WWII aircraft are among the most stunning pieces of machinery ever created, effectively one of the most mind-blowing paradoxes that exists in the world of machinery: a gorgeous art-deco-inspired contraption, surely too beautiful for the duties it was built to carry out. The 1941 Curtiss P-40E “Kittyhawk” seen here is an exceptionally original warbird, with a wonderful story detailing how it lived a quiet existence in the Pacific Northwest following its retirement from the Royal Canadian Air Force. Find it listed here on Platinum Fighters’ website $1,895,000.
S/N AK803 as it’s otherwise known was deployed to Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, for the purpose of performing anti-submarine drills. Shortly thereafter, it and sixteen other 118 Squadron Kittyhawks made a record-breaking 4,000 mile journey from Nova Scotia to Alaska, and AK803 would remain out there to its eventual retirement and sale as a surplus piece of military equipment. Two accidents involving landing gear failure on take-off and landing seemed to play a role in the P-40’s entrance into civilian duty. Don’t let that fool you: the P40 was one of the sharpest handling – and fastest – aircraft of its time.
AK803 was fully de-commissioned at this point, stripped of its camouflage paint with the exposed body polished. The serial number was also changed during one of its prior repairs to 1034. The P-40 was sold at the aforementioned surplus sale to George Maude, a retired member of the RCAF. He paid a mere $50 for the Kittyhawk, and brought it out to his family compound on Saltspring Island, BC with the help of the log barge seen here. It’s hard to decipher Maude’s intentions, as he had to further break down the plane by removing its wings in order to transport it down the various roads to his house. For a plane capable of reaching 360 m.p.h., this lazy scene is downright eerie.
However, don’t let Maude’s use of the plane confuse you: he did indeed have a passion for aircraft, and the P40 was carefully preserved for the 28 years it served as an unintentional tourist attraction on the island. It did return Patricia Bay, where replacement wings were fitted. The P40 Kittyhawk is considered one of the most original in existence, helped by the Maude family’s commitment to sourcing original spare parts. Though the six 50-caliber machine guns have been removed, there’s no question that this is one of the best in existence, and wholly deserving of its asking price. Thanks to Barn Finds reader Steve L. for the find.
I think we have a new record for the most expensive thing offered on BF’s. I’m not into planes like I am trucks, but I will agree, WW2 aircraft engineering, and later what trickled into regular society, is mind boggling. I thought all planes like this were the P51 Mustang type, but never heard of the Kittyhawk. I did some reading on it, and they used 1200 hp Allison engines, but lacked power above 15,000 feet and later, the more powerful 1,400 hp. Packard Merlin/Rolls Royce engines. I read, Packard built the motors, test ran them, tore them apart, checked everything, reassembled them, ran them again, took them apart AGAIN, inspected them, reassembled them AGAIN, ran them, and then shipped them out. And they made thousands of those, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Can you imagine all that power 5 feet in front of you? Be a gas to fly,,,if someone wasn’t shooting at you. WW2 vets are fading fast, my old man, a vet, died 3 years ago, and my ex-FIL last year @93, served in the Pacific, but is there anybody in our audience that flew these magnificent machines, or fly’s one for a hobby today? I’d love to hear about it. Hearing these motors run gives me goose bumps.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fV3oEkkI6t4
Well said Howard,the lengths the airplane boys and girls will go to in their restorations makes our automotive pursuits seem like childs play in comparison. Case in point, Doc, a B-29 out of Wichita,required 300,000 man hours to complete,truly does boggle the mind. Saw it and the only other flying example at a local air show last month.
Saw Doc & Fifi this past June at the annual WWII Weekend at Reading, PA. Was slightly disappointed that they weren’t both in the bomber flyby.
Doc at Great Bend, Kansas airshow.
Pretty sure Doc is the former “Chuckie” out of Ft Worth.
At long last my search for something to terrorize the neighbors has come to an end!!!!
At long last my search for something to terrorize the neighbors has come to an end!!!!
need the 6×50 cal back for complete terror!
Wonderful!
There was, for decades, a Boeing B17G mounted on top of a gas station/restaurant at a highway junction just outside of Portland, Or. They finally pulled it down for what will be a 10 year or longer restoration. Access to NOS parts or having to manufacture the unobtainable parts. Believe it or not, the blueprints for American and British warbirds are available for somewhat reasonable cost. Research on http://www.barnstormers.com and you can find planes ,parts and blueprints. Over the last 30 years I have volunteered to help restore warbirds, worked on three.
I remember being lifted up into that B17 when I was a child growing up in Portland.
I, too, was raised in Portland. I am 65 now, and remember so clearly my mom stopping there for gas in our 54 Chevy Belair. While the 10 Cents per gallon (+/-) gas was being pumped in to the car, my brother and I had 5 minutes of free time to run up the access ladder and wander around! There was a rope at the cockpit, as they didn’t care if you looked, but did not want kids playing in that part (imagine that!).
It was a great memory. I have noticed it has been removed, but did not realize it was being restored… that would be really great to see it again!
The owner bought it as surplus after the war, flew it to Oregon himself and put it on top of his gas station. Originally 48 pumps! https://www.statesmanjournal.com/story/news/2017/04/23/tv-spotlight-shines-salems-b-17-bomber/100823762/
Hangar finds!
The local airport is home to a number of Harvard (T-6 Texan) aircraft, and they often train in formation for the airshow circuit…it’s such an amazing sight and sound when they go over the house. Awesome find, thanks BF.
CanuckCarGuy- I have seen those Harvards many times up close and personal at the Wings and Wheels Show at the Billy Bishop Airport in Owen Sound. They even sold rides to the public in them. The airport changed hands and the show was cancelled this summer. Hope that it returns next year.
It’s somewhat refreshing to see a P40 NOT in Flying Tiger livery. While a worthy and heroic outfit who popularized the use of a P40 (in part because it was the most available and marginally capable fighter available in the mid ’30s) they weren’t the only version. To Howard A’s comment, there is a significant generational step in design and flight/combat capability between a P40 and a P51 despite the rough similarity in configuration.
This is such a neat thing to see, and if I had the spare dough it would make the most outrageous yard art……………….HOA be damned!
A real b17 landed at our local airport in hickory nc a few weeks ago. Completely restored, I got a chance to crawl around in it, literally had to crawl from nose under cockpit to Bombay and back to tail. Weapons and faux bombs in place. Amazing!!
The p40s were used in China by the flying tigers in ww2
There was an ‘un-real’ B17 at OSH this year. Think it is a 1/4 scale fully operational. Climbs at 200 fpm on all four engines. Scary to think about a V1 cut.
Without the P40, General Claire Chennault, Pappy Boyington… Where would China be today?
Lest we forget.
Actually when the war broke out, this was pretty much the USAAF’s main airplane. Under General Claire Chenault, the P-40 went up against the Japanese. They found out very early in the conflict that the ‘Zeke’ could outmaneuver the P-40 in every way except for a dive. The P-40’s wings could withstand a tremendous G-force coming out of dive, while the Zero would fold up like a paper jet.
One time when I was at my brother’s place in Las Cruces, we took a trip down toward El Paso and visited the War Eagles Museum. A must see for anyone into aircraft (and for many of those who also like cars). This one was on display there. I’m not sure about its actual service record but I understand that this one is flown.
Rock On…the Canadian Harvard Association is based out of Tillsonburg, you can check the planes out there and do a public ride as well.
I had a customer that was involved in that assoc., he sent us a Harvard calendar a few years back. Nice old guy, but his health was failing.
If this were mine, I would have to paint a mouth with sharp looking teeth under the prop
As a ten year old boy I went through the B 17 that was in Milwaukie still remember it and miss it now that it’s gone. They are doing to it what should have been done a long time a go.
I have been aboard a B17 in Florida a few years ago. Fantastic experience!
My car fetish is only (just) exceeded by my interest in all things military.
WW2 in particular..
Bet that’s in the sky more often than a Grand National is on the road.
Boom!
I’m sure the Curtiss museum in New York would love this. Visited a few years back and got to walk through the shop where they are restoring a P-40 from a very rough set of remains. It’s incredible what they have to do to restore one of these
My only connection to the Flying Tigers is that my girlfriend’s sister’s husband’s dad was one. Never met the guy since he passed away in 1994.
Fiddy bucks?
A lot of aircraft sold as surplus after the war were sold with full fuel tanks and were literally bought for the fuel.
My grandfather flew the P 40…..at the beginning of the war…pilot’s were a valuable commodity to Uncle Sam…. sooooo pilots were instructed to get rid of dangerous motorcycles…..and Grampa Don drove a Suicide shift Harley Davidson and being the good Air Corp pilot he was he hid his Harley in the barn….and continued flying…..heres a funny story Gramma Louise was a Majorette in Grand Junction Colorado at the Home Coming game Gramps was ferrying a P40 from Chicago back to his base……well the old man did a barrel role over the football field at half time… 100 ft of the deck…..with the pipes lit….he loved to tell that story loud and proud…he never got in trouble because they had failed to issue the tail id numbers…..he retired a B29 Commander….he has been gone 7 years…..i miss him everyday
In one of the best threads BFs has ever had this is hands down the best post! Thank you!
I traveled a lot throughout Latin America for work and was often surprised to see classic aircraft sitting abandoned at regional airports, lacking the leper spares or perhaps know-how to keep them flying. There were also reciprocal deals between the US military and several South American countries which resulted in surplus war birds being sold for a dollar each. Venezuela, for example, had received back in the 70’s over 60 early fighter jets- I think they were F-86 models which were still new in the crate. The Venezuelans managed to assemble and fly a few before leaving the rest in the box. Years later I heard they had sold them off to some African country.
I think you meant to write “In June 1942 AK803 and 16 other 118 Squadron Kittyhawks made a record breaking 4,000 mile crossing from Dartmouth to Annette Island, Alaska.”
Nova Scotia to AK isn’t a very long flight.
Just as a footnote , the P40 its self a further development of the P36 Hawk , hence why all subsequent models included the name hawk , warhawk, tomahawk , kittyhawk , wether the names where official or not
a salute to all those who served
A common thread on all of the US WWII Warbirds is John Moses Browning’s .50 caliber machine gun. The Spitfires started with the weak (for air combat) .303 and had to move up to cannons.
But the .50 was just one of Browning’s masterpieces of engineering and design. Designed back in 1917, the slightly updated M2A1 (easier barrel change) still goes out the door on top of every M1A Abrams tank to this day and it’s still in use by every branch of the US Armed Forces. “Nobody argues with Ma Deuce”.
Check this out for how good Brownings designs were .. these are .303 Brownings dug up and fired after 70 years.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-15652440
As a Canadian, “paid for by a wealthy Canadian industrialist” caught my eye. I don’t understand, what was paid for?
Hi Glen, during the war and especially in the early years it was possible to fund aircraft to help in the war effort. This was often done by companies or National newspaper campaigns. Towns, villages etc would also club together and ‘Fund a Spitfire’. Looks like a generous Canadian paid for this one. We also of course had Canadian pilots in the RAF as well as some Americans in the Eagle Squadron.
Canadians were one of the most represented countries in the Battle of Britain. There were also many in Bomber Command too .. I believe including The Dambusters Raid but need to check that. Image shows nationality of Battle of Britain pilots.
Thanks for the info, I had no idea.
The RAF used the P40 in 1941/42 and in 2012 a crashed one was discovered in the Sahara:
http://warbirdsnews.com/warbirds-news/saharas-p-40-kittyhawk-update.html
Thank you guys.
This was all very interesting reading.
In my youth I helped a good friend that worked full time at the car restoration shop I worked at part time restore a MG-TD that was totally rust free, chrome perfect but the paint was in terrible condition. In one week we totally disassembled the car, stripped everything and painted it including engine, suspension, frame and all the rest. While I was cleaning parts or blasting paint off he was sewing up new leather seats, door cards and carpet. We painted it, reassembled it and when finished we put the dealer tags we had at the place and went to the local Diary Queen for some chocolate dip vanilla ice cream cones.
That was his first classic, he sold that to purchase a MK-V Bentley that had a James Young Razor Edgy aluminum body. Cleaned that up with him and it got sold to purchase a trio of Beach 18’s at a local airport. By then he was a fully licensed Airframe and Power Plant mechanic. He got those airworthy and moved from the Kansas City area to San Diego area.
I worked with him from time to time when I got out that way. If you are in the New York area in downtown Manhattan there is an AT-6 hanging from a ceiling in a pilots store there. I can assure you there is not ONE airworthy part on that plane but it looks right. I know this because I got to help him build it. He drove it on a trailer with the wings off to the side into downtown Manhattan and he told me if you want to attract attention take a small Toyota pick up and trailer a bright yellow AT-6 thru the center of town. They took a window out and he assembled it within the store and riggers pulled it up to the ceiling.
More Recently he won best restoration at Oshkosh EAA air show. His name is Pete Wilson of Paladin aircraft restorations. Attached is a photo at his shop just prior to the plane being flown to the show. There are craftsmen out there in cars and planes be glad they exist for they make the world better for the rest of us.
Maybe some day I will tell you about how to turn a V-12 XKE coupe into a convertible like we did for fun back when they were cheap.
@Bruce – Great story. Great picture. If the Jag you converted was a 2+2, you performed a public service. If it were a coupe, as you say, then a crime against humanity. One of your 4 is my thumbs up.
It was a 2+2 and when we were finished with the engine the dyno said it was making 500 HP at the wheels
@Bruce – You’re my hero.
Dad flew a Hellcat off the Ticonderoga in 1945. Shot down a “Judy” on his first day first flight with the squadron. 21 yrs old and so scared he almost over flew the Japanese pilot. Had to drop the flaps air brakes and wheels to slow the plane and ended up eye to eye with the other pilot. He cleaned up the plane got behind him and shot him down within site of the carrier. Said he couldn’t pay for a drink for weeks…
Great to see a classic WWII plane. Aircraft are a whole new class of expensive. Certs, mechanic time and new avionics makes it out of my price range. FIFI and Doc are the only remaining flying B-29s.
and if you live on a farm near Mt Hope,you can,hear and feel the lancaster flying overhead
We have a flying Lancaster here .. normally with its Spitfire and Hurricane escort. The noise of all the Merlin engines is something to behold.
Heard them. Did Dave Yates’ bicycle framebuilding course which is nearby.
The Lancaster you speak of, and the one philthyphil speaks of , are the only 2 left that can still fly. They got together in England a few years ago, that must have been an amazing sight. There is also a disassembled Lancaster sitting in storage in Ontario.
Is PayPal down? I’ve been trying to buy it with PayPal credit but I doesn’t seem to be working. Has anyone else been having problems with PayPal today?
When I saw Fifi in ’81 at Oshkosh, I was told she cost $2000/hr to operate.
Can’t imagine the cost today.
Great find, and hats off to the kids who flew these, they may have been just kids, but they were heros all.
Bruce…can’t wait to see FiFi again this year after the new engines and all she had on last year…something else having her shut down after a run down from landing ! She was at the CAF show that’s coming up this month. When I worked the ramp at Dallas Love Feild FIFI had come in over the weekend and got parked – right in the way ! Lucky I was still a skinny kid that got to crawl up through to steer her out of the way as my buddy Bill pulled her with an old Branniff tug….
During WWII, my father taught B-17’s. He is in the back row, standing, light uniform, Lieutenant bar on hat. (Traditionally, the pilot is pictured standing, in back row). His co-pilot is on his right.
Nose art is “Forlorn Turkey”.
This is Lt. RG Graham, Pilot, B-29, just after WWII ended. Standing, back row, center.
This is his last command. A B-47 Squadron. Major Graham and our mother are pictured center. I’m 18 months older than my brother, thus temporarily taller. This was about the last time I was the taller of the two of us.
It’s too bad he didn’t live to see my brother and me going through that huge procession of muscle and sports cars in the 1970’s – present. He loved cars.
Now that would be a great BF! In today’s world it seems that most if the P51s are all going for around the 1.2 million mark and yes they are my favorite. The P40 is a very rare bird today, the Confederate air Force had one but it’s was crashed maybe 10 years ago and destroyed. I got pretty lucky when I used to get my plane annual done in Kindred ND and Bob Odegard shared half the hanger Bob was the world’s greatest restorer and builder of Corsairs. My other friend was from Wahpeton ND And his name was Jerry Beck, the world’s greatest restorer and builder of the P51 Mustang. Jerry was killed at OshKosh maybe 10 yes ago and Bob was killed in one of the 3 SUPER CORSAIRS in the world getting ready for an air show in Fargo. Those events left many people with holes in their hearts that will never be filled. I thank God I had the opportunity to work with them a little and just listen to their stories!
Karl
Great thread. My Grandson and I got to crawl thru the Collings’ foundations B-17 a few years ago. What an experience. These Birds took a lot of training and talent to fly, and were completely devoid of anything close to any creature comforts. One P-51 pilot told me as good as a plane that was you were flying it and concentrating on it 100% of the time you were wheels up. These guys had big Cajones, and it was their job. If you were on a B-17 in the European Theater, you had to fly 25 Missions then theoretically you could come home. Most Didn’t. our losses in the B–17’s were staggering. God bless these heroes.
Looks like one sweet ride. If it flew out of Dartmouth it was stationed at Shearwater Naval Base and most likely piloted by a Naval Air pilot. My dad was stationed there during the 50’s and early 60’s as a Aircraft Technician certified on all aircraft that flew out of the base..
Interesting note, five of P-40’s got into the air during the Pearl Harbor attack a scored a few kills. George Welch and Kenneth Taylor were two of the five pilots who sought to defend their nation during the attack. One was in part of his evening cloths.
this plane was a slo-mo,and could not turn worth a durn.the vaunted Zero could out run out turn.So p-40s would drop out of the sun shoot a burst on the
zero and keep going .The Zero could not out dive the p-40 due to the weight difference.that said I want this plane num num
Life long interest in history can be traced to Snoopy’s airwar with the Red Baron, being born on the 100th anniversary of, and growing up about 20 minutes from the site of Pickett’s Charge at Gettysburg and… the P-40 Warhawk. The one for sale is a later model than the ones that were at Pearl and that the Tigers would have flown. To the best of my knowledge & without looking it up, they were B models like this one, which is owned by the Collings Foundation and was at Pearl but not airworthy at the time. As a kid I liked the more aggressive chin of the later models but this B model definitely has it’s own appeal.
Best thread ever on BarnFinds and it’s not even about cars! Just goes to show that so many stories are worth being told and heard. Thanks to all who provided us with an inspirational and heartwarming reminder of who we are and what we stand for.
@ccrvtt – High class remark. Someone of good character. Rare.
I enjoyed your previous comments TriPowerVette. Nice to see the pictures and note about your dad.
@Mark R. – Thank you. A lot of really super people on this thread. The ‘Greatest Generation’ connection is evident.
After Irma left me without power I spent two weeks in Kissimmee, bored stupid. One day as I was headed to the car I hear the unmistakable sound of a Rolls Royce Merlin throttling back, right over my head.
Dropping the landing gear, on final approach to the Kissimmee Airport was Old Crow. After I finished freaking out, I discovered that there was a small museum in one of the hangars and went to investigate. The man running the museum pointed to a row of hangars and said if I really wanted a thrill to go check them out, that the owners were okay with visitors.
Wow. Along with Old Crow, there were four other P-51’s that looked like they just rolled off the assembly line. Back in the corner was a F4U Corsair being serviced. That ended my boredom.
This is a great posting, Most of the WWII fighters in any kind of flyable condition go for at least 2 mil. This one seems like a deal if your that well heeled. I enjoyed all the comments. I had the privaledge of knowing a retired full bird Marine who flew fighters while serving. He had bought a Corsair for 200K and was in the process of restoring it. He lived in SC somewhere. I wonder if he ever completed it. Hadn’t seen him in over 15 years. I offered to help him just for the fun of it.
War birds and muscle cars have something in common. The pilots/drivers of those awesome machines remember their experience like it was yesterday. . . . .If only we could turn back time!