Out of the shoe box comes N940AK

On 29-03-2002 I just happened to be passing through Wanaka airfield and photographed this machine N940AK.

Its US civil registration is based around its RAF serial Number of AK940.

It had no NZ listing.

 

 This is the Curtiss Hawk 87A-3 with the c/n 1541. It was allocated the RAF serial AK940 and went up to Canada where it later carried the RCAF serial 1058.

- Restoration started, June 2000.

 

Below is an extract from its history as seen at:-

http://www.warbirdregistry.org/p40registry/p40-ak940.html

 - Wings moved to Pioneer Avspecs, New Zealand to start rebuild.
- Remaining parts sent to New Zealand for rebuild, March 2001.
Tony Banta/Banta Aviation Corp, Dover, DE, May 24, 2001-2002.
- First flight (New Zealand), March 24, 2002.
- Flown in USAAC scheme.
- Returned to California; now based Livermore, CA, May 2002. 

 

See also:- 

http://www.pioneeraero.co.nz/project/curtiss-p-40e-kittyhawk-ak940/ 

Below is a view of it at Chino in May of 2012.