P40C airborne in NZ

A quick in-progress photo taken March 27, 2011.

And even cooler is the fact she was flown to Omaka fitted with a drop tank, and I believe flew today with it fitted. No photos as sadly I’m getting my fix from Dave Homewood’s site rather than personal experience. I did see her in the shop a couple of weeks back, though, and she is stunning, my first encounter with a pre-E P-40.

And yet in the RNZAF the P-40E’s we had were generally known as Kittyhawks, and the K, M and N models all seem to have been officially known as Warhawks (I guess as they were the models used in combat and our squadrons were then under US control).

Well, the names Tomahawk & Kittyhawk tended to be used for any “export model” (such as those shipped to China for use by the AVG)… and the RNZAF would be familiar with the RAF Tomahawks/Kittyhawks, and thus would be likely to use the RAF names.

Love the early P-40’s – and this one looks fabulous! Well done to everyone at Avspecs 🙂

This P-40C was apparently registered N295RL prior to completion of the rebuild, and this appears to have been cancelled on 22Feb2011.
Registration ZK-TWK has been issued on 12Apr2011 to AVspecs Limited.

The first test flight was on the 17th, further flights have taken place since. The aircraft is scheduled to attend the Omaka Air Show next weekend (Easter) and then I am told it is to be shipped to the US the following week.

Enjoy while it is here.

And yet in the RNZAF the P-40E’s we had were generally known as Kittyhawks, and the K, M and N models all seem to have been officially known as Warhawks (I guess as they were the models used in combat and our squadrons were then under US control).

Tomahawk was the RAF name for the P-40B/C.
Kittyhawk was the RAF name for the P-40D/E/F/K/L/M/N.
Warhawk was the USAAF name for the P-40F and later models (the USAAF didn’t formally apply a name to the early P-40s).

The RAF names were applied informally (mostly post-war) to the “unnamed” USAAF P-40s.

The P-40B/C had the nose guns and the small chin intake, the P-40D & later had all-wing guns and the deep chin intake.

The first of the French-ordered H81-A1s flew on June 6, 1940, and a few were actually completed with French markings. However, before any of their H81-A1s could be delivered, France had surrendered. Britain agreed to take over the entirety of the French order, and gave the H81-A1 the name Tomahawk I in RAF service.

The Tomahawk IIA (Model H81-A2) was generally equivalent to the US P-40B.
The Tomahawk IIB (Model H81-A2) was generally equivalent to the US P-40C.

The Kittyhawk I (Model H87-A2) was generally equivalent to the US P-40D.
The Kittyhawk IA (Model H87-B2) was generally equivalent to the US P-40E.
The Kittyhawk II was generally equivalent to the US P-40F/L.
The Kittyhawk III was generally equivalent to the US P-40K/M.
The Kittyhawk IV was generally equivalent to the US P-40N.

Tomahawk

So is this a Kittyhawk, Tommahawk or Warhawk?
I can never tell the difference.

http://rnzaf.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=airshow&thread=11068&page=17

Now full steam ahead on the Mossie LOL!!

Looks great!

Looks fantastic!

Great!