Welcome to RNZAF Wigram – The spiritual home of the RNZAF.
This cache is one in a series to remember the Base that was once here, and the iconic aircraft that are remembered in the street names.
This Cache remembers the P40 Curtiss Kittyhawk.
The first P40 “Warhawk” flew in 1938, and by the time production ended in Nov 1944 a total of 13,738 were built. Confusingly, the US Army Air Corp named the P40 “Warhawk”. But the British (and Commonwealth) designated the P40, and B/C models “Tomahawk”, and the D and subsequent models “Kittyhawk”.
It had a top speed of 538km/hr (334mph) at 15000 ft. It had a cruise speed of 496km/hr (308mph) and a range of 1152km (716m).
The RNZAF were allocated a total of 301 airframes under Roosevelts Lend / Lease programme and were allocated serials NZ3001 – 3292, along with some others. 4 were lost in a “rail accident” in the US prior to delivery. Interestingly NZ3075 was received and assembled in Hobbsonville, only to be returned to the US as it had been delivered in error! (I would have claimed the possession is 9/10ths ownership rule!).
They were used in the Pacific Theatre between 1942 / 1944, and accounted for 100 aerial victories, with 20 lost in combat. A further 154 were written off after various accidents / incidents.
By the end of 1944 they had been replaced by the Vought F4U Corsair. The remaining P40s were used as advanced trainers until a few were sold, and the rest scrapped at Rukuhia in 1948.
Today there are only 28 airworthy examples of the type in the world, and 2 are in NZ, with a further 3 currently being restored to airworthy state. There is a composite P40 allocated serial NZ3000 on display in the Air Force Museum, and NZ3039 can be seen at MOTAT.
Cache is located beside a playground. Plenty of parking. Please take care when re-setting so as to not make it visible.
BYOP.