Multi wheel P-40 and Wright field fairey battle

a General back from South East Asia, was shown it. His comment: if we want to fly off beaches we call the Navy.
End of story and project.[/I]

Not quite, a similar gear was tested postwar on a variety of aircraft postwar, a C-82 Packet among them.

Here’s a response from my grandfather on the above pic of the P-40 with the “tank track” gear…

I don’t believe it!!! I was project engineer for this modification. This is a one of a kind photo, as well as aircraft. This was taken c. 1943-4 at Wright Field, now Wright Patterson AFB, in Dayton O.

This PIX was taken in the modification hanger. I must have ordered the PIX taken. The plane was a XP-40 No 0004. The purpose of this experimental landing gear, was to try to have a low flotation landing gear, that could be used on sandy beaches, ostensibly in South Asia.

The track was a bunch of fan belts bonded to the tread. It had one flight and 5 of us had to push the plane with it at full throttle, to get it to move an inch, then it sorta loosened up, and started to roll. It took off and landed, me suffering a thousand deaths as it touched to runway. Proof of principle.

Shortly after, a General back from South East Asia, was shown it. His comment: if we want to fly off beaches we call the Navy.

End of story and project.

Amazing ! One photo, and so many memories, you must have fantastic chat with your grand father !!! 🙂 thank you to share those memories with us, keep going whenever you want.
Cheers,

Olivier

Did you notice that the Lancaster was what looks like R5869 !!!! which is the sister of R5868 in the RAF Museum.

Here’s a response from my grandfather on the above pic of the P-40 with the “tank track” gear…

I don’t believe it!!! I was project engineer for this modification. This is a one of a kind photo, as well as aircraft. This was taken c. 1943-4 at Wright Field, now Wright Patterson AFB, in Dayton O.

This PIX was taken in the modification hanger. I must have ordered the PIX taken. The plane was a XP-40 No 0004. The purpose of this experimental landing gear, was to try to have a low flotation landing gear, that could be used on sandy beaches, ostensibly in South Asia.

The track was a bunch of fan belts bonded to the tread. It had one flight and 5 of us had to push the plane with it at full throttle, to get it to move an inch, then it sorta loosened up, and started to roll. It took off and landed, me suffering a thousand deaths as it touched to runway. Proof of principle.

Shortly after, a General back from South East Asia, was shown it. His comment: if we want to fly off beaches we call the Navy.

End of story and project.

Wow…my grandfather was the flight test engineer on those P-40 projects. Much of the work was done in Alaska, if I recall correctly. I’d heard him talk about it a lot over the years, but had never seen pictures (or video!).

He’s still around and on the computer quite a bit, so I sent him the link to see if he could provide more info.

Many thanks for your compliments,
Just found this photos on USAF museum site.
Another variation on the film subject.

Cheers,

Olivier

Top stuff Ollie mate! 😎

I’ve put yet another gold star to ya ” Head’s Up ” Spotting skill’s Ollie 🙂 , your now in the Top ten of ” Head’s Uper’s ” :rolleyes: for me here in Oz..

Just bag em where ever ya find them mate, and bring em on,
Like my HUGE aircraft related book collection, I can never have enough Aircraft related Favorite’s!!!!! 😮

And they are not way too heavy, or collect dust, and I do fall over them day and night! 😀

Thank’s Ollie mate, your a Northern hemi star!!!!! :dev2:

Great find Olivier – thanks for posting!

TT