Design & illustration by Manuel César de la Fuente Quintela

In an attempt, presumably born of desperation, to provide the Warahawk with that little extra punch which it needed to convert it from marginal to worthwhile performance as a fighter, the P-40L which followed became the subject of weight pruning.
By late 1943 and early 1944 it was clear to all, manufacturer and users alike, that unless something was done, once and for all, to boost the performance of the Warhawk, its days were numbered.
Higher performance was achieved by a combination of weight saving and retention of the V-1710,81 engine, or subsequent installation on the production line of V-1710,99 or -115 engines of equivalent power.
The result of the optimum combination of improvements was a better rate of climb, higher service ceiling, and a speed of 422 mph (679 km/h) at 20,500 ft (6250 m). David Mondey