Curtiss P-40 Tomahawk – World Warbird News

Paul Ehlen killed in crash of his Curtiss P-40E Warhawk in Montana

World Warbird News — Wed, 28 Jun 2023 08:58:47 +0000

The Curtiss P-40E AK753 at Oshkosh (Photo © Damien Defever)

It is with great sadness that we learn of the death of Paul Ehlen. He crashed yesterday afternoon in Curtiss P-40E Warhawk ‘AK753’, registered as N4420K and belonging to the Wings of the North Air Museum, near Hamilton, Montana.

Paul Ehlenpilot and owner of the Curtiss P-40E (Photo via WOTN Facebook page)

Little information is available about this tragic event but the police announced that Paul Ehlen, the museum’s founder, was at the controls and did not survive the crash.

An investigation conducted jointly by the FAA and the NTSB has been launched to determine the causes of the accident.

The P-40E Warhawk was restored by Ron Fagen and his museum, the Fagen Fighter Museum, a few years ago and was acquired by the Wings of the North museum in July of last year.

The team at World Warbird News extend their deepest condolences to the family of Paul Ehlen, his friends, and all the members of the Wings of the North Air Museum.

P-40 Warhawk discovered and salvaged in Ketch Straight

World Warbird News — Mon, 08 May 2017 08:20:34 +0000

A Soviet Lend-Lease Curtiss P-40 Warhawk was discovered underwater in the Kertch Straight during preparation work for the construction of the Kertch Straight bridge, a road-rail bridge under construction by the Russian Federation, to span the Strait of Kerch between the Kerch Peninsula of Crimea and the Taman Peninsula of Krasnodar Krai.

The aircraft was recovered using equipment borrowed from the construction group. No details on its exact identity are available but photos of the recovery operation are available from The Daily Mail.

(h/t Benjamin G.)

Nine P-40 to gather for AVG’s 75th anniversary in September

World Warbird News — Thu, 21 Jul 2016 14:24:46 +0000

Nine Curtiss P-40 will attend the 3rd annual CAF Atlanta Warbird Weekend on September 24 & 25 for the 75th anniversary of the American Volunteer Group, better known as the “Flying Tigers”. This will be the largest gathering of P-40 in recent times.

The event, hosted by the Dixie Wing, will take place at Dekalb-Peachtree Airport and many other warbirds will also be attending. World War II veterans, authors, 1940s Hollywood entertainers and reenactors will be present at the event, which is presented not as an airshow but as a warbird display and history education event, with aircraft rides available.

More information, including the complete list of attending P-40 and other warbirds, can be found on the 3rd annual CAF Atlanta Warbird Weekend website.

P-40N Warhawk “Bonnie Kaye” first flight

World Warbird News — Wed, 20 Jan 2016 06:14:20 +0000

On 11 January 2016, the P-40N Warhawk “Bonnie Kaye” made its maiden flight in Ocala, Florida, after a lengthy restoration. The pilot for the first flight was Mike Burke, who made several flights and reported everything was fine.

The aircraft is a veteran of the Aleutians campaigns, but carries the famous skull of the 80th Fighter Grop “Burma Banshees” on its port side. Lost in July 1945, this P-40N was recovered in the 1990s and bought in 2004 by Chris and Gail Kirchner who restored it.

More info and photos on Warbirds News.

Fantasy of Flight TP-40N flies again after four and a half years

World Warbird News — Mon, 04 Jan 2016 03:37:58 +0000

Fantasy of Flight’s Curtiss TP-40N Warhawk has flown again after four and a half years. Kermit Weeks report on Fantasy of Flight’s YouTube channel:

If you’ll remember, the last time I flew it, FOUR AND A HALF YEARS AGO, the landing gear didn’t want to come up so I immediately put it down and landed safely. I had already bellied in my other P-40E due to a problem and didn’t want a repeat episode. I decided not to fly this one again until we re-installed an original emergency system, which for some reason in the past was taken out! This involved having special components made, pulling the fuel tanks out to install them, and then doing lots of gear swings. Finally we were able to get her out and take her for the test flight. She ran great! Check it out.

Collings Foundation acquires B-17 Flying Fortress, Bf 109, P-38 Lightning, and P-40 Warhawk

World Warbird News — Wed, 12 Aug 2015 22:22:00 +0000

The B-17G “Shady Lady” at the Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum. (Photo killbox (CC BY-NC 2.0))

The Collings Foundation has announced that it has acquired several warbirds from the collection of the Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum:

Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress “Shady Lady” (s/n 44-83785), which is technically airworthy and should fly again in 2017. The foundation already operates a B-17, and this new arrival will make it possible for the “Wings of Freedom Tour” to continue while one B-17 is under maintenance.
A Lockheed P-38L Lightning which should fly in 2016 after some restoration work.
A Messerschmitt Bf 109G-10, whose return to airworthiness is uncertain due to some technical problems. Regardless of this, restoration work will be carried on the aircraft.
A Curtiss P-40K Warhawk, which will join the P-40 already owned by the foundation and will probably be returned to airworthiness.

More information on this topic can be found on the blog The Warbird Watcher.

Stephen Grey’s P-40B donated to Collings Foundation

World Warbird News — Thu, 12 Dec 2013 09:36:18 +0000

Photo Tony Hisgett (CC BY 2.0)

As can be read in its latest newsletter, the Collings Foundation has received an extraordinary donation: the Curtiss P-40B Tomahawk s/n 41-13297 of Stephen Grey’s Fighter Collection It is the oldest flying P-40 and is also the last survivor of the Pearl Harbor attack.

The aircraft is currently being shipped to the US where it will be assembled and flown by the Collings Foundation.

RAF Tomahawk found in Egypt

World Warbird News — Sun, 22 Apr 2012 18:28:38 +0000

A P-40E-1-CU Tomahawk flown by the RAF has been found in the desert in Egypt, near Al Wadi al Jadid. The aircraft is thought to have force-landed there in 1942 and appears to be in a very good state of conservation based on the available pictures.

TSWM P-40 damaged in landing accident

World Warbird News — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 17:55:41 +0000

The P-40M restored to flying condition by the Tri-State Warbird Museum was damaged in a landing accident. The aircraft was flown by 50 year-old Paul Redlich, President of the Tri-State Warbird Museum, when the engine blew a piston. With smoke and oil coming from the engine, Redlich managed to bring the aircraft back to Clermont County Airport but overshot the runway.

The 1943 P-40 slid off the runway, crashed through a fence and came to a halt on a nearby road. Nobody was injured in the incident, but the aircraft suffered some damage.

Sources:

Fighter ace Geoff Fisken passes away

World Warbird News — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 13:41:50 +0000

Geoff Fisken in front of his P-40 "Wairarapa Wildcat". (Photo RNZAF)

New Zealander ace Geoff Fisken, DFC, passed away on June 12, 2011. He was credited with 10 to 13 confirmed aerial victories against the Japanese, flying the Brewster Buffalo and later the P-40 Warhawk. He is believed to be the highest-scoring British Commonwealth ace in the Pacific theater. After the war, Fisken returned to his pre-war occupation as a farmer. Read the obituary on the Telegraph or Fisken’s Wikipedia page.