Kittyhawk Found in Sahara

[markjsheppard]

Nick but mainly pointed at Sharon

News Agencies are asking about the P40 but I want to confirm the ID's first to see if there is a pilot missing.

Then I am sure it will be reported in the main press shortly after and RAFM are happy to report there interest and ongoing discussions.

Mark

[Empiricist]

Originally Posted by paulmcmillan

This aircraft is in the middle of no where

Not "in the middle of no where" but in the El-Wahat el-Bahariya region.

[paulmcmillan]

[html]

[/html]

Originally Posted by Doug Norrie

In photo 10 of the picasaweb series of pictures it clearly shows the ref. H-87A-3 stamped in the wing and a part no. starting with 87....which would in indicate it was one of 540 Kittyhawks produced with the a/c serials in my previous thread. According to 'Curtiss Fighter Aircraft 1917-1948' by Francis Dean and Dan Hagedorn, page 294, the 540 aircraft were bought by the British government in Contract A-1835 commencing with AK591, before Lend Lease took effect.

The pipe type exhausts indicate an early model Kittyhawk, Mk I or IA.

Looking through my Air Britain serials book (through the 540 a/c), assuming it is a 260 Sqd a/c, I could see only two possibles that could be considered:
AL134 lost on 7.9.1942
AK693 lost on 16.5.1942

If someone could check the 260 Sqd RAF ORB there may be some clues from the above dates.

I look forward to seeing if anyone can add any further info to what I have put forward.

Doug

Doug

I have AK951 AK999 C/N 18695 18743 as H87-A2 (Kittyhawk I) and AL100 AL230 C/N 18744 18874 as H87-A2 (Kittyhawk I) not not H-87A-3

ET100 ET519 C/N 19287 19706, USAAF 41-24776 41-25195 as H87-A3 P-40E-1 (Kittyhawk IA) and ET520 EV699 C/N 19707 20786 USAAF 41-35874 41-36953 as H87-A3 P-40E-1 (Kittyhawk IA)

- Also one of the worlds best P-40 experts has tentively identified its a P-40E CU-1 subtype which is a H87-A3