Curtiss P-40 F Warhawk
Curtiss · US · first flew 1941 · fighter
The P-40F Warhawk replaced the Allison engine with a Packard-built Rolls-Royce Merlin, giving significantly better high-altitude performance — the most powerful P-40 of the first half of the war.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Low-mounted, tapered |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Lengthened rear fuselage (P-40F-20 and later) adding 20 cm to improve yaw stability |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Packard-built Merlin V-1650 engine replacing the Allison — same nose profile but slightly different exhaust stacks (six short ejector stubs per side)
- Lengthened rear fuselage (P-40F-20 and later) adding 20 cm to improve yaw stability
- Shallower chin radiator intake than the Allison-engined marks (Merlin does not use the same radiator arrangement)
The Merlin exhaust stubs — six short ejectors per side rather than the Allison's fishtail arrangement — are the key cue, but require close inspection. The longer rear fuselage (on F-20 and later) gives a more elegant tail silhouette. Chin radiator is shallower and wider than on Allison-powered P-40s.
Specifications
- The Curtiss P-40 F Warhawk has a length of 10.16 m (33 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 11.38 m (37 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 586 km/h (364 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
1,311 P-40Fs built. They served with the USAAF in North Africa, scoring well in the medium altitudes of the Mediterranean theatre. The later production batches had the lengthened fuselage that became standard on subsequent marks.
Variants
P-40F-1 through F-20 (fuselage length varies). British designation Kittyhawk Mk II. The P-40L was a lightened F with fewer guns.
Where you'll see it
USAAF North Africa (57th FG), Free French Air Force. Not commonly represented in museum collections due to small surviving numbers; most surviving P-40s are E, M or N variants.
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- Curtiss P-40 E Kittyhawk
- Curtiss P-40 B Tomahawk
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- Curtiss P-40 N Warhawk
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