Subject: Number Forty in the Series--Curtiss P-40 (2 of 10)

From: [email-masked] (Joseph F Baugher)
Date: 23 Dec 92 17:17:11 GMT

>From Joseph F Baugher <[email-masked]>

At a very early stage, the Curtiss P-40 attracted the attention of 
foreign air forces.  On May 10, 1939, the French ordered 140 export 
versions of the P-40 for the Armee de l"Air.  These aircraft were 
designated Hawk 81-A1 by the manufacturer.  The Hawk 81-A1s were 
identical to the US P-40 except that they had French instruments and 
equipment and were equipped with reverse-movement "French-fashion" 
throttles.  The first of the French-ordered H81-A1s flew on June 6, 
1940, and a few were actually completed with French markings.  
However, before any of their H81-A1s could be delivered, France 
surrendered.  Britain agreed to take over the entirety of the French 
order, and gave the H81-A the name Tomahawk I in RAF service.  RAF 
serials were AH741/840 and AH841/880.  

The USAAC had agreed to defer deliveries of their P-40s so that the 
Tomahawk Is could be supplied to Britain as soon as possible.  The 
first Tomahawk Is reached England in September of 1940.  The two 
0.5-inch machine guns in the nose were retained, but they were 
supplemented by four wing-mounted 0.303-inch Browning machine guns in 
place of the 7.5-mm FN-Brownings specified by the French.  Such was 
the urgency of their delivery to Britain that many of the 140 machines 
still had French instruments and bore cockpit lettering in French when 
they arrived.  

However, Britain quickly concluded that these planes were not suitable 
for combat, since they lacked armor protection for the pilot, 
armor-glass windshields, or self-sealing fuel tanks.  Nevertheless, 
since a German invasion was feared to be imminent, they were actually 
issued to several operational squadrons.  

However, the Hun never invaded England, and so the Tomahawk Is were 
used only for training roles within Britain.  Overseas, the first 
Desert Air Force squadron to be equipped with Tomahawks was No.  112 
which exchanged its Gloster Gladiators for the Curtiss fighter.  No 
112 Squadron became famous for its "shark's tooth" insignia on the 
engine cowling, and this scheme was later adopted by the American 
Volunteer Group in China.  AH774,793, and 840 were sold to Canada for 
use as instructional airframes, but they retained their RAF serials.  

The Tomahawk IIA (Model H81-A2) was equivalent to the US P-40B.  It 
had protective armor and externally-covered self-sealing tanks.  110 
were built for the RAF under a direct-purchase contract.  It carried 
two 0.30-inch machine guns in the wings in addition to the two 0.50-in 
guns in the fuselage.  A British radio was fitted.  RAF serials were 
AH881/990.  AH938 was transferred to Canada as an instructional 
airframe.  23 of these planes were transferred to the USSR.  

The Tomahawk IIB (Model H81-A2) was generally equivalent to the US 
P-40C.  It had four 0.303-inch Browning machine guns in the wings in 
addition to the two nose-mounted 0.50-in guns.  Whereas the Tomahawk 
IIA had a British radio, the Tomahawk IIB had US equipment.  A total 
of 930 of these planes were produced in four lots.  RAF serials were 
AH991/999, AK100/570 (36 of this batch were shipped to China and were 
selected at random with no particular sequence), AM370/519 (64 were 
shipped to China, selected at random), and AN218/517.  They were used 
extensively by the RAF and the South African Air Force in North Africa 
starting on June 16, 1941.  

After the German invasion of the USSR in June 1941, one hundred and 
ninety-five Tomahawk IIBs were shipped to the USSR, some from the USA, 
others selected from the reserve forced based in the United Kingdom in 
anticipation of the German invasion which never came.  These Russian 
Tomahawks went into action on the Moscow and Leningrad fronts in 
October 1941, and were the first US-built planes to be used by the 
Russians in the new battle area.  

An unspecified number of Tomahawk IIBs were sent to bolster Turkish 
neutrality in November 1941.  Turkey was supplied with planes from 
both the Allies and the Axis during World War II.  

The Tomahawk IIs were active in the Middle East from October of 1941 
onward.  They shared in the strafing of the retreating Axis troops.  
The ability of the Tomahawk to absorb an incredible amount of 
punishment became almost legendary.  They served with Nos 2, 26, 73, 
112, 136, 168, 239, 241, 250, 403, 414, 430 and 616 Squadrons of the 
RAF.  They also served with Nos 2 and 4 Squadrons of the South African 
Air Force and No 3 Squadron of the Royal Australian Air Force.  At low 
altitudes, the Tomahawk II was actually superior to the Bf 109, but 
this advantage rapidly disappeared when combat took place at altitudes 
above 15,000 feet.  The weight which handicapped the performance of 
the Tomahawk did have one tangible benefit--the rugged structure could 
absorb a terrific amount of battle damage and still allow the airplane 
to return to base.  Although generally outclassed by the Bf 109, the 
Tomahawk was a capable fighter in the hands of experienced pilots such 
as Neville Duke.  Wing Commander Clive Caldwell of the RAAF scored 
more than twenty victories while flying a Tomahawk in the Middle East.  
However, much of the opposition to the Tomahawk was provided by 
obsolescent fighter biplanes (e.g.  Fiat CR-42) and underpowered, 
lightly armed fighter monoplanes such as the Fiat G-50 of the Regia 
Aeronautica.  It had difficulty with the more advanced Macchi C-202 
Folgore.  

100 of the RAF Tomahawk IIBs were released to China and served with 
the American Volunteer Group (AVG)--the famous "Flying Tigers".  
Company records list them as Model H81-A3.  The Tomahawk IIB was 
more-or-less equivalent to the P-40C, but some sources list the Flying 
Tiger Tomahawks as being equivalent to the P-40B.  There is confusion 
on this point.  

It is with the Flying Tigers that the P-40 achieved immortality.  
Newly-promoted to Brigadier General in the Chinese Army, Claire 
Chennault went to the USA in November 1940 to recruit pilots for the 
AVG.  The AVG came into existence in August 1941.  General Chennault 
ordered 100 P-40s through a loan from the US government.  By the time 
of Pearl Harbor, some 80 American pilots were serving with the AVG 
based at Kunming and Mingaladon.  Contrary to popular understanding, 
the AVG did not actually enter combat until AFTER Pearl Harbor.  The 
famous "shark's teeth" marking did not originate with the Flying 
Tigers, but was copied from the markings used by the Tomahawks of the 
RAF's No.  112 Squadron in North Africa.  

The AVG drew first blood on December 20, destroying six out of ten 
attacking Japanese bombers.  When the AVG encountered the Japanese 
Zero for the first time, they initially underestimated the 
maneuverability of their opponent, and they lost two pilots on 
December 23.  It was soon learned that it was wise not to mix it up 
with the Zero on a one-to-one basis because of the inferior 
maneuverability and climb rate of the Curtiss, but instead to use the 
P-40's superior speed and diving ability to advantage.  The most 
effective tactic against the Zero was a diving pass followed by a 
rapid departure from the scene.  The P-40 gained a reputation for 
ruggedness which enabled many an AVG pilot to return safely home after 
his plane was damaged in combat.  

  War Planes of the Second World War, Fighters, Volume Four, William Green,
  Doubleday, 1964.

  The American Fighter, Enzo Anguluci and Peter Bowers, Orion Books, 1987.

  United States Military Aircraft since 1909, Gordon Swanborough and Peter
  M. Bowers, Smithsonian Institution Press, 1989.

  Curtiss Aircraft, 1907-1947, Peter M. Bowers, Naval Institute Press, 
  1979.

  The Curtiss P-40 Tomahawk, Ray Wagner, Aircraft in Profile, Volume 2,
  Doubleday, 1965.

Joe Baugher       AT&T Bell Laboratories    2000 North Naperville Road 
		  Naperville, Illinois 60566-7033.   (708) 713-4548