The P-40E was constructed in Buffalo New York USA in 1942 and was originally allocated to the RAF as a Mk. Ia Kittyhawk, ET433. This identity was not taken up and the aircraft was diverted to Australia later in 1942 and allocated to the United States Army Air Corps 68th Pursuit Squadron, Tonga. On the 27th of October 1942 the P40 was transferred to the RNZAF as NZ3094. It is believed that the aircraft served in RNZAF 15Sqn at Fuamotu, Tonga from 27 October 1942.
In 1948 she was sold to J. Larsen from Rukuhia New Zealand as scrap along with 50 other P40s and remained there in Asplin's Supplies scrapyard from 1954 until when it was recovered by John Chambers and then Mike Subritzky. Col Pay purchased the aircraft in 1994 from Mike Subritzky, Auckland-Dairy Flat, New Zealand who had owned the aircraft since 1991.
View more ...