The Curtiss P-40 Warhawk is the definitive World War II fighter aircraft, forever synonymous with the attack on Pearl Harbor and the beginning of air war over the Pacific. Its shark-mouth nose camouflage and uncompromising lines, the Warhawk evolved as the embodiment of American toughness and determination in the wake of crushing defeat.
By 7 December 1941, morning, when the sun edged over Oahu, the United States Army Air Corps had an assorted mix of pursuit aircraft spread out across the island. They included 64 P-40B and P-40C Tomahawks, 20 P-36 Hawks, and 10 ancient P-26 Peashooters. It was the view of Rear Admiral Samuel Eliot Morison that there were 94 fighters stationed in the area around Pearl Harbor when the morning, 84 of them newly arrived and with first-class fighting equipment.
However, the Japanese assault destroyed or put out of commission dozens of planes on the ground before they could even take to the air. Several P-40s did become airborne, engaging and showing great staying power.
Captain Kenneth Taylor and Second Lieutenant George Welch of the 47th Pursuit Squadron were among the first to respond. Directed the day before to Haleiwa Field to go through gunnery training, the two made their way to their P-40Bs, climbed into the air in the face of enemy gunfire, and attacked the oncoming Japanese aircraft. Their work, and a few others’, was effective in bringing down several of the enemy planes, an uncharacteristic but desperate defense in the heat of battle.
The P-40 itself was a mixed bag of strengths and weaknesses. Its Allison V-1710 engine rated more than 1,200 horsepower, giving the plane ruggedness, high dive speed, and forgiving handling traits. But it was handled at high altitude by the extremely maneuverable Mitsubishi A6M Zero. Experienced test pilot Eric “Winkle” Brown described the Zero as extremely maneuverable but structurally strained at high speeds. The toughness and faster descent of the P-40 were perhaps tactically exploited to fight the enemy when flown by veteran pilots.
Maintaining in excess of around 250 miles per hour was a question of life and death against the Zero, whose maneuverability was sacrificed at high speeds. Even at low- to mid-altitudes, the P-40 had the speed advantage over the P-51 Mustang below 10,000 feet, and therefore was an excellent fighter under the wing of an able pilot.
One particular P-40B, Bureau Number 41-13297, stands out in the history of the aircraft. Constructed at Curtiss-Wright’s plant in Buffalo, New York, and arriving in March 1941, it was based at Wheeler Army Airfield.
Following a wheels-up landing in October 1941, the aircraft was undergoing repairs when the Japanese attacked. Bombed and surviving, it was repaired to flight status, but fatally crashed on a training flight in January 1942, killing its pilot, Lieutenant Kenneth Wayne Sprankle. Its wreckage was salvaged and refurbished in the late 1980s and now lies at the American Heritage Museum in remembrance of all who served on that day.
The P-40’s history extends far beyond Pearl Harbor. In 1944, almost 14,000 had been built, one of the most produced American fighters of the war. It was a rugged, uncomplicated machine that was an Allied favorite and was tested in several theaters.
The Warhawk also achieved legend in the Flying Tigers, legally the American Volunteer Group. Claire Chennault led pilots to employ the speed and firepower of the planes in hit-and-run raids, using their strengths to fatal effect on enemy aircraft.
Its legend lives on. From the shark-mouth nose camouflage to museum exhibits and airshow appearances, the P-40 remains irresistible. Museums like the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum and the American Heritage Museum preserve their history, such as hangars with bullet holes still from December 7, and restored warbirds like the “Swamp Ghost” B-17 Flying Fortress. Historian John T. Stemple stated the P-40B at the American Heritage Museum is more than an airplane—it is a flying memorial to those who have lost their lives in service.
Overall, the Curtiss P-40 Warhawk is a symbol of courage, endurance, and remembrance. Its deployment at Pearl Harbor and in the war is a blunt reminder to learn from history and pay tribute to those who fought. Its finer qualities, its poorer qualities, and the heroism of its pilots still instruct us on the harsh realities of aerial combat and the indomitable will of the combatants to defend their nation.
