The P-40 was the best known Curtiss-Wright designed airplane of the Second World War. It was also one of the most controversial fighters, vilified by many as being too slow, lacking in maneuverability, having too low a climbing rate, and being largely obsolescent by contemporary standards even before it went into production. The inadequacies of the P-40 were even the subject of a Congressional investigation after the War ended.

While these criticisms were certainly valid, it is also true that the P-40 served its country well, especially in China and Burma, during the opening phase of the War in the Pacific when little else was available to the US Army Air Corps. Along with the P-39 Airacobra, the P-40 was the only American fighter available in quantity to confront the Japanese advance until more modern aircraft could be delivered to frontline squadrons.

The P-40B or Tomahawk IIA had extra .30 in (7.62 mm) U.S., or .303 in (7.7 mm) machine guns in the wings and a partially protected fuel system; the P-40C or Tomahawk IIB added underbelly drop tank and bomb shackles, self-sealing fuel tanks and other minor revisions, but the extra weight did have a negative impact on aircraft performance. All versions of the P-40 had a relatively low power-to-weight ratio compared to contemporary fighters.

This particular 1:48 scale replica of a RAF Curtiss Tomahawk Mk. IIB fighter was piloted by Squadron Leader Neville Duke, who was attached to 112 Squadron, then deployed to Egypt during 1941. Pre-order! Ship Date: July 2025.

Dimensions:
Wingspan: 9-1/4-inches
Length: 7-3/4-inches

Release Date: ?

Historical Account: "The Painted Desert" - Duke found flying the P-40 less agreeable than the Spitfire, and on a familiarization flight crashed AM390.

On November 30th, 1941, Duke was shot down by the high scoring German ace Oberfeldwebel Otto Schulz from Jagdgeschwader 27. On December 5th, he was again shot down by a pilot from JG 27 and wounded by splinters in the leg. He managed to crash-land near Tobruk and was sent back to Cairo in a Blenheim for a rest. However, his own tally of victories continued to mount and, after the squadron was re-equipped with the more capable Curtiss Kittyhawk, by February 1942, Duke had at least eight victories, resulting in the award of the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) in March. These victories included a Fiat CR.42 and a Bf 109 on December 20th and 21st. He completed his first tour of operations the next month and then spent six months instructing at the fighter school in the Canal Zone.

In November 1942, Duke rejoined 92 Squadron, which has been transferred to North Africa flying the tropicalized Spitfire Mark V. He became a flight commander in February 1943 and received a Distinguished Service Order in March. By the end of his second tour in June, Duke had amassed a further 14 victories to his total and was awarded a bar to his DFC.

Promoted to squadron leader, Duke was posted to No. 73 Operational Training Unit at Abu Sueir as chief flying instructor before returning to operations in March 1944 for his third tour, as commanding officer of No. 145 Squadron in Italy, flying Spitfire Mk VIIIs. He claimed five more aircraft shot down in May, gaining a second bar to his DFC. On 7 June, Duke was shot down by flak and baled out into Lake Bracciano, almost drowning when unable to release his parachute harness. He sheltered with Italian partisans until U.S. troops arrived.

Downing two Fw 190s of Schlachtgeschwader 4 in May, Duke scored his final kills on September 7th, 1944, becoming the Mediterranean Theatre's top Allied fighter ace at the age of 22. In 486 sorties and some 712 operational hours, he claimed 27 outright victories and two shared, one probable, six damaged and two shared destroyed on the ground.