Curtiss P-40 E Kittyhawk

Curtiss · US · first flew 1941 · fighter

The P-40E Kittyhawk was the first major production P-40 with all armament in the wings, replacing the mixed nose/wing gun arrangement of earlier marks with six .50-calibre Brownings and a bombload capability.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	Low-mounted, tapered
E — Engines	1 × piston, nose-mounted
F — Fuselage	9.68 m fuselage
T — Tail	Conventional

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Spot it by:

Six .50 cal Browning machine guns in the wings — three per wing, with six muzzle openings in the leading edge
No cowl guns — entirely clean upper nose cowl above the large radiator
Deeper, more prominent under-nose radiator bath than the P-40B/C

Six muzzle openings in the leading edge (three per wing) and a completely clean cowl above the radiator immediately distinguish the E from the B/C. The larger, deeper radiator bath gives the nose a squarer appearance than the P-40B. No bomb shackle under the centreline on early Es.

Specifications

The Curtiss P-40 E Kittyhawk has a length of 9.68 m (32 ft).
It has a wingspan of 11.38 m (37 ft).
Its maximum speed is 571 km/h (355 mph).
Typical crew: 1.

Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.

History

Over 2,300 P-40Es and E-1s built, making it the most-produced early P-40. Served extensively in North Africa with the RAF and USAAF, and in the Pacific with Australian and New Zealand squadrons.

Variants

P-40E and E-1 (increased fuel), British Kittyhawk Mk I. Formed the basis for the P-40F.

Where you'll see it

USAAF, RAF (as Kittyhawk Mk I), RAAF, RNZAF, Soviet VVS, Free French. Several airworthy examples survive on the warbird circuit; the P-40E is among the most common airworthy P-40 variants.

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