The Curtiss P-40 Warhawk traced its origins to the P-36 Hawk, with engineers modifying the earlier design to accept a liquid-cooled Allison V-1710 V-12 engine. The prototype XP-40 first flew on 14 October 1938 in Buffalo, New York. Tests initially showed disappointing performance, but improvements came after relocating the radiator to a forward chin position and refining aerodynamics with the help of NACA wind tunnel data. By late 1939, speeds exceeded 360 mph, and the design was cleared for production. This rapid development allowed the aircraft to enter service sooner than entirely new designs. Production began in Buffalo, where a special delivery rig transported aircraft in two main sections to the nearby airfield for final assembly. The P-40 was sturdy, relatively inexpensive, and easy to maintain, though limited by the Allison engine’s lack of a two-stage supercharger, which restricted high-altitude performance. At low and medium altitudes, however, it was agile and tough. Its five-spar wing and durable construction allowed pilots to survive heavy combat damage and even mid-air collisions. Dive speed was excellent, and while climb rate was modest, its ability to withstand punishment earned the respect of pilots who flew it. The Warhawk first entered combat with British Commonwealth forces in North Africa in June 1941, where it was known as the Tomahawk in early models and Kittyhawk in later ones. No. 112 Squadron RAF pioneered the now-famous shark mouth nose art that became an enduring symbol of the type. The aircraft also served with Soviet, Chinese, and American units, most famously with the American Volunteer Group, the 'Flying Tigers,' in China. Though outperformed by aircraft like the Messerschmitt Bf 109 and Mitsubishi A6M Zero in certain respects, Allied pilots adapted tactics, using speed and durability rather than turning ability to their advantage. Armament evolved through the variants. Early Tomahawks carried a combination of .50-inch nose-mounted guns and .303-inch wing guns, but from the P-40D onward, armament standardized with wing-mounted .50-inch guns and improved cockpit protection. Later models also carried bombs and served effectively as fighter-bombers. By war’s end, the P-40 had flown in nearly every theater: North Africa, the Middle East, China, the Pacific, Southeast Asia, and even Eastern Europe. Over 200 Allied pilots became aces in the type, with Australia’s Clive Caldwell the top-scoring P-40 ace. Production ended in November 1944 with 13,738 aircraft built, making it the third most-produced American fighter of the war. Though later overshadowed by advanced designs like the P-51 Mustang, the P-40 was vital in the early and middle years of the conflict, combining ruggedness, availability, and affordability. Its contributions to Allied air power in multiple theaters ensured its place as a key workhorse of World War II aviation.