Topic: WWII P-40 found in the Sahara desert

[Hinomaru]

Spitfires found in Burma? Well, apparently a Polish oil exploration party in Egypt has stumbled across the crash site of a WWII P-40 in March 2012. It appears to be a Curtiss Kittyhawk MK 1A of the 260 squadron. The airplane is in amazing condition for being in the desert for 70 years. Since the crash site is located inside an Egyptian military controlled area, I wonder what will happen to it?
 
The story along with some great photography:
 
http://www.vintagewings.ca/VintageNews/Stories/tabid/116/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/357/language/en-CA/Original-Kittyhawk-HS-B-Discovered.aspx

More photos from Jakub Perka's gallery:

https://picasaweb.google.com/114682566226043469349/Zdj_samolot?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCKjxkt6rkNTFKg&feat=directlink#

[CycleRanger]

Hopefully the pilot fared better than these guys.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lady_Be_Good_%28aircraft%29
http://www.rommelinlibya.com/ladybegood/lbgphotos.html

[Hinomaru]

Hopefully the pilot fared better than these guys.

I was wondering about the pilots fate also.

It’s interesting that the P-40 seen plenty of action in the north African campaign. As American history credits the P-40 with General Clair Chenault's Flying Tigers operating in China against the Japanese. It was Canadian pilot James “stocky” Edwards from the 260 squadron in north Africa flying his P-40 that shot down Luftwaffe ace Otto Schulz (51 kills) in his Messerschmitt BF-109F in 1942.

 

[CycleRanger]

Hopefully the pilot fared better than these guys.

I was wondering about the pilots fate also.

It’s interesting that the P-40 seen plenty of action in the north African campaign. As American history credits the P-40 with General Clair Chenault's Flying Tigers operating in China against the Japanese. It was Canadian pilot James “stocky” Edwards from the 260 squadron in north Africa flying his P-40 that shot down Luftwaffe ace Otto Schulz (51 kills) in his Messerschmitt BF-109F in 1942.

In '42 the P-40 was still the best (non-carrier based) fighter America had.
It was more heavily armed than almost anything else it flew against in '42.
And as you point out, the Brits had acquired quite a few and used them to good advantage at lower altitudes early in the war.

That P-40 is certainly repairable. Hopefully it won't get buried in red tape. Egypt is still in flux these days.