Tucson airport??

[Stoney]

in 1957 i thought i saw at the airport many P-40's ( i think they where) stacked on their nose's, did i dream this or just young man's false memory.

[JohnB]

I believe that often reproduced photo of P-40s on their noses was taken somewhere else (Walnut Ridge, Arkansas?).

I wouldn't be shocked if that also occurred near Tucson, my guess would be Ryan Field or Davis-Monthan.

[Larry Kraus]

Stoney, are you maybe thinking of Kingman? I don’t know about P-40s, but lots of surplus airplanes there at one time. And, of course, Davis-Monthan AFB is located in Tucson. The surplus aircraft capital of the world. However, 1957 would probably be at least 10 years too late to see P-40s being scrapped.

[mike furline]

Walnut Ridge, AR.

https://airplaneboneyards.com/post-wwii ... eyards.htm

[lucky52]

What in the world happened to all the .50 cal machine guns off these P-40s and all the other aircraft? Did they have so many that they were destroyed also?

[mike furline]

Sixth one in with Star&Bar 44-7061 is a TP-40N.

[JohnB]

What in the world happened to all the .50 cal machine guns off these P-40s and all the other aircraft? Did they have so many that they were destroyed also?

I'd assume they were removed by the military before scrapping, to keep them out of bad guy's/gun runners hands.

[Stoney]

well i guess it was a dream then because i know i went thru Tucson on my way home on boot camp leave from MCRD and ITR, correction it was 1958 not 57'.

[quemerford]

What in the world happened to all the .50 cal machine guns off these P-40s and all the other aircraft? Did they have so many that they were destroyed also?

This type of stuff is termed "GFE" (government furnished equipment) and usually removed prior to aircraft being scrapped. It's quite possible that the machine guns were overhauled and reused elsewhere.

[mike furline]

https://tucson.com/news/retrotucson/pho ... 70.html#29

Have at it.
https://www.historicaerials.com/viewer

Attachments

[JohnB]

My response mentioning Ryan Field reminded me that there was a company there that did modification work for the military....something along the lines of Hayes in Alabama.
Can someone recall the firm?

[quemerford]

Hayes did overhaul and conversion for a number of types including IIRC B-25, B-57 and C-130. They were based at Birmingham.