And what country can preserve its liberties if their rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms. The remedy is to set them right as to facts, pardon and pacify them. What signify a few lives lost in a century or two? The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.
Though some considered them obsolete at the start of WWII, in the hands of good pilots utilizing proper tactics, they were still lethal. The Flying Tigers in China are a good example. Use your altitude, speed, armor, and fire power against the more maneuverable zeros. Zoom-in, hit, run, and reset. Repeat as necessary.
The P-40 used the same engine as the P-51, but without a turbocharger, which limited its use to lower altitudes than became the norm in western Europe. I think this is where his reputation as a “lesser“ fighter came from. But at lower altitude air battles prevalent in the Mideast, eastern Europe, and the Pacificit did quite well as a fighter, and there were at least 200 aces among all the Allies flying the aircraft.
interesting, as I had it in my head the P-40 had a reputation as being underpowered - yet it was the lack of a turbo- or super-charger that may have given it this reputation. Didn't know it was the famous Allison V-1710 engine.
My 2 cents. Read somewhere in a book about WW 2 aircraft that new pilots in the ETO that flew -51s would get checked out by an experienced pilot in another 51 tail racing. It was at most times an even match, however when the experienced guy traded the 51 for a war weary (WW) 40 and took the 51 guy below 10,000 ft, the 40 always came out on top, showing the new guy that the 51 is not completely invincible.
one of three versions with .30 caliber cowl guns, IIRC.
ReplyDeleteedit- some cowl guns were .50s, maybe all. scratch my "3 versions", too.
DeleteBelieve these ships did heroic and able work
ReplyDeleteIndeed. For some reason, people never consider these, or the follow on version, as glamorous as other fighters.
Deletehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40_Warhawk
Cowl guns were always .5's but 4 wing guns were .30's before the 6 0.50's in wings became standard in the E and cowl guns were dropped.
ReplyDeletethx👍
DeleteNot really the best at anything, but they were available in sufficient numbers early on and good enough to get by.
ReplyDeleteThough some considered them obsolete at the start of WWII, in the hands of good pilots utilizing proper tactics, they were still lethal. The Flying Tigers in China are a good example. Use your altitude, speed, armor, and fire power against the more maneuverable zeros. Zoom-in, hit, run, and reset. Repeat as necessary.
ReplyDeleteThe P-40 used the same engine as the P-51, but without a turbocharger, which limited its use to lower altitudes than became the norm in western Europe. I think this is where his reputation as a “lesser“ fighter came from. But at lower altitude air battles prevalent in the Mideast, eastern Europe, and the Pacificit did quite well as a fighter, and there were at least 200 aces among all the Allies flying the aircraft.
ReplyDeleteinteresting, as I had it in my head the P-40 had a reputation as being underpowered - yet it was the lack of a turbo- or super-charger that may have given it this reputation. Didn't know it was the famous Allison V-1710 engine.
DeleteMy 2 cents. Read somewhere in a book about WW 2 aircraft that new pilots in the ETO that flew -51s would get checked out by an experienced pilot in another 51 tail racing. It was at most times an even match, however when the experienced guy traded the 51 for a war weary (WW) 40 and took the 51 guy below 10,000 ft, the 40 always came out on top, showing the new guy that the 51 is not completely invincible.
ReplyDelete