Warbirds Online
  • Facebook
  • Linkedin
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • RSS
Socialize with Us:
  • Home
  • About Us
  • Warbird News
  • World War 1
  • Warbird Gallery
    • Australian Flying Corps
    • Bomber Images
    • Fighter Images
  • Contact Us
Search the site...

Curtiss Kittyhawk P40N VH-PFO – Pacific Survivor

February 12, 2019 / warbirdman / Curtiss P-40, Warbird News, Warbird Restorations Projects
2
Curtiss Kittyhawk P40N VH-PFO on display at Temora 2018

In our series on current operational Warbirds in Australia we look at another P40, P-40N-5-CU C/N 28748 USAAC tail No 42-104986 of the 49th Fighter Group, 8th Fighter Squadron. This Warbird was produced from a 1942 contract by Curtiss aircraft at Buffalo, New York in mid-1943 and upon delivery to the United States Army Air Corps it was disassembled and shipped overseas and reassembled in Australia and flown north to PNG. At this time the aircrafts tail was painted with a white tail section with a black checker board pattern of the 49th Fighter Group. The aircraft was painted olive drab with grey undersurfaces as with most aircraft of this group.

The aircraft led a fairly uneventful operational career in PNG until flown by 1st Lt. Nelson D. Flack, Jr., (O-736172 of Hatboro, PA, USA) on the February 14, 1944 at Siniap, Ramu Valley. Flack was involved in a dogfight with a Ki 61 Tony, shooting the Japanese aircraft down. The P40 had however been damaged in the dogfight and due to coolant loss, crash landed in a field about 60 miles from its base at Gusap. What followed was a great tale of survival as Flack made it back to base after considerable help from US and Australian Forces. A great description of the rescue can be found on the Pacific Wrecks website.

Curtiss Kittyhawk P40N VH-PFO taxies out for a display at Temora 2018
Curtiss Kittyhawk P40N VH-PFO

Curtiss Kittyhawk P40N VH-PFO on display at Temora 2018
On display at Temora 2018

As for 42-104986, the P40 wreckage lay where it crashed, it had suffered considerable damage from the landing and ensuing fire. In 2004 the wreck was visited by Robert Greinert then based in Sydney NSW who with the late Murry Griffith of Precision Aerospace recovered parts of the wreck.  The parts removed included the engine and one wing which were sent to Australia to Precision Aerospace at Wangaratta Airport. Later more of the aircraft including much of the tail was also recovered and joined the rest of the components in Australia.

Initially the aircrafts ownership passed to well-known Warbird pilot Gus Larard based in Hong Kong in 2004. Restoration commenced and advanced well, utilizing the specialist skills of Precision Aerospace in P40 restoration with a new wing and fuselage being constructed. Gus Larard later sold the project to Warbird identity Doug Hamilton of Whorouly, VIC in 2011 and the restoration continued at the Wangaratta facility. Following Murray Griffiths passing when it appeared that restoration facility may close down, Doug Hamilton purchased the hangar and started Precision Aeromotive which completed the P40’s restoration.

Curtiss Kittyhawk P40N VH-PFO underway for its display at Temora 2018
Getting underway

Curtiss Kittyhawk P40N VH-PFO on the flightline at Temora 2018
On the flightline

After a lengthy restoration the P40 finally took to the air again on 3rd of March 2016, Civil registered as VH-PFO with Doug Hamilton at the controls, after the flight he told a local Newspaper

“I have a lot of different feelings about flying the plane today,” Mr Hamilton told the Wangaratta Chronicle after giving the crowd of onlookers a thumbs up upon his safe landing.

“This is the next phase of its life – we had the restoration phase and flying is the next phase”.

“The thing about it is that I don’t really own it, I’ll just be a part of its history.”

Since the aircrafts first flight it has appeared at Airshows far and wide including its much anticipated appearance at Warbirds Downunder 2018 at Temora where it flew alongside Ross Pay’s P40E VH-KTY and put on a beautiful display for the appreciative crowd. The aircraft wears the original paint scheme it was finished in on the day it crashed and looks very distinctive in the checker board pattern tail – quite different from the usual 49th group finish.

Curtiss Kittyhawk P40N VH-PFO takes to lead in an air display at Temora 2018
Taking the lead

Curtiss Kittyhawk P40N VH-PFO leading the fighter display flypast at Temora 2018
Leading the fighter display

During the restoration the aircraft was completed with the addition of a second seat with controls and is able to carry out paid customer flights operated out of its Wangaratta base, Classic Air Adventures.

Precision Aeromotive continues to restore and rebuild many Warbirds out of its Wangaratta premises and is a world leader in P40 restoration with several more P40s for customers soon to be completed.

© John Parker 2019

Australian Warbirds, Aviation Museums, Warbird Restoration Projects, Warbirds

2 comments on “Curtiss Kittyhawk P40N VH-PFO – Pacific Survivor”

  1. Lesley Henstridge says:
    September 10, 2023 at 9:07 am

    Good morning

    I’ve emailed & phoned but so far no response..? I’m the daughter of the Australian commando, Hector Henstridge, who rescued Nelson Flack and two other US airmen in PNG.
    Where can we see this P40, as we hope to be in Victoria in November.
    I hope you can help me.

    Many thanks and regards

    Reply
    • warbirdman says:
      September 12, 2023 at 12:20 am

      Hi Lesley
      I have emailed you separately with the details for this aircraft. Please check your email.
      Kind regards
      John

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Search Warbirds Online News

Warbirds News by Aircraft

  • Warbird News
    • Aermacchi
    • Antonov An-2
    • Avro Anson
    • CAC Wirraway
    • Chance Vought F4U Corsair
    • Curtiss P-40
    • de Havilland Drover
    • de Havilland Mosquito
    • GAF Mirage
    • Grumman TBM Avenger
    • Hawker Hurricane
    • Hawker Sea Fury
    • Hawker Tempest
    • P-51 Mustang
    • Reggiane Re.2000
    • Sopwith Pup
    • Supermarine Seagull
    • Supermarine Spitfire
    • Westland Sea King
  • Warbird Restorations Projects
    • Avro Anson
    • Bristol Beaufighter
    • Bristol Beaufort
    • Bristol F.2B
    • CAC Boomerang
    • CAC Mustang
    • CAC Wirraway
    • Consolidated B-24 Liberator
    • DAP Beaufighter
    • de Havilland DHC-4 Caribou
    • de Havilland Mosquito
    • Douglas C-47
    • Fokker Dr.1
    • GAF Canberra
    • General Dynamics F111
    • Hawker Demon
    • Hawker Hunter
    • Lockheed Hudson
    • Lockheed Neptune
    • Lockheed P-38 Lightning
    • Messerschmitt Bf 109
    • Supermarine Spitfire
  • Warbird Showcase
    • Aviation Museums
    • Aviator Biographies
    • Cold War Aircraft
    • Feature Videos
    • Fokker Collection
    • Helicopters
    • Naval Aircraft
    • Warbird Airshows
    • Warbird Book Reviews
    • World War 1

Warbirds Online Archives

He has faith in Beaufort poster courtesy of AWM ARTV09054
Career for youth air training corps poster - courtesy Australian War Memorial ARTV04289

Hawker Hurricane

  • Hawker Hurricane 5481 VH-JFW & Supermarine Spitfire Mk VIII VH-HET flypast at Scone
  • Hawker Hurricane Serial No 5481 Mk XII IIB-VH-JFW

CAC Mustang

  • Post flight -Mustang A68-118
  • CAC Mustang VH-AUB at WOI 2019

Classic Aircraft

  • 1935 De Havilland DH.85 Leopard Moth VH-UUL
  • Waco EGC-8 Special flies into Scone

Focke-Wulf FW-190

  • Focke-Wulf FW-190 VH-WLF  towed to hangar
  • Focke-Wulf FW-190 VH-WLF at WOI17

RSS Vintage Aviation News

  • Travel For Aircraft Bookshelf – The Bugatti 100P Record Plane: Created by Ettore Bugatti and Louis de Monge October 17, 2025 Joe May
  • Randy’s Warbird Profiles: Boeing-Stearman PT-13D s/n 42-109551 October 17, 2025 Adam Estes
  • Today in Aviation History: First Flight of the Sikorsky YUH-60A October 17, 2025 Austin Hancock
  • Volandia Park and Flight Museum Unveils Italian Air Force Tornado IDS October 17, 2025 Moreno Aguiari

Get in touch:

  • Contact Us
    • Facebook
    • Linkedin
    • Twitter
    • RSS

Copyright

No part of the publications or images at www.warbirdsonline.com.au may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of the publisher, Warbirdsonline Enterprises.

Website Terms & Conditions

Disclaimer

Our Privacy Policy

(c) 2012 - 2023 WarbirdsOnline Enterprises - Web Design by Avion Designs