New P40 Flying in Australia?

[Jack Cook]

Mike,
Yes, these are only only 2 P-40Fs and they are s/n 41-14112 and s/n 41-14205.
Has previously stated 205 is being completed has a RNZAF P-40E while 112 while flying in her original aaf marking carried when she went down.
She was #106 of the 44th FS and named "PEE WEE" not "Bone Crusher" has previously thought. The pilot was Lt CB Head who scored 14 kills before being lost over Rabaul in a P-38J.
I believe there was a P-40L (?) drug up from the ocean off Italy a few years back.

[setter]

Hi Mike

I will yield to the knowledge of others but I know of two others.

The sister ship to this one is about to fly (with Merlin) in Tyabb Victoria and another is or was restored in the US manyyears ago - I thought it flew but I could be wrong - I thought the color scheme was a wild pink desert shade - I thought I saw it at Oskosh one year but I may just be dreaming.

Regards
John P

[RMAllnutt]

The pink one sound like Sue Parish's P-40N 44-7619. Only one in pink I've heard of. Would love an update on the other P-40F you mentioned though!

Cheers,
Richard

[setter]

Hi the second one I mentioned and the New Zealand one were part of a group of 4 which crash landed on Vanartu in the Pacific during WW11 and were recovered as a pair many years ago by Judy Pay and Graeme Hoskings of Tyabb in Victoria. Judy has restored hers and it is about to fly as reported and the other was traded by Graeme for a Corsair with the RNZAFM and that is the one in my pictures earlier. The Corsair is a late model and is under restoration for Graeme in Darwin and should fly in a couple of years.

I don't know what happened to the other two crash landed machines.

I know about the Sue Parish machine but that wasn't the one I mentioned - I was sure there was a P40 F in the states but I could have been dreaming - it was a long time ago.

The real expert on all of this is Jack Cook and he has good photos of the P40s and with his permission I will post them for him on the site - is that OK Jack and can you fill in a bit more of the historic detail on all of this for us.

Regards
John P

[Jack Cook]

Ya'll seem to be interested in this episode so I'll give you the whole story of the lost P-40Fs. I'm the historian of the 44th Ftr. Sqd. Association and have researched this incident extensively. On Dec. 23, 1942 a flight of 4 P-40Fs consisting of Capt John Little-flight leader his wingman 2Lt Frank "Murph" Radzuikinas, 2Lt CB Head Jr-element leader and 2Lt George "Ed" Talbot his wingman took off from Quoin Hill, Efate for a gunnery training mission. The weather was very crummy but the mission was completed and P-39 tow pilot 2Lt John Lessing returned to base. The remaining 4 pilots starting rat racing in and out of the clouds raising hell and generally having a great time (oh, to be young and flying a P-40!!). After they reformed Johnny Little not to mention the other 3 pilots had become disorientated (aka lost-remember the story about 2Lts and maps). Sighting a island in the distance they headed for it but immediately after discovering it wasn't the right one low fuel light illuminated in 2 of the Warhawks. John made the decision to land has a group on what turned out to be Erromanga about 35-40 miles from Efate. Murph Radzuikinas made the first approach but overshot so he and Little went around. Talbot and Head were next but both landed hot and went over a cliff. Head ended up in the trees but was unhurt. Talbot landed very hard breaking the back of his P-40 and suffered serious injuries (he was evaced by Duck 2 days later. Little and Murph made very good landings the second time around and their aircraft suffered only minor damage. They were greeting by Mr. Martin, an Aussie, who owned a large cattle ranch there. With his assistance there treated Ed Talbot's injuries and contacted home base. 3 days later a large barge arrived carrying squadron mechanics and equiptment for disassembling the 2 good airplanes and salvaging equiptment from the other 2 who where deemed non-recoverable. Now you would think that Johnny Little would have been in big trouble but in May 43 he assumed command of the squadron and lead it throught it's greatest period on air combat with over 100 kills during his command. CB Head scored 14 confirmed kills and was a ace in both the P-40 and the P-38 he was KIA over Rabaul in a P-38J. Ed Talbot and Radzuikinas flew tours of over 120 missions each and receiving the DFC and multiple Air Medals. John Little is the sole survivor of his little band of flyers. The info of these 4 aircraft, all of who were flown off the USS Nassau escort carrier, is as follows.
P-40F s/n 41-14107 salvaged flown by Capt John Little
P-40F s/n 41-14202 salvaged flown by 2Lt Frank Radzuikinas
P-40F s/n 41-14112 stripped and abandoned flown by 2Lt CB Head Jr.
P-40F s/n 41-14205 stripped and abandoned flown by 2Lt Ed Talbot

Last edited by Jack Cook on Wed Nov 24, 2004 3:44 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[Jack Cook]

John,
Go ahead and I'll send you some more.
BTW my 44th FS website is at:http://communities.msn.com/44thFighterSquadronTributePage

[setter]

Hi all

Jack has agreed to have me post two photos here of the P40 F s one of the crash landed one and and the other is Judy Pay's P-40F s/n 41-14112 which is due to fly soon.

I have also drawn down a recent shot I took if the RNZAF example P-40F s/n 41-14205 which is undergoing conversion to P40E standard in Wigram NZ so we have all the pics in one place




Kindest regards

More shots to follow as i get them from Jack

John Parker

[STURMVOGEL 262]

Top stuff guy's .
We can never have enough Hawk's .
I too am waiting for the Merlin job to fly, Being in Victoria I only hope she stay's based here .
More exciting time's ahead , Cheer's all, Tally Ho! Phil .

[setter]

Hi

I find this thread very interesting seeing such a rare aircraft about to fly.

I was wondering if a P40 type specialist would like to give a brief comparison of a P40F and it's equivalent Allison engined model(P40E?) both in terms of performance and distinguishing appearance features - perhaps with a profile shot of each.

I always imagined that the Merlin would have raised the performance a little but I don't have any real idea. It will be interesting to get Judy Pay's opinion and as pilots fly both engine types get a wider perspective.

Any takers

Kindest regards
John P

[Jack Cook]

In the 1942 photo from left to right:
Lt Murph Radzuikinas, Capt John Little & Lt CB Head Jr. Ed Talbot had already been evacuated but this is his P-40F. you can see the fence for Mr. Martin's cattle in the background. Little and Head enterained thoughts of taking Mr. Martin's invitation to join him in the cattle business.

[DaveM2]

Guys

The Col Pay P-40 will be painted CV-V, it does have a Desert scheme , but NOT shark mouth or the blue rudder with the Southern Cross.

Dave

[setter]

Hi Dave

I am sure it will be nice but I would love to see it with both extras or even the Kangaroo on the side - His choice I suppose.

Thanks for the response even if you are a big teaser.

Regards
John P

[DaveM2]

John

It will have the kicking Kangaroo AFAIK

Dave

[Browny]

Ah...Bobby Gibbs' early P40, that's great!

He flew that aircraft (CV-V) during 1942, which was quite sometime before the squadron added the blue rudder with Southern Cross , so the markings are spot on.

Sounds like it's time for air to air photo shoot with Temora's Bobby Gibbes marked Spit VIII (RG-V).

Cheers

Browny

[crystal lakes]

John
I will post a pic of the ex Cole Pay P40 as it is today if someone tells me how, cant find how to attach a picture.
Mike