I've always thought of it as a ticking time bomb.   It's great if you can get the kill while there's fuse left.    
 
right
I love the P40's...... love the look of them....always have since I was a little kid.....by far the toughest looking WW2 birds to me.....especially when you add the Flying tigers colors 

....but man I wish they fought as well as they look 

..... I would not fly anything else.....