France's Flying Warbird

Curtiss P-40N Warhawk

Type : P-40N-5-CU

Registration : F-AZKU

Owner: SNC SDPA

Previous identities : VH KTI

Constructor number : 29677

Serial number : 42-105915

Allison V1710-111 (1200HP)

Harald Ludwig more pictures

As the war entered 1944, it was decided to try improve the Curtiss P-40's performance. So it was to lighten the airframe by suppressing two of the six machine guns and change the material and design of somme components to reduce the overall empty weight from 6 400 lb to 6 000 lb. In doing so the designation of the type change to P-40N, the last operational version of the P-40.

The first production batch of this type, the P-40N-1-CU was the fastest with a top speed of 378 mph at 10. 500 ft as the following batches restored the six-gun armament. The P-40N-5-CU was the first version to introduce the modified canopy and rear section improving the pilot's rearview.

C/n 29677 that was ordered during the fiscal year 1942 is a P-40N-5CU (Cu designing Curtiss) hence its serial 42-105915, originally destined to the Chinese Air Force was delivered to USAAF and affected to the 5^th Air Force in the Far East Operations Theater.

Its last affectation was the 49^th FG as it was abandoned on the airfield of Taji in Papua-New Guinea in the end of the conflict.

les épaves 001

P40 42-105915 is designed N°2 on the above picture

The airframe of 42-105915 was discovered, without its engine, recovered by Charles Darby in 1974 and crated to be transported to Auckland, New Zealand.

le P40 dans la brousse

P40 in jungle de Papouasie Nouvelle Guinée in 1974

It became property of Malcolm Long this same year 1974 and since was exposed in different places an museums : the Royal Australian Air Force of Point Cook in 1977 and the Chewing Gum Field Museum between 1980 an 1985.

From 1985 to 1991 it was exposed at Air World before been sold to Jack McDonald &John Rayner and finally to Murray Griffith in 1997.

Murray Griffith, boss of Precision Aerospace undertook the restoration of 42-105915 to flying status. The job took its conclusion in 2002 with the first flight of 42-105915, wearing its colors when it was flown by its pilot lt. Robert Warren just before beingabandoned on Tadji's airfield.

Robert Warren was reunited with 42-105915 during a trip to Australia to look at the airplane he flew during the war and watch it fly again in september 2002. This event was covered by australian TV news.

Christian Amara went to Australia in 2007 to buy this particular aircraft and in spring 2008, registered F-AZKU, it was one of the star performers of this year's Amicale Jean-Baptist Salis airshow.

In 2011 42-105915, F-AZKU was definitely based in Melun Villaroche and is now part of France's Flying Warbirds collection.

F-AZKU in flight at La Ferté Airshow 2013 by Marc TAURAN (tmtv.fr)

My first flight in P40

Jacques HABERT says:

"The air is mild this morning, blue sky, light wind from the East...

There she is, firmly standing on its narrow landing gear, nose pointing at the sky...

Dr. Geooorge, our chief pilot with the delightful French-American accent, welcomes me “Willy did the fill up for you, fuel, oil and coolant,.. it's all good. Jump-in and get ready !”.

George, with over 5000 hours of experience on Warbirds of all types, greatly impresses me with his ability to jump from one plane to the next with such ease. The fact that he will be supervising my release is reassuring... Willy, our mechanic, "Grouchy Smurf", on whom we can always rely to maintain our celestial machines in good shape is always there to help and assist...

With those two around, there's no reason to worry!

I climb on board, right foot on the trailing edge, left hand leaning on the wing, and one push, I'm standing on the wing, I slide inside the cockpit, relatively narrow for such a cowboy plane...

George is leaning towards me and giving me his last advice...

Nobody ahead?

Propeller switch on auto, a very rare original Curtis Electric. It is one of the few P40 still flying with this type of propeller.

Undercarriage on down, a few stroke with the hand pump to check, as this plane has no landing gear down lock, it could simply fall on the ground!!

Which would immediately result in putting George and Christian in a very bad mood!

Four injections with the wobble pump on the right... Booster pump on...

Magnetos on...

I activate the starter, the big propeller slowly spins, the engine starts in, a rattle, less noisy however then the P51 Merlin, probably thanks to the exhaust pipes shape.

The taxi is easy if we take the precaution of zigzag to see in front, or else all we can see is a piece of the sky above the engine cowlings! But it must be done fast as the Allison has a tendency to overheat very quickly on the ground, and the cooler's temperature quickly reaches 100°C although the oil has barely reached the right temperature for take off. Rudder trim well adjusted to avoid the risk of not maintaining the runway axis during take off, a soft increase of power up to 45', which is sufficient enough to take off whilst preserving the engine's life. In case of emergency you can go until 55'...

The control of the axis is generally fairly easy. With a little foot on the right, the machine doesn't go out of control as much as the P51 or even as the Skyraider... Once in the air, we must bring in the gear by contorting oneself to lower the very ill placed lever under the left elbow, then activate the trigger on the handle and... Wait for about 20 seconds for the electric engine to activate the hydraulic pump which send the precious liquid in the actuating cylinder... From the ground, the struts hang, and then spin a quarter turn before going in back in their place. The only red light during the maneuver turns green... The mechanic indicators brush against the upper surface of the wing... And while all of this happens, I have gone a few nautical and lost sight of the airfield...!

You must also adjust the oil heater's shutter and the cooling with a big combine harvester style lever, on the lower right of the cockpit, then adjust the RPM and the MAP for the climb at 140 MPH.

And there it's pure joy, with few vibrations; I experience with pleasure the wonderful ailerons, which provide an excellent roll rate. Unfortunately the elevator becomes increasingly heavy as the speed increases... I recall George's words: "In acrobatics the elevator is so heavy that I use both hands and stand this high over the seat (shows a small space between his thumb and index)"...

I notice with pleasure that the airspeed indicates 220MPH in level flight with the cruise power at 28' and 2300RPM, not too bad... I must say that the Allison is brand new and the propeller just came back from overhauling. A nice smell of hot oil and burned Bakelite overwhelms the cockpit. The turns link together nicely and I don't resist few barrel rolls...

But I must return, because with 200 l/h and given the maintenance costs for this type of airplane, one should appreciate quality rather than quantity!

Back on downwind... Slowing down to 140MPH, wide opening of the radiator shutter to prevent overheating during taxi, especially if it's hot or if a long taxi.

Landing gear extension, I lower the inaccessible lever under my left elbow,

I hit the trigger and 20 seconds later the gear is down, the green light is on and so are the two mechanical indicators visible on the wings. Then the flaps, same principal, I move a small lever down, then the trigger, and if the speed is not too high they come out. These are split flaps, which mainly serve as airbrakes...

In the mean time, I got closer to the end of the downwind leg and I position myself in a curve to orient myself on the runway axis, allowing me to see it until the last moment, because once aligned the nose rises slightly and hides the runway... It's a question of habit...105MPH on final, 95 over the threshold, a small hit on the hand pump just to make sure that the gear is still down...

The landing must be done softly on the two wheels like the manual indicates, as she has a strong ground loop propensity, especially E versions with a short fuselage...

Now, I shouldn't waste time on the taxiway as the engine will quickly overheat, the coolant temperature already approaching the 100°C!

Back to the parking lot with a huge smile on! George laughs and is already hooking the tractor to get the plane in.

My cousin won't get to be the king tonight and I will be paying for the Champaign, bugging everybody about my flight!

What a pleasure it was! What a privilege! Thank you Christian, thank you George, thank you Willy...

The air is mild this morning, blue sky, light wind from the East..."

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