The Curtiss P-40 Warhawk was the third most built American fighter, with 15,000 units produced.

The P-40E, armed with six 0.5 inch wing machine guns, was used extensively as a low-altitude close-support fighter. Numerous unit were exported to the Allied air forces, among which, 1,500 units served the RAF as P-40E Kitty Hawk Mk 1A. The British deployed the Kitty Hawk in Northern Africa against the German Luftwaffe.