About This File
FS2004 RAAF Kittyhawk Mk.Ia 'P', 75th RAAF Squadron New Guinea. The Curtiss P-40 is one of the most distinctive and widely-recognized fighter aircraft of WWII. If the flying Tigers were the best of the P-40 Groups of the entire war, No.75 Squuadron of the RAAF has to be ranked as one of the best individual squadrons. While the AVG was made up of crack pilots with plenty of experience, 75 was hastily thrown together with untrained and inexperienced pilots and thrust into the breech in New Guinea against superior Japanese pilots and planes. Despite being almost wiped out, they held their ground and wrote a special chapter in aerial history. This P-40E-1 Kittyhawk Ia 'Cleopatra' with 75 Squadron was flown by Squadron Leader Atherton, Milne Bay, September 1942. The aircraft was delivered to the RAAF wearing USAAF markings which were roughly over-painted with Foliage Green before applying the, then current, RAAF tri-colour roundel and fin flash. Upper wing roundels were blue/white, 'B' type. A number of 75 and 76 squadron aircraft at this time had a 'wavy' camouflage demarcation on the nose and no under wing roundels. Requires original model by K. Malinowski and J. McDaniel. Repaint by Morne Pieters.