Curtiss P-40 Warhawk start-up and take off | Military Aviation Museum

The Museum’s P-40E-1-CU was built for the United States Army Air Corps as serial number 41-35918 (Curtiss Contract Number 1025) in Buffalo, New York during 1941. The aircraft was transferred to the British as a Kittyhawk IA (ET564) and they supplied the aircraft (along with 9 others during April - May 1942) to the USSR’s VVS (Voyenno-Vozdushnyye Sily “Military Air Forces”) where it flew with the 19th Guards Regiment.
The airplane’s wreckage was recovered outside the Soviet city of Murmansk, having been lost while defending this vital port against the invading German army. The wreck was recovered in 1992 and was restored, completing its first flight in New Zealand in 2001 before being shipped to the United States where it would become the first airplane in the Military Aviation Museum collection.
Our P-40 flies in the markings of American Volunteer Group (AVG) P-40E 41-5658 “108” of the 3rd Squadron “Hell’s Angels.” It features the distinctive shark-mouth markings made famous by the group, as well as their Walt Disney Studio-designed Flying Tiger emblem. The aircraft also features Nationalist Chinese Insignia in place of American Stars, since the AVG, although made up of American aviators, was not a part of the US Military.
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[@snowmeiser1]

What a fine piece of machinery. Thanks to all of you for keeping these girls flying.

[@byzmack1334]

What a glorious sound.

[@davidedgar2818]

The first Balsa wood and paper model I built by myself was the Curtis P-40. I still remember all of the work involved in building just a model. Restoring and caring for a full sized historic piece has to be a huge effort.

[@BryanThurston-t2i]

The first model I built was a P-40 balsa control line with a Cox .049 engine. Crashed and destroyed it the second time I flew it. But building it was much more fun than actually flying it...

[@SOU6900]

Like the paint job on the start cart.

[@tootired76]

2 or 3 years ago my pal and I went to an airshow in Granite falls, Minnesota. We toured their museum. It struck me they had a wing jig capable of making or restoring multiple P 40s!!

[@georgegeyer3431]

The most efficient and useful fighter 0f WWII. Allison V12 power.

[@okrajoe]

She's a beauty!

[@georgegeyer3431]

OK, Pappy. Flying TIgers.

[@Ford_Raptor_R_720hp_V8]

*The Flying Tigers didn't lose a plane. Until it was absorbed into the Army on July 4, 1942,* *the American Volunteer Group set a matchless record. Officially destroying 299 enemy planes,* *while losing only 8 of their own pilots in combat.* *There is little doubt that easily twice this many Japanese aircraft were shot down.*

[@WildmanTrading]

Ah yes, the paint reminds me of the Flying Tigers, they achieved a incredible KDR, I sadly don't remember the exact numbers.

[@snowlothar45]

My sisters Father-in law was a member of the Flying Tigers. This reminded me that I have an interview he gave, recounting his time spent flying a P40. Haven't listened to it in 20 years - time to dig it out and give it a listen.

[@bj-th7ul]

What's the other plane in the video at start-up?

[@WildmanTrading]

Likely some sort of YAK.

[@MilitaryAviationMuseum]

It's our North American P-64 reproduction. Only 13 were originally built and this replica was built from a highly modified former Portuguese Air Force SNJ-4 Texan, Bu.10288.