Comments on: Curtiss P-40 Warhawk: One of WW II's Most Famous Fighters http://www.historynet.com/curtiss-p-40-warhawk-one-of-ww-iis-most-famous-fighters.htm From the World's Largest History Magazine Publisher Thu, 18 Mar 2010 18:52:48 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Willem (Bill) Roozeboom http://www.historynet.com/curtiss-p-40-warhawk-one-of-ww-iis-most-famous-fighters.htm/comment-page-1#comment-35204 Willem (Bill) Roozeboom Sat, 21 Feb 2009 22:52:43 +0000 #comment-35204 I am a Dutchman who flew P40N' s with the `120 Fighter Squadron of the Netherlands East Indies Airforce. I flew P4oN's in combat first as a Sargent and then a Sargent Major until the end of the Pacific war. Half of our squadron pilots, were sargent pilots, other than eating in the sargents mess there were no distiction once you were in the air on a mission. I think that we were the last group to (1945/1949)fly the P40 in combat as they were flown in the war that Indonesia fought against the Dutch for their indipendance. I am a Dutchman who flew P40N' s with the `120 Fighter Squadron of the Netherlands East Indies Airforce. I flew P4oN's in combat first as a Sargent and then a Sargent Major until the end of the Pacific war. Half of our squadron pilots, were sargent pilots, other than eating in the sargents mess there were no distiction once you were in the air on a mission. I think that we were the last group to (1945/1949)fly the P40 in combat as they were flown in the war that Indonesia fought against the Dutch for their indipendance.

]]> By: "Smitty" http://www.historynet.com/curtiss-p-40-warhawk-one-of-ww-iis-most-famous-fighters.htm/comment-page-1#comment-27595 "Smitty" Thu, 15 Jan 2009 11:23:32 +0000 #comment-27595 Just a bit of trivia for your readers. A few years ago, I had the occasion to meet a elderly gentleman who stated he had been a P-39 pilot, as a NCO. While I don't recall his exact rank, I believe he said he was a Staff Sergeant at the time and flew combat missions right along with the usual Commissioned Officers. While I had no reason to doubt his telling of this information, I do believe it was the first and ONLY time I have heard or even read about American NCOs piloting combat aircraft of any type. This was a somewhat common practice in England, probably due to a shortage of trained & qualified Officers. I admit I was taken aback by this revelation. I have been a "student" of WWII my entire life so this really got my attention as yet another tiny piece of the big-picture of the war. Just a bit of trivia for your readers. A few years ago, I had the occasion to meet a elderly gentleman who stated he had been a P-39 pilot, as a NCO. While I don't recall his exact rank, I believe he said he was a Staff Sergeant at the time and flew combat missions right along with the usual Commissioned Officers.

While I had no reason to doubt his telling of this information, I do believe it was the first and ONLY time I have heard or even read about American NCOs piloting combat aircraft of any type.

This was a somewhat common practice in England, probably due to a shortage of trained & qualified Officers. I admit I was taken aback by this revelation.

I have been a "student" of WWII my entire life so this really got my attention as yet another tiny piece of the big-picture of the war.

]]> By: Taylor B. McKinnon http://www.historynet.com/curtiss-p-40-warhawk-one-of-ww-iis-most-famous-fighters.htm/comment-page-1#comment-16593 Taylor B. McKinnon Sat, 08 Nov 2008 07:55:57 +0000 #comment-16593 Thank God the USA had the designs such as the P-39 , P-40 , and F-4F in 1941. Cant imagine what we would have done without them. It should be noted that the P-40 was such a more or less gentle fighter that it became the standard airplane issued to the fighter training squadrons (FTS) thruout the war, and being sent to the backwater theatres such as the canal zone and carribean. It thus remained in production until virtually the end of the war. A circumstance probably resulting from its low purchase price of atound $25,000 and number built of over 13,000. Taylor McKinnon, Major USAF Ret. Thank God the USA had the designs such as the P-39 , P-40 , and
F-4F in 1941. Cant imagine what we would have done without
them. It should be noted that the P-40 was such a more or less
gentle fighter that it became the standard airplane issued to the
fighter training squadrons (FTS) thruout the war, and being
sent to the backwater theatres such as the canal zone and
carribean. It thus remained in production until virtually the end
of the war. A circumstance probably resulting from its low
purchase price of atound $25,000 and number built of over
13,000. Taylor McKinnon, Major USAF Ret.

]]> By: Wealth and Success http://www.historynet.com/curtiss-p-40-warhawk-one-of-ww-iis-most-famous-fighters.htm/comment-page-1#comment-6215 Wealth and Success Sun, 17 Aug 2008 20:27:10 +0000 #comment-6215 Your post makes one think! Great article. Thanks for allowing me to comment! Your post makes one think! Great article. Thanks for allowing me to comment!

]]> By: James http://www.historynet.com/curtiss-p-40-warhawk-one-of-ww-iis-most-famous-fighters.htm/comment-page-1#comment-1302 James Sat, 05 Jul 2008 04:59:11 +0000 #comment-1302 anyway it is easy anyway it is easy

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