WarSimBox
Curtiss P-40E Warhawk, the in-game model
1941USAFighter

Curtiss P-40E Warhawk

The Curtiss P-40 was the most numerous American fighter in the early years of the war; the British called the early versions Tomahawk and the later ones Kittyhawk, and the Americans called it the Warhawk. It was weak at high altitude, but rugged, fast in a dive and well armed. It fought with the “Flying Tigers” in China and as a fighter and fighter-bomber in North Africa and the Pacific.

From the P-36 to the P-40

The P-40 was developed by fitting a liquid-cooled Allison V12 to Curtiss’s radial-engined P-36 Hawk. Because it came from an existing airframe it was built quickly and in large numbers; early in the war it was the most numerous modern fighter the United States and its allies had.

The Allison’s single-stage supercharger gave little power at high altitude, so the P-40 fought mostly low and at medium altitude. On the other hand its rugged structure, good roll at high speed and diving speed made it a dangerous opponent.

Curtiss P-40E Warhawk, side view
Curtiss P-40E Warhawk: the in-game model from the side.

The Flying Tigers and the desert

The American Volunteer Group of American volunteer pilots fighting in China, the “Flying Tigers”, made their name against Japanese aircraft in 1941–42 with P-40s painted with shark mouths on the nose. The pilots learned to dive, strike and leave rather than turn with the more agile Japanese fighters.

In North Africa the Tomahawks and Kittyhawks of the British Commonwealth squadrons were used heavily, first as fighters and then as fighter-bombers supporting the ground forces. The Soviet Union also received thousands of P-40s under Lend-Lease.

In WarSimBox

In the game it is a rugged energy fighter: its six .50 in guns are powerful, it is fast in a dive and rolls well at high speed. It loses power high up and loses turning fights to agile fighters. It can also carry bombs against ground targets.

Unlocked in the aircraft tree after researching Improved V12 inline engine.

Top speed
578 km/h · 3,500 m
Climb
11.4 m/s
Sustained turn
21.1 s
Stall speed
143 km/h

These figures come from the game’s flight model (climb, turn and stall at sea level).

Fly it in WarSimBox