Curtiss P-40N Warhawk - Seattle, WA - Static Aircraft Displays on Waymarking.com

Located at the Museum of Flight are a large number of static aircraft on display. One of them is a Curtiss P-40N Warhawk. The Museum of Flight website contains a page devoted to this aircraft and it reads:

The P-40 was not the fastest fighter and nobody ever claimed it was the best. But it had one priceless advantage over all the others -- it was available when needed most. On December 7, 1941, P-40s were the most effective US aircraft to get airborne at Pearl Harbor. Just two pilots -- Lts. George Welch and Ken Taylor -- shot down seven attackers between them. Shortly thereafter, the American Volunteer Group, better known as the "Flying Tigers," made history and headlines flying P-40s in China. Throughout the war, Britain, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and Russia also flew the Curtiss fighter.

First flown in 1939, the P-40 was kept in production until 1944 with nearly 15,000 of all models delivered. The British called it the Tomahawk (B and C models) and Kittyhawk (D and E models) while the F through R versions were known as Warhawks in U.S. service.

The Museum's Warhawk may have the lowest flight time of any surviving warbird. It was flown directly from the Curtiss factory in Buffalo, NY, to storage near Tucson, Arizona in 1945, with only 60 hours of total flight time. It was later put on display in Griffith Park in Los Angeles for a number of years, until noted movie pilot Frank Tallman acquired it and loaned the fighter to the San Diego Aerospace Museum. Doug Champlin purchased the P-40 from the museum in 1972 and had it fully restored by Dick Martin at Carlsbad, California in 1979.

The markings are typical of the Chinese-American Composite Wing circa 1944. The plane was named after O'Reilly's Daughter, a popular Army Air Forces drinking song.

A nearby placard also highlights this Curtiss P-40N Warhawk in more detail and reads:

First flown in 1938 and remaining in production into 1944, the P-40 flew for more countries during the war than any other fighter. The British called the B and C models the Tomahawk and the D and E models the Kittyhawk. All American versions were known as the Warhawk. During the attack on Pearl Harbor, the P-40 was the most effective U.S. fighter to get airborne. A few qweeks later, the P-40 achieved legendary status in the hands of the American Volunteer Group, the "Flying Tigers," in China and Burma.

This airframe has perhaps the fewest flight hours of any genuine Wrold War II fighter in the world. It went almost directly from the Curtiss factory into storage, with only about 60 hours of flights time intervening. It was later purchased by Frank Tallman, the famed movie stunt pilot. Doug Champlin acquired it in 1972 and had it rebuilt in 1979. The markings are ypical of the Chinese Composite Wing, in which American pilots flew alongside Chinese pilots in 1944. O'Reilly's Daughter was a popular Royal Australian Air Force drinking song of the time.

Type of Aircraft: (make/model): Curtiss P-40N Warhawk Tail Number: (S/N): 44-4192; Registration No. NL10626 / 44-4192 Construction:: original aircraft Location (park, airport, museum, etc.): Museum of Flight - Personal Courage Wing - 1st Floor inside / outside: inside Other Information:: Not listed Access restrictions: Not listed

Visit Instructions:
Photo of aircraft (required - will be interesting to see if the aircraft is ever repainted or progress if being restored)
Photo of serial number (required unless there is not one or it is a replica)
Photo(s) of any artwork on the aircraft (optional but interesting)

Tell why you are visiting this waymark along with any other interesting facts or personal experiences about the aircraft not already mentioned.

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