Curtiss P-40F Warhawk G-CGZP | The Fighter Collection

The Fighter Collection’s Curtiss P-40F Warhawk “Lee’s hope” puts in a stunning display during the evening segment of the Shuttleworth Military Airshow 2025
  • STATUS: Airworthy
  • LOCATION: Duxford
  • OWNER: The Fighter Collection
  • ROLE: Fighter
  • BUILT: 1941
  • LENGTH: 9.6m/ 31.67 ft
  • WINGSPAN:11.37m /37.33 ft
  • ENGINE: Rolls Royce Merlin 500
  • MAXIMUM SPEED:  334mph
  • RANGE: 1152 km/716 miles
  • ARMAMENT: 6 × .50 cal machine guns, up to 2,000 lbs of bombs

Curtiss P-40F Warhawk G-CGZP is a Merlin equipped variant of the P-40, the type more commonly being fitted with an Allison engine. Manufactured at the Curtiss facility in Buffalo, New York in the autumn of 1942 and allocated Bu No. 41-19841. She was delivered by land to the Stockton In-Transit Depot in California for onward shipment in November, where she was then shipped to the Thirteenth Air Force in the Southwest Pacific on Christmas Eve 1942.

During the war G-CGZP served in the Pacific theatre with the 18th FG, but as with many aircraft she was left behind by the end of the war and was eventually recovered from the South Pacific island nation Vanuatu. She was restored by Precision Aerospace in Wangaratta, Australia before being shipped to the UK in time to appear at the 2011 Flying Legends airshow.

The Fighter Collection’s Merlin-engined P-40F is one of only two left airworthy anywhere in the world. She is painted as “Lee’s Hope” of the 85th Fighter Squadron, 79th Fighter Group, which was flown by Lt Robert J Duffield from Capodichino airfield, southern Italy in early 1944.

Photo Gallery

Curtiss P-40F Warhawk “Lee’s hope” G-CGZP taking off to display at the Shuttlworth Military Airshow 2025
Curtiss P-40F Warhawk “Lee’s hope” G-CGZP displaying at the Shuttlworth Military Airshow 2025