P40N Kittyhawk FX-835 - "No Orchids"

Product description

The Curtiss P-40 Warhawk first flew in 1938 as a modification of the Curtiss P-36 Hawk.
Warhawk was the official U.S. designation while the name Tomahawk was used by the
British Commonwealth and Soviet forces for the P-40B and C and Kittyhawk for P-40Ds
and later variants. The P-40 was first used by British squadrons in North Africa and the
Middle East in 1941.  The P-40 lacked a two-speed supercharger making them inferior
to German aircraft but was an adequate fighter in low altitude combat zones. Almost
12,000 P-40s were produced.

P-40N 43-23933 MSN 31872 was sent to the RAF as Kittyhawk IV FX835 OK-D and
operated by the RAAF 450 Squadron. The aircraft was the first of at least 3 aircraft to
wear the nose art “No Orchids”. In November 1944 FX835 OK-D was sent to 53 RSU
for an overdue major overhaul. With FX835 gone FT881 was given OK-D and “No
Orchids” art. In March 1945 OK-D and “No Orchids” was passed on to FX799 that was
SOC March 28, 1946.