A little something in the Sahara!

**WW2Hunter** · 04-19-2012, 12:40 PM

Here are pictures of the Allison 1710-39 F series V12 engine used on the P-40D/E or Kittyhawk Mk I/Mk Ia, according to the info I've got(short nose).
The one you show was used on the early type(long nose) P-40B or Tomahawk MK II, the Allison V-1710-19 engine.
The P-40 of the topic is defenitly not a P-40B and if Brittish most likly a P-40E or Kittyhawk Mk Ia , due to the 6 .50cal machine gun ports, the P-40D/ Kittyhawk Mk I only had 4.

If it is a model I have to agree with adrian that this is a real masterpiece.
And the guy knows how to use photoshop.
But if real and I do believe it is, it is nice to see it is in such a great shape after so many years in the Sahara.

**davejb** · 04-19-2012, 12:45 PM

Well we're all assuming its a ditched aircraft whereby it could be an intentionally abandoned aircraft, the motor removed, as are the guns, the instruments either smashed or not worth removing, the lack of heavy damage could be the result of two things, a soft landing on sand that has shifted over time to reveal the underlying rock strata, or it could have been dumped after a dogfight, whatever the story i'm still of the opinion that its the real deal

**Woolgar** · 04-19-2012, 01:02 PM

One of those superb aircraft crashed not far from here in WW2

Curtiss Tomahawk Mk.I AH744, Red Gill Moss, Pennines Crash Sites, Peak District Air Accident Research

Nick

**Scout** · 04-19-2012, 01:09 PM

I have no clue about the P-40 in the OP, but that wont keep me from commenting on other finds

This Long Range Desert Group/LRDG truck was found in the desert and recovered. Its now in the IWM.
(I remember reading about the find in the After the Battle magazine - blew my mind).

Though not found in a desert, I found the insignia and colours on this Finnish marked Brewseter Buffalo remarkably well preserved.

**davejb** · 04-19-2012, 01:11 PM

The Sunday Sport was the biggest load of clap trap ever printed, their stories were not only wild exaggerations but also out and out fabrications and judging by recent events on behalf of the press media quite expected from certain so called journalists

**Woolgar** · 04-19-2012, 01:29 PM

by davejb

The Sunday Sport was the biggest load of clap trap ever printed, their stories were not only wild exaggerations but also out and out fabrications and judging by recent events on behalf of the press media quite expected from certain so called journalists

Agreed, i could never undersatnd how they got away with it ! Sorry I posted the wrong link, I have now posted the correct one about a P40 crash in UK

Nick

**Nitram** · 04-19-2012, 01:41 PM

by Stickgrenade

Agreed, i could never undersatnd how they got away with it ! Sorry I posted the wrong link, I have now posted the correct one about a P40 crash in UK

Nick

Wait, that's not satire? o.O

Nitram

**mike4739** · 04-19-2012, 02:22 PM

is it a curtis hawk 75 which had a radial engine ,they evoved into curtis
p40 with more powerful allison inline engine

**big ned** · 04-19-2012, 02:39 PM

This is a Savoia-Marchetti SM.79 that was recovered from (I think) Libya in around 1970. Do you know where it is now Scout?

Regards, Ned.

**Scout** · 04-19-2012, 03:00 PM

Sorry no, Ned.
Just stumbled over the pic, when I looked for the other two recovered relics, which I remembered having read about.
EDIT - a quick search yielded this: Seems its preserved in the Volandia Aviation Museum
Check this out - WAY better pic here!
Photos: Savoia-Marchetti SM-79 Sparviero Aircraft Pictures | Airliners.net
Volandia Aviation Museum
VOLANDIA - Park and Museum of flight