Curtiss P-40: Snub-nosed Kittyhawks and Warhawks

by Carl Molesworth, Adam Tooby (Illustrator), Richard Chasemore (Illustrator)

Overview

An improved version of the Allison V-1710 engine gave rise to the Curtiss H-87, which began life in 1941 as the P-40D and featured a completely redesigned fuselage. The shorter and deeper nose of the new fighter gave it a decidedly snub-nosed appearance compared to the earlier P-40 models. Curtiss continued to tweak the H-87 for the next two years in the search for better performance, but the last major version, the P-40N, was only marginally faster than the first. In the process, Curtiss even tried an engine change to the Packard Merlin in the P-40F and L but to no avail. What the late model P-40s lacked in speed and service ceiling, they traded for maneuverability, durability and availability. Their niche became fighter-bomber operations, and they fought on fronts as varied as the arctic wastes of the Aleutian Islands and Iceland, the steaming jungles of the South Pacific and the barren deserts of North Africa. P-40s were a common sight in the skies over Burma and China, Sicily and Italy, and western Russia as well. By the time production ceased in 1944, Curtiss had produced nearly 14,000 P-40s.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781472807069
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Publishing
Publication date:	11/20/2013
Series:	Air Vanguard , #11
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	64
File size:	5 MB

About the Author

Carl Molesworth, a resident of Mount Vernon, Washington, USA, is a former newspaper and magazine editor now working as a publicist and freelance writer. A graduate of the University of Maryland with a BA in English, Carl served as an enlisted man in the United States Air Force, 1968–72. He has been researching and writing about fighter operations in World War II for more than 30 years. His 11 previous titles include three books in Osprey's Aircraft of the Aces series, three in the Elite Units series and two in the Duel series.
Carl Molesworth is a former newspaper and magazine editor now working as a freelance writer and editor. A graduate of the University of Maryland with a BA in English, Molesworth served as an enlisted man in the USAF from 1968 to 1972 before becoming an award-winning journalist for 35 years and then transitioning to full-time book writing. He has been researching and writing about fighter operations in World War II for nearly 30 years. His 14 previous titles include three books in Osprey's Aircraft of the Aces series, three in the Aviation Elite Units series and two in the Duel series. He is best known for his writing about the China-Burma-India theatre and the Curtiss P-40 fighter. He lives in Washington, USA.
Adam Tooby is an internationally renowned digital artist and illustrator. His work can be found in publications worldwide and as box art for model aircraft kits. He also runs a successful illustration studio and aviation prints business. He is based in Cheshire, UK. To buy artwork, or contact the artist, visit http://www.adamtooby.com/.
Richard Chasemore completed a four-year course in technical illustration in 1992. Since then, he has worked on a wide variety of projects in publishing and advertising, using both traditional and digital media. He has lectured in airbrush techniques, and written six educational books on digital art. A long-standing contributor to the top-selling Star Wars Incredible Cross Sections series, his contribution has taken him to Skywalker Ranch in California to work with Lucasfilm's concept artists. Richard also enjoys music and is a co-founder of Superglider Records.