The Curtiss P-40 Warhawk is an American single-engined, single-seat, all-metal fighter-bomber that first flew in 1938. The P-40 design was a modification of the previous Curtiss P-36 Hawk which reduced development time and enabled a rapid …

The Curtiss P-40 Warhawk was a WWII fighter aircraft that was developed from the P-36 Hawk, via the P-37. Many variants were built, some in large numbers, under names including the Hawk, Tomahawk, and Kittyhawk.

The P-40 was the United States' best fighter available in large numbers when World War II began. P-40s engaged Japanese aircraft at Pearl Harbor and in the Philippines in December 1941.

P-40E pilot Lt. Boyd D. Wagner became the first American ace of World War II when he shot down six Japanese aircraft in the Philippines in mid-December 1941. Curtiss-Wright built this airplane as Model 87-A3 and delivered it to Canada as a Kittyhawk I in 1941.

Although outmatched by many adversaries at the time, the Curtiss P-40 was the best fighter the US Army could field on the eve of WWII. Even so, it held the line while faster and more capable aircraft were developed and produced.

Single engine, single seat, fighter aircraft. Whether known as the Warhawk, Tomahawk, or Kittyhawk, the Curtiss P-40 proved to be a successful, versatile fighter during the first half of World War II.

Jan 2, 2015 · Curtiss-Wright's shark-nosed P-40 Warhawks gained their greatest fame over Burma, but the plane saw service on many fronts during World War II.

The P-40E model was upgraded with six wing mounted .50 caliber machine guns in place of the original four wing guns. The P-40 remained in production until 1944 and served throughout the war, despite being superseded by newer designs.

P-40E version armament: Guns: 6x 0.5 inches (12.7 mm) M2 Browning machine guns in the wings. Bombs: 250 to 1000 lbs (110 to 450 kg) bombs to a total of 2000 lb (910 kg) on hardpoints under the fuselage and two underwing. Other versions (...)

Though often slower and less maneuverable than its adversaries, the P-40 earned a reputation in battle for extreme ruggedness. It served throughout the war but was eclipsed by more capable aircraft. More than 14,000 P-40s were built, and they served in the air forces of 28 nations.