Farmingdale, NY

[Grant]

Anyone else make it out to the Labor Day airshow at the American Airpower Museum this past weekend? What was once the original home of Republic Aviation is now a nice little museum. Among the highlights for me was the chance to see this sweet P-40E fly as well as the opportunity to talk with some folks that worked at Republic and helped build the P-47 during the war. They had a number of original flight kit on display including A-2's, B-3's and Irvins. All and all a nice little show a short distance from Manhattan. Grant

 

[Andrew]

A favourite of mine, great pic. Any more?

 

[airfrogusmc]

Nice shot Grant...

 

[Grant]

Sorry, I really neglected taking photos - was too busy watching planes fly and talking to folks. Here's a photo of the P-40E prior to the Allison engine start-up. Also an unusual off white color fleece Irvin in display.

 

[airfrogusmc]

NICE!!!!
Gotta love a P40..What a good look'n airplane.

 

[Andrew]

Sorry, I really neglected taking photos - was too busy watching planes fly and talking to folks. Here's a photo of the P-40E prior to the Allison engine start-up. Also an unusual off white color fleece Irvin in display.

Grant, is the Irvin setup part of an RAF or AAF bomb group display? Great looking collection- pullover's not original-they didn't have roll necks.

 

[Grant]

Yeah, I figured the sweater wasn't original - they mixed some non-original stuff with vintage flight gear. Have you ever seen an Irvin with this light color fleece? I haven't. This particular display was supposed to portray an RAF flight kit, I believe.
They also had several nice original A-2's on display which I forgot to photograph.

 

[Andrew]

No, I haven't but i've seen sheep that are that dirty grey colour and I had a pair of '36 pattern flying boots that were a good match. The collar seems to have quite distinct sharp corners but the rest looks all fine for an earlier model.

Shame about the condition of the G mask tube too all busted up. Don't know what the gloves are but they don't look like RAF either (unless they're the silk liners).

 

[Chandler]

Do you think any P-40Es ever carried the old-fashioned star & meatball insignia?

I think that was pretty much phased out by the time the "E" was part of the service.

Chandler

 

[Swing]

Do you think any P-40Es ever carried the old-fashioned star & meatball insignia?

Yes, in 1941, and stateside and maybe in combat up through May or June '42. Would Col. Scott in China had a P-40E with that style of roundel? Almost certainly no.

~Swing

 

[Chandler]

Yes, in 1941, and stateside and maybe in combat up through May or June '42.

But that's my question, didn't the "E" come out mid or late '42? Wouldn't they have been among the first to carry the new insignia?

Chandler

 

[T-Bolt]

Thanks so much for those photos, Grant! Looks like a beautiful day for an airshow.......or anything outdoors for that matter.

That P-40 looks alot like one the Warhawks I saw at The Gathering of Mustangs and Legends that I attended in Columbus, OH last fall.

That must be really cool to be on site where many of the WWII T-Bolts were built. If I ever get back to New York again I may have to check it out.


Ted

 

[Swing]

Yes, in 1941, and stateside and maybe in combat up through May or June '42.

But that's my question, didn't the "E" come out mid or late '42? Wouldn't they have been among the first to carry the new insignia?

Chandler

Here ya go.

http://www.research.adf-serials.com/Part4-P40.pdf

~Swing

 

[Grant]

Ted,
The early model P-40's are pretty rare these days so getting the chance to see one fly was a real treat and hearing the sound of that Allison engine was worth the drive out there. The history of Republic Aviation at Farmingdale, NY started with Sevresky Aviation. Here's an interesting link:

http://home.att.net/~historyzone/Seversky-Republic.html

Except for the airport and tiny museum most of what had been Republic is now unfortunately furniture outlets and strip malls.
Still, a cool place to visit when you're driving up and you hear the sounds of Allison, Packard built Rolls Royce, and Pratt & Whitney engines warming up!

 

[Chandler]

March of '42, huh? Didn't realize they came out that early. Probably stuck on some of the Tigers history when they ferried them back from Africa. Then again, that had to be pre-disbanding, so that had to be before July of '42.

Where'd you find that PDF? Interesting how some of those insignias have had their red meatballs shrunk just a little... probably got tired of being shot at by their own people!

Chandler

 

[Swing]

Where'd you find that PDF?

Did a search for "Buzz Wagner P-40E" and it popped up. I was pretty sure he was flying an E model while defending the Phillipines in December '41.

~Swing

 

[Chandler]

I was pretty sure he was flying an E model while defending the Phillipines in December '41.

That early? Doesn't the PDF say they came out in '42? All of the models (totaled) at Pearl were Cs (or Ds, if you want to believe there's a big difference).

Chandler

 

[Andrew]

Thanks for that link Swing.

Interesting how some of those insignias have had their red meatballs shrunk just a little... probably got tired of being shot at by their own people!

Chandler

To help with ID in 1942 The RAAF deleted the red spot altogether and after 1943 they painted the entire tail fin and wing leading edges of all fighters white.

 

[Swing]

I was pretty sure he was flying an E model while defending the Phillipines in December '41.

That early? Doesn't the PDF say they came out in '42? All of the models (totaled) at Pearl were Cs (or Ds, if you want to believe there's a big difference).

Chandler

Those were P-40s in Australia, in shipments that left the US in January '42.

According to this (I know, it's wikipedia, not always 100% correct)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_ ... s_(1941-42)

there were three squadrons equiped with P-40Es in late '41. I'm sure with a little research, the info on wikipedia can be confirmed right or wrong.

~Swing