Curtiss P-40B - Video

Curtiss P-40B Pearl Harbor Survivor

This Curtiss P-40B is unique as she is the only remaining airworthy survivor from the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour on 7th December 1941. In additional to this auspicious history she is also the oldest airworthy P-40B in the world.

One of the 131 P40-Bs built at the Curtiss facility in Buffalo, New York during 1940-1941 and allocated the Bu No. 41-13297, she was delivered to the USAAC in March 1941. She was quickly sent to Wheeler Field, Hawaii in April of that year, becoming part of the 19th Pursuit Squadron of the 18th Pursuit Group.

She crashed on a Hawaiian hillside in February 1942 when Lt Ken Sprankle failed to recover from a spin. The substantial remains were recovered in 1987 when she underwent some restoration work until the Warhawk eventually joined The Fighter Collection in June 2003.

The completion of the P-40B restoration was carried out in California and she flew once again at Chino with Steve Hinton at the controls in October 2004. This Warhawk flies wearing the scheme she wore during her time in Hawaii with the 18th Pursuit Group.