It’s common to see historic military planes on display in a museum, and they still occasionally perform at airshows. However, it’s much rarer to watch one of these fighter planes not only take to the sky, but demonstrate its intense firepower. For over two years, preservationists at the Soaring By The Sea Foundation have worked to revive one of history’s most iconic aircraft, the Curtiss P-40 Warhawk. But in addition to bringing it back to life, the team also committed to installing working recreations of the plane’s six .50 caliber machine guns.
Of course, there’s really only one way to ensure everything is in working order—including the heavy artillery. And judging by recent footage, their P-40 can once again handle another dogfight more than 80 years after its last deployment.
We Got a WWII P-40 Warhawk to Fire Its Guns Again
The Curtiss P-40 Warhawk remains one of the most instantly recognizable aircraft from World War II. Designed in the United States and released in 1938, the single-engine, solo piloted fighter plane quickly became a critical workhouse for Allied forces. Over 13,000 units were constructed for the conflict, which saw the P-40 deployed across the Pacific, North African, and European theaters. Early versions featured a 1,000 horsepower Allison engine, although some later iterations included an improved Rolls-Royce Merlin under the hood. Aside from its .50 caliber guns, the P-40 sometimes also boasted bombs and even the ability to drop tanks.
Despite its recognizable design and heavy use, many Allied forces ironically considered the aircraft a relatively mediocre plane. Its Allison engine prevented the P-40 from engaging in high-altitude combat, while its top speed and climb rate were both consistently outmatched by Japanese and German engineering. Even with these limitations, the P-40’s quick debut and easy manufacturing filled a critical gap during the war while Allied nations developed better aerial fighter plane options.
Soaring By The Sea’s project focused on P-40N-1 A29-448, a Warhawk delivered to the Royal Australian Air Force on May 5, 1943. According to military records, the fighter plane flew dozens of missions including air cover for Allied bombers, strafing runs, and patrols. It saw combat at least seven times before hydraulic and electrical failures forced its pilot to perform a successful wheels-up landing near the town of Tadji in Papua New Guinea on May 4, 1944. The P-40 remained grounded in an airfield until its recovery in 1974, when it was relocated to New Zealand. Pioneer Aero Restorations began repairs on it during the 1990s before the P-40 began flying again in airshows in 2000. Soaring By The Sea’s most recent updates also required artisans to utilize 1940s armament manuals and technical sources to ensure its replacement guns worked safely and properly during its latest showcase.
“We want to keep these things as active as possible,” foundation executive director Coy Pfaff said in the video.
A full documentary on the P-40 Warhawk’s revival through Soaring By The Sea will debut on July 10 on YouTube.
