The Curtiss P-40 was originally designed and built in 1938. It achieved legendary status with the American Volunteer Group (AVG) who became famous as the \u201cFlying Tigers\u201d and painted shark teeth on their P-40\u2019s large lower chin cowl. AVG leader Claire Chennault and his pilots flew as \u201cvolunteers\u201d in China against the Japanese prior to the United States official entry into World War II.<\/p>\n
The P-40 was the main fighter for the Army Air Corps at the beginning of the war and was flown by all the Allied countries. Its performance improved over time as its engine was developed to produce more power. Early versions were known as Tomahawks, while later versions were known as Kittyhawks and Warhawks.<\/p>\n
Even with improvements, it was ultimately replaced by later designs with more advanced technology, such as the P-51 Mustang, P-47 Thunderbolt, and P-38 Lightning. P-40s were withdrawn from combat operations late in the war and delegated for training. However, the fierce legend and powerful styling of the P-40 will always inspire awe.<\/p>\n
This aircraft was acquired when Kermit purchased the Tallmantz Collection in 1985 and is a movie veteran, having appeared in the films Death Chase and Tora! Tora! Tora!<\/p>\n