Le P40 - en anglais 3

P-40 Modifications

The P-40 experienced lateral control problems. One attempt to fix this problem was the addition of a "dorsal fin". The above is an early production P-40F. The fin didn't work well and eventually the fuselage was lengthened to correct the problem. A similar "fin" was later attempted on late P-40Es and all P-40K models, but again it was abandoned in favor of a lengthened fuselage.

A twin-engined design made it to the mock-up stage. This aircraft seems to be P-40C S/N 41-13456, but the canopy seems to be from a P-40D and the engines are P-40F type Merlins. No record of this example has been found.

This is a picture of the XP-40F. It was an attempt to re-steamline the fuselage of the P-40. The size of the intake region had grown as the models progressed. This was the third production P-40F with the intake moved aft. Whatever results followed did not lead to any design change.