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Curtiss XP-40Q (Warhawk)

1943 WORLD WAR 2 X-PLANE

History

Importantly, the Curtiss P-40 Warhawk fighter family was important to the Allied cause at the start of World War II (1939-1945), but it still has its prewar roots. As such, it was quickly surpassed by more modern warfare developments driven by actual combat experience. Curtis tried several projects to advance his P-40 product, all of which ultimately failed.

The XP-40Q was one such attempt, the work was envisioned as the final incarnation of the P-40, but it was also not adopted as it was still a bit outdated compared to the Republic P-47 Thunderbolt and its North American equivalents design of the P-51 Mustang fighter.

The XP-40Q began in 1943 with offshoot projects such as the 87X and XP-40N, each of which underwent several modernizations to make the machine a viable firing platform for the foreseeable future. The Type 87X evolved into the XP-40Q, an effort that included a pair of P-40K airframes and a P-40N.

The first P-40K aircraft was powered by an Allison V-1710-121 rated at 1,425 hp, with cooling air intakes located in the wings. The hood has been redesigned with a tighter lid for better aerodynamic efficiency. All other qualities of the fighter are still rooted in the original P-40, which only goes against the design.

The prototype was simply called "XP-40Q".

On the second P-40K, the cooling air intake was replaced by a more traditional, smaller area chin scoop with a more useful bubble hood. Bubble caps allow for shortening of the back section of the fuselage for streamlining and weight savings.

A section of bulletproof glass is attached to the curved windshield to protect the pilot. The supercharged engine features water injection for additional wartime performance and drives a four-bladed propeller unit over the original three-bladed unit.

This prototype became the "XP-40Q-1" in the lineup.

Then came the third prototype - "XP-40Q-2" - whose only major feature was truncated wingtips to add a slight speed boost. This quality was later added to the first prototype as well.

With the change, the Q Series became the fastest Warhawk in the Curtiss fighter family, with a net speed of over 420 mph (officially 422 mph). The previous brand didn't even exceed 400 mph. However, that wasn't enough to compete with the number of P-47 and P-51 fighter jets rolling off the production line and ready to fill a variety of battlefield roles.

This inevitably led to the Q series coming to an end by 1945.

In the post-war period, two prototypes were scrapped. The XP-40Q-1 was purchased for competition flying at the Cleveland Flying Race, so it has a slightly increased lifespan.

During the 1947 Thompson Trophy race, its engine caught fire and the pilot fell - completely losing his life when the plane caught fire.

When finished, the XP-40Q has a wingspan of 35.2 feet and a length of 35.3 feet. Loaded weight is 9,000 lbs. Top speed is 422 mph and service is capped at 39,000 feet. Power comes from an Allison V-1710-121 producing 1,425 horsepower.

The design was never armed - its kit was proposed as a 4x.50 caliber Browning heavy machine gun. This is another restrictive weight loss measure that ends up lacking the punch of the competition.