P-40

In the late 1930s, the USAAC was planning to expand its force, and on January !, 1939" #anufacturers were in$ited to su%#it proposals for pursuit aircraft" &he Ar#y was still thin'ing in ter#s of low(altitude, short(range fighters" A#ong the contenders were the )oc'heed *+(3,, the -ell *+(39, the Se$ers'y./epu%lic *+(01 1A+( 2 and *+(03 1A+(02, and no less than three planes fro# Curtiss, the 34!/, *+(34, and *+(0 " Although the *+(00 could not #atch the perfor#ance 1especially at altitude2 of the tur%osupercharged types, it was less expensi$e and could reach 5uantity production fully a year ahead of the other #achines" In addition, the *+(00 was %ased on a already(pro$en airfra#e that had %een in production for so#e years" Conse5uently, on April 6, 1939, the Ar#y adopted a conser$ati$e approach and ordered ! 0 production $ersions under the designation +(00 1Curtiss 7odel ,12" At that ti#e, it was the largest(e$er production order for a US fighter, and dwarfed the ser$ice test orders placed that sa#e day for 8+(3, and 8+(39 fighters" A couple of wee's later, 13 8+(03s were also ordered" &he +(00 was si#ilar to the final *+(00 configuration except for the use of 1000 hp 9(1410(33 1C1!2 engines" &he ar#a#ent was the standard USAAC ar#a#ent of the day(two 0"!0(inch #achine guns, #ounted in the upper nose and synchroni:ed to fire through the propeller arc" +ro$isions were #ade for the #ounting of one 0"30(inch #achine gun in each wing" ;lush ri$eting was used to reduce drag" Ar#or, %ulletproof windshields, and lea'proof fuel tan's were not initially fitted, were later added to the aircraft while it was in in ser$ice" &he +(00 was a relati$ely clean design, and was unusual for the ti#e in ha$ing a fully retracta%le tailwheel" &he first flight of a +(00 1Ser <o 39(1!62 was on April 0, 1900" 7axi#u# speed was 3!4 #ph at 1!,000 feet, ser$ice ceiling was 3 ,4!0 feet, and initial cli#% rate was 30,0 feet per #inute" An altitude of 1!,000 feet could %e reached in !" #inutes" Cruising speed was 4 #ph, landing speed was ,0 #ph, and the range at !0 #ph was 9!0 #iles" &he length of the +(00 was 31 feet , 3.0 inches, which %eca#e standard for all early #odels" =eights were !346 pounds e#pty, 64,4 pounds gross, and 4 1! pounds #axi#u#" >eli$eries of the +(00 to Ar#y units %egan in June of 1900" &hree of the +(00s were used for ser$ice testing, the USAAC contract #a'ing no pro$isions for the standard practice of supplying 8+ #odels" &hey were deli$ered with full ca#ouflage applied(oli$e dra% on the top and grey on the undersides" &he standard rudder stripes and star insignia were applied to %oth wings" &he first USAAC units to operate the +(00 were the 33rd, 3!th and 36th +ursuit S5uadrons of the ,th +ursuit ?roup, %ased at )angley ;ield, 9irginia" It was soon followed %y the !!th, 44th, and 49th +ursuit s5uadrons of the 0th +ursuit ?roup at Selfridge ;ield, 7ichigan, and the 1th, 30th, and 40th +ursuit S5uadrons of the 3!th +ursuit group which trained on +(00s prior to %eing issued with +(39s" ;oreign air forces were %eginning to ta'e notice of the +(00, and in 7ay of 1900, the Ar#ee de l@Air of ;rance placed an order for 100 3(,1As 1export #odel of the +(002" Anly 00 of the initial +(00 order were actually co#pleted as +(00s" Serials were 39(1!6. ,0 and 00( 9 .3!4 1c.ns 13033.13 3 2" In Septe#%er of 1900, the re#aining 3 0 aircraft of the initial order had their deli$ery deferred to ena%le Curtiss to expedite the deli$ery of the 100 ;rench(ordered 3(,1As" &he first export aircraft had actually %een co#pleted in ;rench #ar'ings in April of 1900" 3owe$er, none of these #achines actually reached ;rance %efore the June 1900 Ar#istice, and the contract was ta'en o$er %y the /oyal Air ;orce as &o#ahaw' I" 16 +(00s were sent to the So$iet Union after the ?er#an in$asion" &he +(00 lac'ed such things as ar#or for the pilot, self(sealing fuel tan's, and a %ulletproof windshield, so it was not considered as %eing suita%le for co#%at" An Acto%er , 190 , those +( 00s still in USAA; ser$ice were ordered restricted fro# co#%at duty and were redesignated /+( 00" Sources: =ar +lanes of the Second =orld =ar, ;ighters, 9olu#e ;our, =illia# ?reen, >ou%leday, 1960"

&he A#erican ;ighter, Bn:o Anguluci and +eter -owers, Arion -oo's, 19,4" United States 7ilitary Aircraft since 1909, ?ordon Swan%orough and +eter 7" -owers, S#ithsonian Institution +ress, 19,9" Curtiss Aircraft, 1904(1904, +eter 7" -owers, <a$al Institute +ress, 1949" &he Curtiss +(00 &o#ahaw', /ay =agner, Aircraft in +rofile, 9olu#e , >ou%leday, 196!" 3aw' >ynastyC &he Curtiss 3aw' 7onoplanes, +art , Den =ixey, Air Bnthusiast <o 4 119942" E Joseph Baugher