The Curtiss P-40 Warhawk was developed and manufactured by Curtiss-Wright Corporation as a single-engine all-metal fighter and ground-attack aircraft during the late 1930s. Developed from the P-36 Hawk, it performed its maiden flight in October 1938 and was retired in 1958. The aircraft was in service with most of the Allied Powers in the Second World War and was the third American fighter aircraft that was most-produced during the war. Production commenced from 1939 until 1944 with a total number of 13,738 aircraft built.
Table of Contents
- Specifications
- Photo Gallery
- Description
- Manufacturer:
- Curtiss
- Country:
- United States
- Manufactured:
- 1939 to: 1944
- ICAO:
- P40
- Price:
- US$0.045 million (1944)
- Performance
- Weights
- Dimensions
- Avionics:
- Engine:
- 1x Allison V-1710-39
Piston - Power:
- 1,240 horsepower
- Max Cruise Speed:
- 318 knots
589 Km/h - Approach Speed (Vref):
- 83 knots
- Travel range:
- 622 Nautical Miles
1,152 Kilometers - Fuel Economy:
- Service Ceiling:
- 29,000 feet
- Rate of Climb:
- 2100 feet / minute
10.67metre / second - Take Off Distance:
- Landing Distance:
- Max Take Off Weight:
- 4,173 Kg
9,200 lbs - Max Landing Weight:
- 3,862 Kg
8,514 lbs - Max Payload:
- 910 Kg
2,006 lbs - Fuel Tank Capacity:
- 157 gallon
594 litre - Baggage Volume:
- Seats - Economy / General:
- 1 seats
- Seats - Business Class:
- Seats - First Class:
- Cabin Height:
- Cabin Width:
- Cabin Length:
- Exterior Length:
- 10.15 metre - 33.30 feet
- Tail height:
- 3.77 metre - 12.37 feet
- Fuselage Diameter:
- 1 metre - 3.28 feet
- Wing Span / Rotor Diameter:
- 11.36 metre - 37.27 feet
- Wing Tips:
- No Winglets
click / tap to open full screen gallery
Curtiss P-40C Warhawk '160/10AB'
credit: Alan Wilson
Curtiss P-40C Warhawk '160/10AB'
credit: Alan Wilson
Curtiss P-40 Warhawk.
credit: Paul Daly
Curtiss P-40 Warhawk.
credit: Paul Daly
Curtiss P-40 Warhawk.
credit: Paul Daly
Curtiss P-40 Warhawk.
credit: Paul Daly
Curtiss Wright P-40N Kittyhawk
credit: Reinhard Zinabold
Curtiss Wright P-40N Kittyhawk
credit: Reinhard Zinabold
Curtiss P-40 Warhawk
credit: Paul Daly
Curtiss P-40 Warhawk
credit: Paul Daly
Curtiss P-40 Warhawk
credit: Paul Daly
Curtiss P-40 Warhawk
credit: Paul Daly
Curtiss P-40 line up. (P-40B, P-40F, P-40N)
credit: Alan Wilson
Curtiss P-40 line up. (P-40B, P-40F, P-40N)
credit: Alan Wilson
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Blog Mentions
Blog posts that mention the Curtiss P-40 Warhawk:
- The Story of the Tuskegee Airmen
- Top 15 Most Produced Aircraft in WWII
On October 14, 1938, the aircraft prototype designated as XP-40 operated by Captain Edward Elliot took to the air for the first time. The aircraft went through several developments and was produced in different variants.
The P-40E version is a single-seat aircraft with an exterior length of 9.67 meters, an exterior height of 3 meters, and a fuselage diameter of 1 meter. It has a tail height of 3.77 meters and a wheelbase of 5.67 meters. The wingspan is 11.36 meters and the wing area is 21.9 square meters. It has an empty weight of 2,686 kg, a gross weight of 3,862 kg, a maximum takeoff weight of 4,173 kg, and a maximum payload of 910 kg. The fuel tank capacity is 157 US gal.
The Warhawk is a single-engine aircraft powered by an Allison V-1710-39 piston. It is a V-12 supercharged four-stroke liquid-cooled piston engine with two inlet and two exhaust valves per cylinder, a centrifugal-type supercharger, a Stromberg fuel system, a pressure fed oil system, a liquid-cooled air-cooling system, a compact external spur reduction gearbox, and an electric inertia starter.
The engine produces a maximum thrust of 1,240 horsepower and drives a three-bladed Curtis-Wright electric constant-speed propeller. The aircraft has a maximum speed of 290 knots at 15,000 feet and a cruise speed of 268 knots. The travel range is 622 nautical miles at seventy percent power. It can fly up to 29,100 feet and can climb at a rate of 2,100 feet per minute.
The aircraft is loaded with six 12.70 mm M2 Browning machine guns with 235 rounds per gun located in the wings. It is also equipped with 110 to 450 kg of bombs to a total of 910 kg on three hardpoints where one is under the fuselage and two under the wings.
All Curtiss Aircraft
- Curtiss C-46 Commando |
- Curtiss O-52 Owl |
- Curtiss P-36 Hawk |
- Curtiss P-40 Warhawk |
- Curtiss SB2C Helldiver |
- Curtiss SBC Helldiver |
- Curtiss SC Seahawk |
- Curtiss SO3C Seamew |
- Curtiss SOC Seagull |
- Curtiss-Wright AT-9 |
- Curtiss-Wright CW-19 |
- Curtiss-Wright CW-22 |
- Curtiss-Wright Junior |
