Warbirds Over Long Island

This P-40E is another of the former RCAF Kittyhawks (number 1051) salvaged on October 23, 1947 by Fred Dyson and brought to Boeing Field. It was later purchased by Tony Dire of Everett , Washington who mounted it on top of his gas station in a red and white paint scheme.

In the mid 1960s it caught the eye of John Paul, who is regarded as the "P-40 King," and he was able to purchase all the interior components. Dire finally sold the fuselage in 1968 to Bruce Goessling of Unlimited Aircraft Ltd. who brought it to the Van Nuys Airport until purchased by David Tallichet who rebuilt it to fly as N9837 from his Military Aircraft Restoration facility in Chino, California.

Dave traded the P-40 for a P-51D project belonging to Brian O'Farrell in 1987 who then sold it to Dick Hanson in Illinois. A complete restoration was undergone at Blackhawk Aviation in Janesville, Wisconsin by Nick Quint and Dick Wixon. John Paul rebuilt new wingtips while Kermit Weeks supplied a new stock Allison V-1710 engine. The restoration project lasted five years and the first post-restoration flight took place on February 1, 1992 before going to its home base in Aurora, Illinois.

Both Dick and his son, Scott Hanson have flown this aircraft in numerous air shows until it was purchased in 2006 by Bob Baranaskas of the Warbirds Over Long Island Group. The aircraft is painted in the USAAC markings of Colonel Robert Scott. After his AVG career Colonel Scott was the author of the famous book God is My Co-Pilot, which was made into a major motion picture during World War II. It is olive drab overall with the Flying Tigers shark mouth painted by Dan Caldarale and its "N" number 11456 in yellow on the tail.

The 2007 Geneseo Airshow hosted Bob in this airplane for the first time while his son, Chris Baranaskas flew the family's P-51D Glamorous Gal throughout the show. Both are scheduled to attend the 2008 Greatest Show on Turf.

By Frank Schaufler and Seth Goltzer