With its shark-like nose, distinctive radiator chin and powerful Allison engine, the Curtiss P-40 Warhawk became one of the most recognisable American fighters of the Second World War. Although often overshadowed by the Mustang and Thunderbolt in popular accounts, the P-40 was an important frontline fighter during the early years of the conflict, serving with Allied air forces across Europe, North Africa, the Pacific and the Eastern Front. G-CIIO is a rare surviving P-40C, a veteran of the early American war effort whose story eventually led from the United States to the Soviet Union and, decades later, to the skies over Britain.
Built in 1941, this aircraft carries the US Army serial 41-13357. It was accepted by the United States Army Air Corps on 6 April 1941 and initially served at Patterson Field, Ohio. After approximately 100 flying hours, it was transferred to Puerto Rico, where it is believed to have undertaken coastal defence and anti-submarine patrol duties. At the time, America had not yet entered the war following the attack on Pearl Harbor, but US forces were already expanding their operations to protect strategic locations and shipping throughout the Caribbean.
After accumulating around 603 hours, the aircraft returned to the Curtiss factory in Buffalo, New York, for an overhaul and preparation for overseas service. In December 1941, it was shipped to the Soviet Union under the Lend-Lease programme. Following Germany’s invasion of the Soviet Union in June 1941, the USSR urgently needed aircraft and other military equipment to resist the German advance. American-built P-40s were among the aircraft supplied, and they served with Soviet units in demanding conditions on the Eastern Front. The later wartime history of 41-13357 remains uncertain, however, and it is not possible to confidently attribute specific combat victories or missions to this particular airframe.
The P-40C was an early version of the Warhawk family, developed from the preceding P-40B. It featured improved fuel protection and additional equipment, including self-sealing fuel tanks, which helped address some of the vulnerabilities exposed during combat. Its Allison V-1710 liquid-cooled V12 engine delivered power through a three-bladed propeller, while its armament consisted of six .50-calibre machine guns. The P-40 was rugged and effective at low and medium altitudes, although its high-altitude performance was limited compared with some contemporary fighters. Its strength lay in its sturdy construction, reliable handling and ability to operate from relatively basic airfields.
For decades, 41-13357’s story disappeared into the uncertainty surrounding wartime aircraft sent to the Soviet Union. In the 1990s, it was recovered from the former USSR by The Fighter Collection, alongside another P-40C. The aircraft was in considerably poorer condition than its companion, and returning it to flight required a major restoration. Work was carried out in the United States, where the aircraft was rebuilt and prepared for a return to the air. On 5 August 2011, test pilot Steve Hinton completed its first post-restoration flight, marking the end of a restoration that had brought a badly weathered survivor back to life.
Rather than reproducing an unconfirmed Soviet wartime scheme, the restored aircraft wears the appearance of P-40C serial 39-159, an aircraft associated with Chanute Field, Kansas. This example had its olive-drab camouflage removed and was used as a personal aircraft by a base commander. The polished-metal finish of G-CIIO therefore represents a stateside training and utility aircraft, rather than the camouflage normally associated with P-40s operating in combat. It is a striking reminder that fighters spent much of their service lives on training, patrol and support duties away from the front line.
Following its restoration, the aircraft was transported from Chino, California, to Duxford in May and June 2014. It made its UK debut at the Flying Legends airshow that summer, giving British audiences the opportunity to see an exceptionally rare early Warhawk in flight. Today, G-CIIO remains associated with The Fighter Collection, whose collection preserves and operates historic military aircraft. Its survival is particularly significant because relatively few P-40Cs remain, and fewer still are airworthy.