| Accession Number | P03338.004 |
|---|---|
| Collection type | Photograph |
| Object type | Black & white - Print silver gelatin |
| Date made | c 1942 |
| Conflict |
Second World War, 1939-1945 |
| Copyright |
Item copyright: Copyright expired - public domain
|
Port side view of a United States Army Air Force, Curtiss P-40 Kittyhawk, probably stationed at ...
Description
Port side view of a United States Army Air Force, Curtiss P-40 Kittyhawk, probably stationed at an Australian aerodrome. A white American star, and the name 'Jeanne' are visible. The Kittyhawk entered mainstream service in the RAAF in March 1942, and was employed as both a fighter and a ground attack aircraft. The Kittyhawk featured heavier armament than the earlier Tomahawk, in the form of six .50 calibre machine guns and the ability to carry bombs. In the south-west Pacific eight RAAF squadrons were equipped with Kittyhawks, and the type proved critical in the desperate attempts to defend Darwin, Milne Bay and Port Moresby in 1942.