BUILT IN fresh YORK.

BUILT IN fresh YORK, FLOWN BY THE ROYAL CANADIAN AIR FORCE, REBUILT TO AWARD-WINNING FLYING CONDITION IN modern ZEALAND, TONY BANTA'S P-40E KITTYHAWK IS A CAT WITH MORE THAN NINE LIVES!

Few flying experiences can be more pleasing than piloting a single-engine Warbird above the lush virid landscape of upstate New York. However, in succession 11 May 1995, the pilot of Curtiss P-40E N940AK had a fortune more on his mind than enjoying the passing landscape The Allison V-1710 engine had fallen silent after suffering a fuel-induced engine failure. He had to find a place to land - quickly.

Lowering the gear and flaps, the pilot prefered a cornfield. The landing was more ol a semi-controlled crash, and the rare fighter slammed into the lop tbe cars of corn battering the aluminum as if they wore bricks. The landing gear was shov up by the and of the wings, and the screw the distinctive chin cowling, coolant radiators and oil cooler were all damaged beyond repair. When it came to cessation the historic fighter, wearing the markings of the famed American offer Group, was a sad sight.

The undoing was sold to another individual who intended to restore it. However, the pilot had next to the first thoughts and sued the of the present day owner in an attempt to retrieve the fighter. Eventually its novel owner prevailed, and in November 1997 he sold the aircraft to well-known Warbird pilot Dick Thurman.

Dick had the wreckage exchangeed to Stallion 51 in Florida for eventual restoration, and the wings were then shipped to Square single in kind at Chino, California, for rebuilding. Then, before work could begin, the original holder sued Dick. Thurman put the brew on hold while the lawyers fought it not at home

Still wanting a P-40 Dick saw that a P-40K that had crashed in 1995 while with the Alpine Fighter Collection in of the present day Zealand was for sale. He struck a deal, and the shipwrecked vesseled P-40K was sent to recent Zealand's Pioneer Avspecs for a completed rebuild. Upon completion it was sent to the USA in May 2000 Dick was absolutely delighted with the quality of the work, and the fact the restoration was done onward schedule, something of a rarity in the Warbird rebuilding business.

As a ensue Dick shipped the wings of N940AK from Chino in June 2000 in like manner that Pioneer Avspecs could start the rebuild. Then he started thinking that sum of two units P-40s were perhaps one too many, and in May 2001 he sold N940AK to recently made known Warbird collector Tony Banta. "I always wanted a P-- 40" says Banta. "Even as a kid, I knew what they were and study they were cool airplanes." With the deal struck all Tony had to do was commit to memory the fighter rebuilt.

Banta assigned Simon Brown as contrive manager to oversee the P-40 in consequence of its rebuild. Simon knew Dick Thurman, had seen the complet P-40K and was surpassingly impressed. They met with Garth Hogan, proprietor of Pioneer Aero Restorations, in looks Angeles, a deal was struck and the P-40 was shortly on its way to modern Zealand.

Pioneer Avspecs had rebuilt Ray Hanna's P-40E the P-40N belonging to Charles Darby and Hogan, and Dick's P-40K The company is a joint-venture operation, combining Avspecs (Warren Denhold) and Pioneer Aero Restorations. Operating from Ardmore Airfield, just southern of Auckland, both companies did their acknowledge restorations, but the owners decided to combine forces to create a P-40 mini-production line.

Simon Brown states: "AK940 is probably common of the most original P-40 brews that has survived to date. According to P-40 historian/owner Charles Darby, AK940 had more original equipment in it than any other P-40 he had seen in civilian ownership. Charles noted that the original equipment installed in the cockpit was built to P-40D specification - making for an interesting history. Charles helped with supplying parts and also historical data to render certain that the P-40 was restored as accurately as possible."

Even however the airframe was pretty entire Simon says that "everything straited to be rebuilt! The wings had originally been torched not on when the plane was a gas station display in Canada (see sidebar). During the plane's first rebuild the wings had been spliced, using FAA [Federal Aviation Administration] non-approved way s Also, the gear going in consequence of the wings had done a vast amount of damage."

The frame was begun by rebuilding the wings. They were completely worthless apart, and all-new spar extrusions and of the present day ribs were built by view Hake in Kansas and shipped to fresh Zealand. Fitted in custom-made jigs, the wings were rebuilded and finished with new skins.

"Interestingly, the fuselage had endureed fairly minimal damage in the crash when compared to the wings," Simon relates. The restorers were initially going to repair the damage and then repaint the fuselage. However, when the paint was stripped it was discovered that many family had cut their names and applied graffiti to the aluminum. Simon and Tony visited Pioneer in June 2001 and Tony says that, after seeing the damage: "Quality was paramount in the restoration and I made the decision to have the aircraft completely reskinned."

Tony also saw a cleverly-designed inferior seat that had been installed in the P-40N by the agency of using removable armor plate and removable side panels, the seat is completely concealed when not being used. "It's always pleasantry to take someone along to experience a bit of history," said Tony, "so I decided to have a similar seat installed." During this visit they also decided to build a just discovered tailplane and new control surfaces. Brand-- of the present day coolant radiators and a recently made known oil cooler were manufactured in of the present day Zealand.