Curtiss XP-40 (modified P-36A Hawk 38-10, 10th production aircraft) first flight with Ed Elliott, 14 October 1938 Published on October 13, 2012 in 14 October 1938Full resolution (1000 × 729) ← Previous Next → The Curtiss Model 75P, XP-40 pursuit prototype on its first flight, 14 October 1938. Test pilot Ed Elliot is in the cockpit. (U.S. Air Force)