Curtiss P-40 Warhawk

Materials: XPS foam 5mm 1050x500 (or Depron 3mm, 6mm) + Balsa wood 4x4,4x8 mm, aircraft plywood 2mm, UHU Por glue
Wingspan: 1026mm (40.4")
Length: 880mm
Flying Weight: 440g (14,9 oz)
Motor: SunnySky X2305 KV1450 (25g), Amazon
Propeller: 1047
Receiver: FrSky S6R (12g)
ESC: SunnySky X 18A (9g),Amazon
Servos:EMAX ES08D II (9g) x 4
LiHV battery: 1100mah 2S 7.6V
Retractable Landing Gear (25g)
Wheels 2"
Carbon Strips: 0.5mm x 3mm
Carbon Fiber Hollow Tube: 400x1.8x1mm
Nylon Control Horn with Clevis (0,52+0,34g):
Control Horn (0,5g)
Plastic screws M4x16

Free plans

Print in actual size (100%) A3 297 x 420 mm (11.7 x 16.5 inches) Download PDF

 

 

Servoless Retractable Landing Gear(25g)
Nylon Black Screws (M2.5 + 8mm)
Silicone Rubber O-ring Sealing (6 x 2mm)

 

Curtiss P-40 Warhawk history

The Curtiss P.40 was one of the more famous and common American-made fighter planes. The aircraft was developed as a development of the P.36 Hawk fighter aircraft designed in 1934. In 1937, an in-line engine was installed on the Hawk instead of a radial engine.
The first versions of the aircraft were significantly inferior to the Me 109E or Spitfire. The use of Allison or Merlin engines increased the value of the aircraft.
During the period of serial production 13,738 different versions of the P.40 were built. P.40 planes were used by the aviation of the United States, Great Britain, Australia, New Zealand, China, the Netherlands, Norway and the Soviet Union.

The Curtiss P-40 was one of the most famous and produced fighters of the WWII. They were shipped to almost all destinations, from Alaska through Europe and Africa to Australia, and their total production was almost 14,000 pieces. The P-40 was created at the Curtiss-Wrlght Corporation's design bureau, and the designers set themselves the goal of developing an aircraft that would be a far-reaching modification of the P-36 Hawk serial fighter. The most important change was the use of the 1160 hp Allison V-1710-19 inline engine, which was installed on the tenth production P-36 A and received the designation HAWK 81. Tests were carried out on October 14, 1938. During tests, the aircraft reached a speed of 550 km / h. In 1939, the aircraft, already designated XP-40, took part in comparative tests of new American fighters. The tests were successful. At the end of April 39, the US Army Air Corps ordered 524 P-40s, then the contract was increased to 968 aircraft. The first production P-40A was flown on April 4, 1940. France ordered 140 aircraft, but after the defeat in 1940, they were accepted by the British, assigning them the designation Tomahawk Mk. 1. At the beginning of 1941, the R-40 B variant appeared, equipped with a bulletproof windshield, an armor plate protecting the pilot, and increased armament due to two 7.69 mm guns in the wings. A self-sealing fuel tank is also used. The weight of the aircraft increased by 200 kg, which somewhat worsened its flight performance. The next version of the P-40 C had a modified fuel system and a rejected fuel tank. This, however, again led to a deterioration in performance, forcing the aircraft to be improved. For the new version, the Allison V-1710-39 1150 hp engine was chosen. with the possibility of increasing up to 1470 hp in 5 minutes. The new unit has become shorter, which entailed a change in the shape of the engine covers. The cooler has grown and moved forward. Two 12.7 mm machine guns were removed from the engine and four 12.7 mm machine guns were installed in the plates. This version. The P-40 D had markings, but only 22 copies of this version were produced, the next ones already had 6 km, and the P-40 E was marked. 1,300 hp, the effects were promising, and the aircraft went into production as the P-40 F Warhawk. This name was also used for earlier versions, starting with the P-40 D. The Serial Warhawk was powered by 1300 hp Packard Merlin V 1650 engines. From the F-5 version, a 0.67 m long bogie was used, which improves the stability of the aircraft. In parallel with the F version, work was underway on
In versions with Allison engines, the result is a P-40 K with an Allison V 1710-73 1325 hp engine. Attempts have also been made to create a lightweight fighter to lighten the Warhawks by reducing armament to 4 km, removing some armor and reducing the capacity of the fuel tanks. This version, designated the P-40 L, was powered by a Packard Merlin V1650-1 engine. The next version was a model developed from the K version, but equipped with a weaker 1200 hp Allison V-1710-81 engine, designated the P-40 M. Most of them went into service with the RAF under the designation Kittyhawk Mk. III. At the beginning of 1943, the Warhawks ceased to meet the requirements, and only a significant improvement in performance could save the aircraft from being discontinued. It was assumed that the improvement in performance would be achieved through a reduction in weight and the use of a more powerful engine. Thus, the armament was limited to 4 machine guns, the fuel supply was limited, and lightweight radiator legs and much lighter wheels were used. The plane marked R-40 N-1 does not differ from the M version in appearance, the engine is still driven by the B 1710-81 engine. During tests, this aircraft developed a speed of 608 km / h (it was the fastest Warhawk). Some changes were made in subsequent versions:

- N-5 will receive a new interior trim, a new type of seats, armament in the form of 6 machine guns.

- N 20, 25, 30, 35 - Allison V 1710-99 engine with 1200 hp.

- Н-40 - Allison V 1710-115 engine with 1360 hp.

The last P-40 N left the Buffalo factory on November 30, 1944, it was the 5129 of the most popular version of the N. The most interesting version of the aircraft was the XP-40Q with a V 1710-121 engine with a power of 1425 hp. with high-altitude water injection, coolers are moved on the wings, a drop-shaped end of the cabin is also used. This aircraft reached a speed of 679 km / h, had better climb and a higher rate of climb, but in 1944 there were much better fighters in the United States, and the XP-40Q was not put into mass production.

Polish pilots flew this type of aircraft in the 11th RAF 2nd squadron and Col. In Urbanowicz, China.
P.40 planes in the British service were used mainly as attack (fighter-bomber) planes in North Africa. In the Pacific, P.40 supported the operations of the land forces.

Curtiss P-40 Kittyhawk

The CURTISS P-40 was a single-seat all-metal low-wing aircraft with retractable undercarriage and spur.

The NACA-series airfoil wing was an all-metal, two-spar, undercarriage strut fairing. On the left half of the wing was a pitot tube and a flip-up searchlight. The landing flaps and ailerons were also all-metal, the ailerons had balancing surfaces.

The fuselage was half-shell with transitions to the wing and tail surfaces. The cockpit was partially armored, the cabin cover was pushed back.

Tail surfaces with a symmetrical profile were self-supporting. The rudders were partially balanced aerodynamically, and both the rudder and both halves of the elevator still had balancing surfaces. The rudder was offset to remove the adverse effect of the massive torque of the propeller.

Landing gear. The oil-pneumatic two-wheel chassis, partially covered, hinged towards the rear. During the tilt, the wheels turned 90° and fit between the main and auxiliary wing spars. The spur retracted backwards.

Engine group. A liquid-cooled twelve-cylinder Alison V 1710-39 engine with an output of 1150 к drove a three-blade hydraulically adjustable propeller. The oil cooler and fluid cooler were located in the lower part of the engine cover.

Armament consisted of six 12.7 mm machine guns in the leading edge of the wing. It was possible to hang a 2501lb bomb (British) or 5001lb (American) on the hanger for the additional tank under the fuselage.

Coloring. The drawn aircraft had camouflage of a combination of tan (sand), dark brown (walnut) and azure blue. The royal signs were red-white-blue-yellow on the rudder (from the front), red-blue on the top of the wing, red-white-blue on the bottom.
Letters GA, Y and inscription "London Price" - white, letters AK 772 black. The eye and teeth on the hood of the engine are white, framed in black, a red dot in the eye. In the painted muzzle, the upper half is black, the lower is red. Propeller dull black, leaf tips yellow, cone bright red.

Technical data and performances. Wing span 11.379 m, overall length 9.499 m; height 3.225 m; bearing area 21.92 m ; empty weight 2820 kg; maximum permissible take-off weight 4000 kg. Speeds: maximum 564 km/h at 4572 m, cruising 415 km/h; landing 137 km/h. Practical access 9330 m; rate of climb 13.2 m/s; range 1290 km, with an additional tank 1790 km.

Curtiss P-40 D-E-F KITTYHAWK

The British Curtiss Model 87A-2 Kitty ha wk is similar to the U. S. Army P-40D. It has the standard coloring of the 1941-early 1942 period, with sand-and-spinach camouflage on the top and side surfaces, light-blue underneath, Type A roundels under the wing, Type В on top of the wing and Type A.1 on the side of the fuselage.

The P-40 was already obsolete when it first appeared in 1939, because it was a variant of the Curtiss Model 75, which was a prototype of the radial-engined U.S. Army P-36A that flew early in 1935. Export sales of the 81 and 87 models with liquid-cooled Allison V-1710 engines were good because of the desperate need for fighters of any kind. The P-40 was kept in production long past its prime.

/>

U.S. Army Models — The Curtiss Model 87, used by the Army as the P-40D, E and F (plus later P-40s not listed here), differed notably from the earlier P-40 through P-40C (Curtiss Model 81) because the 1,040hp planetary-geared Allison V-1710-33 engine was replaced with the 1,150hp -39 model that used spur gears, which raised the thrust line and notably changed the nose contours. In the 22 P-40Ds,the two .50-caliber machine guns were omitted from the nose, and two .50s were put in each wing panel to replace the two .30s there. Cockpit rear-view windows were also enlarged. Empty weight of the P-40D was 5,790 pounds; gross weight was 8,670 pounds; top speed was 354mph at 15,000 feet. Wing area was the same as earlier models—236 square feet.

P-40E — These models were improved P-40Ds, with -39 engines, six wing guns and a gross weight of 8,840 pounds. The Army bought 2,320. Early versions saw action in the Pacific and China, but most were used as fighter-trainers in the U.S.

P-40E-1 — With passage of the famous Lend-Lease Act of March 1941, the U.S. provided the Allies with military aircraft.
Because these were procured and paid for through the appropriate military channels, they were required to have standard U.S. designations and serial numbers and to conform more closely to U.S. specifications. The Kittyhawk IA that was on order by Britain was almost a duplicate of the Army’s P-40E, differing mainly in its use of British equipment and civil Allison V-1710-F3R engines. One year before adoption of the block number system, it was given the U.S. Army designation of P-40E-1 to accommodate its differences in the U.S. system. Some P-40E-1s were used by the U.S. Army and flew with U.S. markings over their British camouflage.

P-40F— A serious attempt was made to improve the performance of the obsolete P-40 when the Allison engine was replaced with the Americanized 1,300hp British Rolls-Royce Merlin engine (built by Packard as the V-1650-1). Unfortunately, the P-40 was too old, structurally and aero-dynamically, to benefit as much from this change as did the North American P-51. The only outward difference from the P-40E was the elimination of the carburetor air scoop on top of the nose. Its gross weight increased to 9,870 pounds, and the only improvement was the speed at altitude — 364mph at 20,000 feet.
Despite this, the Army bought 1,311 P-40Fs (calling it Warhawk instead of Kittyhawk) as well as later models through P-40N. The first 699 P-40Fs were delivered before adoption of the block number system. The P-40F-5s and on had the rear fuselage lengthened 20 inches to improve directional stability. The Army took over 150 P-40Fs built for Britain as Kittyhawk II for use in North Africa in 1942 and ’43.

British Designations — The Royal Air Force called its early Model 81 P-40s “Tomahawk,” but the improved Model 87 was called “Kittyhawk,” and retained its identification with Curtiss’s “Hawk” for its export fighters.
The export Model 87 was originally ordered by France, but Britain took over the order. Major British use of Tomahawks and Kittyhawks was in North Africa starting in mid-1940.

Kittyhawk I — Britain bought 560 equivalents of the four-gun P-40D on cash contracts, with deliveries beginning in August 1941.

Kittyhawk IA — The 1,500 Kittyhawk lAs were equivalent to the P-40E and were delivered under Lend-Lease as P-40E-1 because of their differences in detail.

Kittyhawk II — The R.A.F. did not adopt the American were transferred to the U.S.
Army for use in North Africa, and others, with U.S. insignia over British camouflage, were delivered to the Army straight from the Curtiss factory.

Several P-40Es and ex-R.C.A.F. Kittyhawks can be seen flying today in the Warbird movement.