I was mowing my lawn a few minutes ago and shut off the mower to pick up something and I hear an aircraft approaching. All the aircraft around here are either commercial airliners like Southwest 737’s or private aircraft that come into Hayward Municiple Airport, but this one sounded different. At first I thought it was a P-51 as it had that distinct V-engine sound but as it got closer I could tell it was not a Mustang. As it passed I saw the distinct camo paint and the teeth on the front. Yes! A P-40 Warhawk! The first I have ever seen in this area outside of an airshow.
I am not sure but I don’t think so, at least in later versions.
The P-51 had a Rolls-Merlin engine in it’s best years and I think the P-40 was still using an Allison or a Packard engine. I am sure someone here knows a lot more about it than I. [;)]
P-51, 51A used the Allison, as did the major variants of the P-40
P-51B, C and D used the Merlin, built both by RR and Packard
The P-40F used the Merlin as well, IIRC.
RAF equivalents were similar.
Also, if memory serves, the real performance difference between the Allison and later Merlin were the single versus double stage supercharger. Makes a bit of a difference at higher altitudes. I’m not a P-51/P-40 expert, though.
Lucky you! Last year (I think) I had something similar, but in this case I heard this rumbling and when I looked up, there was this beautiful B-17! Seems there was a show nearby (that I missed) and one of the attractions was the 17. You could actually buy a ride on it for something like $500, so it made several runs over my house that day. There also used to be somebody who had a MiG 17 nearby and every Saturday, he took it up for a flight. Haven’t seen that for a few years, wonder what happened.
I live about 1.5 hours Southwest of Oshkosh WI. Home of the EAA Air Adventure. During that time the skies are filled with planes overhead flying to Oshkosh. Everyonce in a while the sight of some off beat plane overhead will catch me eye. The best sight was I was downtown on a Saturday morning for the farmer’s market and heard the drone of engines overhead, I looked up saw a B-17. Something about seeing history in the air is special.
I had a an experience like that a couple years ago. It was during the summer and I was driving down a well-traveled road with the windows down when I heard what sounded like a multi radial engined plane. I look up and I see a B-24 flying overhead! I couldn’t believe it. Then I almost slammed into the car ahead of me. Doubt that the person would understand what I was so enamored about. That was a pretty cool experience.
Hey I’m in Concord! Do we know why it’s around? It’s getting to be the time of year the Collings Foundation shows up but I don’t think they have a P-40. Two years back after going to the Collings show I too was working on the lawn when I looked up and right over me was the B-24. Within about 30 minutes then came the b-17 and then the 25. Loved it!
Isn’t it amazing that after all these years the old planes still strike a sense of awe whenever we see one. I love the airshows for that very reason. The old planes, especially the WW2 era inline and radial engines just have so much character.
I often wonder if the people who designed and built them ever, or even had a thought about how famous their aircraft would become. Did they ever think that they would become so iconic and sought after? Did they ever think they would become a sight that is so moving, can send a tingle down your spine, can bring a tear to your eye ( i have seen old fellas cry at airshows) and can get people so excited. I find it totally sobering to see these old machines flying.
From what their link says, Collings doesn’t have a P-40, but there may be somebody with one who is following their show.
Last year they made an appearance here at our local airport. The had both, their B-17 & their B-24. These flew in trail formation about 500’ over the house. What a sight!!
Anyway, the show included the two a/c above, a TP-51C, a Huey UH-1E, an AT-6 ,and a 2 seat P-40.
I don’t know who owned the P-40. Kermit Weeks has the only flying TP-40N in existence. Maybe it was his, or it was a converted standard P-40 that belonged to somebody else.
Same thing happened to me a couple of weeks ago. Living in NW Florida I see F-15’s, F-16’s, V-22’s and even a bunch of big Russian helicopters all the time. But this morning i was in the back yard and heard this unusual sound from behind me. And coming over the trees, fairly low was a P-51 heading west. He must have just left the airport as I’m just a couple of miles due west of. As I stood there watching it my neighbor asked what it was and I said a P-51, he said “whats that” I said never mind, and just watched it fly out of sight. Once you hear a V-12 you will never forget the sound.
Years ago, I was a private pilot and was taking a pleasure ride on a “severe clear” summer afternoon in a Piper Cherokee, heading south along the shore of Lake Michigan near Milwaukee. Air traffic control alerted me to oncoming traffic, on the port side about 1000 feet below me. As they approached, I saw a P-51 and a P-38 in close formation, heading up north, to the show at Oshkosh! What a beautiful sight, against the deep blue background of Lake Michigan! [Y]
Yeah years ago while I was flying over the Gulf of Mexico Air Traffic control told me to maintain heading and altitude till further notice and that I had aircraft approaching from the rear on my starboard side. Two F-16’s tooled by a few hundred yards off going into Eglin. They left me like I was standing still, but then in a Cessna 150, everything passed you like that.
I had a similar experience last year when I was doing some yard work at a monastery in town. It sounded like a thunderstorm, but the skies were clear…I look up and here comes a B-17! Aluminum Overcast had made a visit to the Wausau, WI, and I live in the nearby town of Marathon. I caught the aircraft on its return flight or wherever it was going next, but it was awesome as it was flying pretty low
Every year a B-17, B-24 and sometimes a P-51 or B-25 come to our little airport here in Beverly, MA, and every year I go to see them. People sometime ask why I see them again and again(usually not anyone who goes to see them asks).
I tell them its history, and if a cold shiver doesn’t run down there spine everytime, as far as I’m concerned there just not getting it. Besides that, its why I started modeling in the first place. Jets are ok, but piston engines radial or inline stand my hairs on end.I’m surprised I haven’t fallen out of a window yet, because whenever I hear an engine thats different, and I can tell the difference between a single and a twin just by the sound, I’m at the window looking araound.
We have a Yak 9 Replica that gets me to look everytime. Its a nice shade of blue.
I also went over to England in 1990 to see the 50th anniversery of the Battle of Britain.In 3 weeks I got to see 3 airshows, including one right over the water. I’d give anything to see Oskkosh, but then I’d have to see it every year !
Hey all…I must admit seeing a P-40 would be a great site! I am lucky enough to have 2 pretty good size airports near me. The municipal has an airshow every year and they bring in a B-17 and B-24 which is just amazing to see lumbering through the air!
At South West Florida Int’l we get a great assortment of A/C. During the Summer we have the Hurrican Hunter C-130Js flying in and out plus the occasional Coast Guard Hurrcie Bird. Lately we have been having a P-3 come in and do touch and goes. My dad worked on them in the Navy so it was great to show my kids that plane comming in. Nothing like seeing those 4 brown exhaust trails comming from those turbo props!
