Built by:	Laurence Farugia
Kit:	1/48 Hasegawa P-40E Warhawk, JT86
Kit Media:	Plastic
Modifications and Additions:	Built ‘Out Of Box’
Unit:	76th FS, 23rd FG, 10th AF
Location:	China, July 1942
Pilot:	Major Edward F. Rector

Area of Operations

History

The P-40E was the first mass produced model of the P-40 with 2300 units being built.  Its first flight was in August 1941. The E model offered no performance improvements over previous models, but had increased armour and fire power.

The P-40E was easy to produce and maintain and its rugged construction suited it well for ground support and bomber interception duties.  If used correctly in high-speed slashing attacks it also proved to be able to deal with the far more nimble Japanese fighters in the pacific theatre, as proven by the First American Volunteer Group (AVG) of the Republic of China Air Force, also known as the Flying Tigers.

Originally a USN aviator, Edward Rector resigned his commission on the 6th of July 1941, and flew with the AVG from 15th of August, scoring the first air combat victory for the AVG on the 20th of December 1942.

On the 14th of July 1942 the AVG was disbanded and the three squadrons of the Flying Tigers were transferred to the US Army Air Force (USAAF) as the 74th, 75th and 76th Squadrons, 23rd Fighter Group, 10th Air Force.  Rector was commissioned as a Major in the USAAF and given command of the new 76th FS.

In January 1943, Rector returned to the US to serve as a test pilot and in October 1944 transferred to the 68th Composite Wing, 14th AF, in China.Rector returned to the 23rd FG, which had transferred to the newly created 14th Air Force in March 1943, and served as Commander from December 1944 to December 1945.  He achieved the last of his 10.5 victories in this period, which also happened to be the last victory of the 23rd FG.

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