Originally posted by Debonair
N was lighter than E empty & heavier@gross & more capable as a JaBo
It depends which dash number N we look at. Some where lighter, others not. Some had four .50 cals, others 6. The P-40N-1-CU was the lightest and fastest. However, only about 400 were built and they had only four guns.
Most showed little improvement in performance over the older models. For example, the P-40N-5 added addition internal fuel tanks (in the wings) and wing hard points for bombs. Weight increased and performance was about the same as the P-40E. P-40N-35s and 40s were built near the end of production with 1,360 hp engines and redesigned ailerons (all metal). This was probably the best performing N, along with the -1).
The greatest under wing load I ever saw fitted to a P-40N (in a photograph) was one 500 lb on centerline, with a 250 lb bomb under each wing.
My regards,
Widewing