Try this prior to take off......
Curtiss P-40 Pilot's Check List
Preliminaries Ignition switch OFF.
Landing gear handle control NEUTRAL.
Flap control handle NEUTRAL.
Parking brake ON.
Check form 1-A.
Adjust shoulder straps and belt.
Check controls for freedom of movement.
Oil and coolant shutters OPEN.
Fuel selector on FUSELAGE TANK.
Carburetor heat COLD.
Trim tabs: rudder 2 to 3° RIGHT, elevator in TAKEOFF.
Check that Modifier on quadrant is in full RETARDED.
Propeller in AUTOMATIC.
Starting
Procedure Have propeller pulled through, with ignition switch OFF, if the plane has set for more than two hours.
Throttle cracked one inch.
Mixture Control in IDLE CUT OFF.
Propeller Control to full INCREASE RPM.
Curtiss Electric Propellers:
Selector switch to AUTOMATIC.
Circuit breaker ON.
Propeller Control to full INCREASE RPM.
Generator Switch ON.
Battery Switch OFF when a battery cart is used.
Carburetor air in RAM or UNFILTERED.
Fuel Boost pump ON.
Energize starter.
Prime the engine while energizing - 1 to 2 strokes if warm, 2 to 5 strokes if cold. Leave primer unlocked.
Fuel boost pump OFF.
Turn Mag Switch to BOTH.
Engage starter, hold in engage until engine fires regularly.
When engine starts, move Mixture Control to AUTO RICH, and turn boost pump ON.
Keep engine running with the primer if necessary.
When engine runs regularly release the starter switch and LOCK THE PRIMER.
Oil pressure must be established within 30 seconds or engine must be SHUT DOWN.
Check engine-driven fuel pump by turning boost pump OFF for a few seconds, then back ON.
Limit RPM to 1000-1200 until minimum temperatures are reached.
Correction for
Overprimed
Engine Ignition switch OFF.
Throttle OPEN.
Mixture Control in IDLE CUT-OFF.
Boost pump OFF.
Pull propeller through four or five revolutions.
Make normal start without priming.
Taxiing Avoid prolonged idling of the engine under 1000 RPM.
Taxi slowly and use brakes lightly; the P-40 noses over easily!
Engine
Warm-up Mixture control in AUTO-RICH.
Propeller in AUTOMATIC.
Idle engine first at 1000 RPM until a steady oil pressure is obtained, then increase to 1400 RPM and continue running until temperature of oil inlet is at least 15°C and coolant 60°C.
Pre-Takeoff Modifier on quadrant RETARDED.
Increase RPM to 2300 and place propeller in FIXED PITCH.
Check magnetos.
Check propeller, then return to AUTOMATIC.
Fuel boost pump ON.
Check oil and coolant temperatures.
Tighten throttle lock.
Check that wing flaps are UP. Canopy LOCKED.
Power
Settings With 100 octane fuel and POWER CONTROL:
Takeoff MP: 45" RPM: Full High MIX: Auto Rich
Climb MP: 33"* RPM: 2350 MIX: Auto Rich
Cruise MP: 27"* RPM: 2100 MIX: Auto Rich
* MP may vary with the respective RPM settings.
With 100 octane fuel and quadrant prop control:
Takeoff MP: 45" RPM: Full High MIX: Auto Rich
Climb MP: 35" RPM: 2600 MIX: Auto Rich
Cruise MP: 27" RPM: 2280 MIX: Auto Rich
Fuel
Management When filled with 100 octane only:
Start, Taxi, Take-off -- FUSELAGE (vented tank). Burn all but 35 gals. from fuselage.
Cruise -- BELLY first, then WINGS.
Land -- FUSELAGE.
When filled with both 91 and 100 octane:
Start and Taxi -- FUSELAGE (vented tank) (91)
Take-off -- WINGS (100)
Climb and Cruise -- FUSELAGE (91)
Cruise -- BELLY (91)
Land -- WINGS (100)
Gear and
Flaps
Procedure To operate gear or flaps, select desired position with hydraulic selector handle, depress trigger switch on control stick to actuate electric hydraulic pump. For gear check indicators, pump auxiliary hand pump until firm, return selector handle neutral for positive lock, and check that gear warning light does not burn when engine is throttled below 1000 RPM. Do NOT operate both flaps and gear together.
Auxiliary or
Emergency
Gear and
Flaps
Procedure If the hydraulic electric pump fails to extend the flaps and gear, manually pump them down with the auxiliary hand pump. Place Selector Valve in desired position and pump with hand pump. Return handle to neutral. Do NOT operate both gear and flaps simultaneously.
If the electric hydraulic pump and the auxiliary hand pump both fail on the -40F or -40K lowered by transferring the pump handle from the auxiliary hand pump to the emergency hand pump. Open both left and right shut-off valves. The landing gear can be lowered with the selector valve in any position. The tail wheel will not lower with the operation of the emergency hand pump. Land TAIL HIGH. There is no emergency hydraulic system on the -40N. The emergency system will not operate flaps or raise the gear.
Emergency
Exit Pull the emergency release handle on the top forward frame of the cockpit enclosure and the entire canopy will be torn off by the slipstream.
After a turn-over on the ground, pull the release handle located on the left lower canopy frame (inboard) to unlock the emergency exit frame. Slide frame aft with release handle until the kick-out panel on the left side of the canopy can also be opened from the outside by pulling out the handle on the lower frame (painted red) and pushing back until the panel locks are disengaged.
Landing Fuel selector on FUSELAGE TANK.
Mixture control AUTO RICH.
Carburetor air full COLD.
Propeller in AUTOMATIC.
Lower gear at not over 175 IAS.
Lower flaps at not over 140 IAS.
NOTE: Return landing gear and flap control levers to neutral after completion. The flaps will creep up if selector is not in neutral (positive lock).
After
Landing Do not begin a turn until plane is slowed to safe taxi speed.
Wing flaps UP, oil shutters OPEN.
Use brakes with caution.
Stopping
Procedure Propeller in FULL INCREASE RPM.
Curtiss Electric Prop: Selector switch to AUTOMATIC.
Clear the engine.
With throttle at 1000 RPM, move the mixture control to IDLE CUT-OFF.
When the engine quits, slowly move throttle open.
Mag Switch OFF after the propeller stops turning.
Fuel selector OFF.
All cockpit switches OFF.
