From: Joseph F Baugher <jfb@ihlpl.att.com>
Subject: Number Forty in the Series--The Curtiss P-40
Keywords: P-40L
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories -  Naperville, Illinois
Date: Tue, 5 Jan 1993 17:24:54 GMT


From Joseph F Baugher <jfb@ihlpl.att.com>

In order to improve the Warhawk's performance in short-range combat, 
the P-40L version was created.  It was basically a "stripped" version 
of the Merlin-powered P-40F-5-CU, in which 250 pounds of weight was 
saved by the partial removal of fuel, armament, and other equipment.  
The P-40L (Model 87-B3) was otherwise virtually identical to the 
Merlin-powered P-40F-5-CU.  Some of the P-40L production blocks 
featured planes with reduced armament and smaller capacity fuel tanks 
in order to obtain reduced weight and better performance.  The L-model 
was sometimes known as the "Gipsy Rose Lee", after the famous 
strip-tease dancer of the time.  

The P-40L-1-CU had the same fuel and armament as the P-40F.  

The P-40L-5-CU and and subsequent P-40Ls had two wing guns removed to 
reduce the total armament to four 0.50-inch machine guns with 201 
rounds per gun.  Internal fuel was reduced by 31 Imp gal.  

The P-40L-10-CU had electrical aileron trim tabs and engine control 
changes.  

The P-40L-15-CU had revised carburetor air filters and inter-aircraft 
signal lights.  

The P-40L-20-CU had radio and electrical changes and provisions for an 
incendiary (destruct) grenade.  

Despite the weight savings, the maximum speed of the P-40L was a mere 
4 mph greater than that of the P-40F at rated altitude.  

One hundred P-40Ls were sent to Britain as Kittyhawk IIs with no mark 
distinctions from the P-40Fs.  The RAF serials for the P-40Ls were 
FS400/499.  160 other P-40Ls reached the RAF as Kittyhawk IIIs.  Their 
serials were FL714/730, FR116/140, FR385/392, and FR413/521.  

The P-40Ls were originally assigned the serial numbers 42-65202/65901.  
These numbers were cancelled and were replaced as follows: 

42-10430/10479      	Curtiss P-40L-1-CU Warhawk 
42-10480/10699 		Curtiss P-40L-5-CU Warhawk 
42-10700/10847 		Curtiss P-40L-10-CU Warhawk 
42-10848/10959  	Curtiss P-40L-15-CU Warhawk 
42-10960/11129 		Curtiss P-40L-20-CU Warhawk 
42-11130/11676 		Curtiss P-40L-25-CU Warhawk - contract cancelled 
42-14237/14296 		Curtiss P-40L-30-CU Warhawk -- contract cancelled.  

A certain number of P-40Ls were selected at random and were withdrawn 
from operational service and modified with the adoption of the 1360 hp 
Allison V-1710-81 engine in place of the original Merlin.  They were 
used as advanced trainers.  They were redesignated P-40R-2.  At least 
53 P-40L-->P-40R conversions took place which can be identified by serial 
number, but there were probably many more.  

Sources:

  War Planes of the Second World War, Fighters, Volume Four, William Green,
  Doubleday, 1964.

  The American Fighter, Enzo Anguluci and Peter Bowers, Orion Books, 1987.

  United States Military Aircraft since 1909, Gordon Swanborough and Peter
  M. Bowers, Smithsonian Institution Press, 1989.

  Curtiss Aircraft, 1907-1947, Peter M. Bowers, Naval Institute Press, 1979.

  The Curtiss P-40 Kittyhawk I-IV, Ray Wagner, Aircraft in Profile, 
  Volume 6, Doubleday, 1969.

Joe Baugher       AT&T Bell Laboratories    2000 North Naperville Road 
		  Naperville, Illinois 60566-7033.   (708) 713-4548




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