P-40 Kittyhawks at Warbirds over Wanaka

Wanaka: At next year’s Warbirds Over Wanaka International Airshow two Curtiss P-40 Kittyhawks will take part in an historic re-enactment of attacks on shipping and airfields in the Soloman Islands.

The Auckland based P-40N Kittyhawk Currawong is one of the stars at the 2016 Warbirds Over Wanaka Airshow. The single engine, single seat, all metal fighter and ground attack aircraft first flew in 1938. It was used by the Airforces of twenty eight nations, including the Royal New Zealand Airforce.

A total of 13,738 P-40 aircraft were built during the Second World Today only a handful remain flying around the world, this aircraft belonged to the Royal Australian Airforce.

It was recovered from the Northern Coast of New Guinea where it had been abandoned at the end of the Second World War. After changing hands several times restoration started in 1996. Work was completed three years later and the P-40 made its first public debut flight in 2000.

The second Curtiss P-40E Kittyhawk came down under for the RNZAF in 1942. Withdrawn from use in 1945 it was rebuilt for flight in 1997 at Whenuapai. Shipped to England in 1999 it returned to New Zealand in 2003 and was converted to a two-seater aircraft.

“It’s going to be a spectacular display” said Mandy Deans, Event Manager at the Warbirds Over Wanaka Airshow. “The P-40 is just one of the many classic aircraft that will be giving flying displays at next year’s Airshow. We are still working on the final line up and we are hoping to announce some big surprises” she added.

Three hundred and one P-40s were allocated to the RNZAF under Lend Lease, for use in the Pacific Theatre, although four of these were lost in transit. The aircraft soon proved to be successful in air combat against the Japanese between 1942 and 1944. The P-40 pilots claimed one hundred aerial victories, whilst losing twenty in combat.

The overwhelming majority of RNZAF victories were scored against Japanese A6M Zeros and Aicha D3A ‘Val’ dive bombers. Geoff Fisken was the highest scoring British Commonwealth ace in the Pacific. The New Zealand pilot shot down six aircraft, three of them while flying a P-40 From late 1943 and 1944 the RNZAF Kittyhawks were increasingly used against ground targets, including the innovative use of naval depth charges as improvised high capacity bombers. In late 1944 the P-40s returned to New Zealand as advanced fighter trainers and were replaced by F4U Corsairs.

The next Warbirds Over Wanaka Airshow will be held on the 25-27th March 2016 and will again provide a programme for all aviation enthusiasts.

- ENDS

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