P-40M

[Ken from NJ]

I ask this because I have read they were.

Then I read that MOST were Lend-Lease. :blink:

And then I see profile pics in a couple of the Osprey Aircraft of the Aces books (P-40 Warhawk Aces of the Pacific and P-40 Warhawk Aces of the CBI)of P-40Ms in US markings. :wacko:

Again, this is just me being picky. I would like to build a bunch of different P-40 variants in US schemes, and if the profiles I've seen are accurate I would like to add a P-40M to my US collection.

Any additional info is welcome and appreciated. Thanks.

Ken

[Mark M.]

I believe they were all made for Lend-Lease purposes. Keep in mind a few points: Those profiles are NOT always accurate or correct. The -M was visually very similar to other versions of the P-40 as well. Because it was BUILT for a country doesn't mean we didn't get it somehow later.

My take on it is the P-40Ms in use were limited and second-hand. Many I've seen feature the RNZAF-style ID bands which makes me think they were returned, transfered, or swapped and desperate units took what they could get. The few US markings are legit, but 9 times out of 10 it's going to be a different version than the -M. The other time, it wasn't BUILT for us, but somehow we got our hands on it.

[P-38 guy]

The 44th FS used them. Think I read somewhere recently they were the only American unit to use them.

Mike

[Ken from NJ]

Thanks very much, guys.

And thanks for digging up this post that kinda fell off the radar herem and I just about forgot it.

Ken

[rpeck]

The 80th FG in China used some very early P-40N which looked like the P-40M's.

http://www.burmabanshees.com/

https://www.facebook.com/pages/WWII-80th-FG-Burma-Banshee-P40-fighter-pilot-Lt-Raymond-B-Mc-Reynolds/731683343543285?ref=profile

There only ace Lt. Hammer scored his first couple of kills in one. There was some decals from Superscale for this P-40 named 'Rita Marie'. If I remember correctly that was the name.

Rick

[Tom_Kness]

I think the 23rd ended up with a couple of them at somepoint, theres a couple pictures in Lopez's autobiography that are ID'd as Ms.  Not sure though since they are so close to the early model N.

[KSL]

 

Montex has mask and decals for this P-40M

 

Sergey.

[seawinder]

In "Planes and Pilots 3, Curtiss P-40," there are profiles of two P-40Ms of the 25th FS, 51st FG, China 1944/45, and one of a P-40M of the 47th FS, 15th FG, New Caledonia 1943.

[gmat]

The two P-40 outfits that ended up in New Caledonia were the 44th FS (from Hawaii) and the 68th FS. The 68th applied sharkmouths to their aircraft while the 44th retained the small nose plane in group numbers from the 18th FG in Hawaii. The 47th FS with P-40s remained in Hawaii so the profile in Planes and Pilots 3 is in error. Interestingly, the 47th FS in 1943 reverted to P-40Bs and later switched to P-47Ds. The 19th FS in Hawaii operated P-40Fs for a while. 

I have no information on P-40Ms, sorry.

 

Best wishes,

Grant