadowed the use of the ship in the ferry role that she performed so well in World War II.

Cheers,



Dana

 

[vikingBerserker]

I bet that was an experience for the Army flyers used to a runway that does not move or rock.

 

[MIflyer]

I've always like those photos of P-40's launching for Operation Torch from the USS Ranger and USS Chenango. I've never seen one of the P-40B models on a carrier, though. Thanks!

 

[Wurger]

 

[Capt. Vick]

Or O-47's!

 

[Elvis]

I've always like those photos of P-40's launching for Operation Torch from the USS Ranger and USS Chenango. I've never seen one of the P-40B models on a carrier, though. Thanks!View attachment 593409View attachment 593410View attachment 593411View attachment 593412

...Merlin powered P-40's.

 

[Elvis]

Hi Fubar,

The tests began in 1940, not to assign new Army aircraft to the Navy, but to use Navy carriers to deliver Army aircraft to remote locations such as Iceland, North Africa, and Pacific islands.

The photos on board Breton were a squadron of the 15th Fighter Group being delivered in the Pacific - I can't remember the squadron or the island, but the best available aircraft were drawn from all the 15th's units. The artwork is almost totally wrong - aircraft #18 would have been from the 6th NFS, but this is actually aircraft 181 from the 47th FS. The nose bands would have been a Robin Egg Blue - much lighter from the unit records. And the unit emblem would have been entirely different.

Here's a pre-launch shot of the other side:
View attachment 593402

Hope this helps!

Cheers,



Dana

If you notice Fubar's first two photo's, it appears the airplane has "18" written on the nose, but Dana Bell's pic shows it was actually "181".

 

[MIflyer]

I think it odd that we sent Merlin P-40's to North Africa - and the South Pacific. Does not make much sense, logistically.

 

[MIflyer]

I notice they used their flaps on takeoff from a carrier, which makes perfect sense. For the Spitfires ferried by carrier the only flap setting available was Up or Down. So they inserted wooden blocks cut at the correct angle for takeoff and then retracted the flaps against the blocks to get the right amount of flap to shorten the takeoff roll.

 

[emu27]

Not much history on the aircraft, 42-46205 returned to USA Apr 26, 1944, surveyed May 1944. P-40. On occasions such as during Torch P-40's were frequently catapult launched due to shortage of deck length, but were not fitted with arrestor hooks as they were landing ashore. Unsurprising the Navy might have trialed the aircraft, even the P-51 was trialed.

 

[XBe02Drvr]

Unsurprising the Navy might have trialed the aircraft, even the P-51 was trialed.

That looks like an inflight arrestment in the making. Crunch!!