The Aircraft Restoration Company (ARCo) has announced the acquisition of Curtiss P-40E Warhawk AK803, better known as Maude, one of the most original surviving examples of the type. The aircraft was collected from East Troy Municipal Airport in Wisconsin and arrived safely at ARCo’s restoration facility at Duxford Airfield in Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom, on September 7, 2026. A carefully considered restoration to airworthy condition had already begun under Sam Taber and his team at TAB-AIR. According to ARCo, the work completed in Wisconsin reflects the team’s deep understanding of the aircraft’s exceptional originality and historical significance.
(Image credit: Aircraft Restoration Company)
ARCo had followed the story of Maude for decades and moved to acquire the aircraft when it recently became available. The company intends to continue the restoration with an emphasis on preserving as much original material as practicable while meeting the highest standards of operational safety. Once the restoration is complete, Maude will join ARCo’s fleet at Imperial War Museums Duxford. The aircraft is expected to appear at airshows and other events while remaining on public display at IWM Duxford when it is not flying or undergoing maintenance.
(Image credit: Aircraft Restoration Company)
Originally invoiced to the Royal Air Force as AK803 in October 1941, the Kittyhawk Mk. IA was diverted to the Royal Canadian Air Force and initially assigned to anti-submarine patrols from RCAF Station Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. In June 1942, it took part in a record-setting 4,000-mile deployment to Annette Island, Alaska, with No. 118 (F) Squadron. The aircraft later received the RCAF serial number 1034 and served from bases in western Canada. Declared surplus after the war, it was purchased for $50 in 1946 by former RCAF serviceman George Maude, whose surname gave the aircraft its enduring nickname. It remained with the Maude family for decades and became a familiar landmark on Salt Spring Island, British Columbia. Its remarkably complete condition and well-documented history have made Maude one of the most significant surviving Curtiss P-40s. The aircraft was delivered to TAB-AIR in November 2021 for its return-to-flight restoration.
“It has long been a pipe dream to one day add a P-40 to the collection—in particular, a Kittyhawk I,” the Romain family said. “We have been following the Maude P-40 story for decades, and when it recently became available, we all agreed that the opportunity was both too special and too unique to pass up.” For a detailed account of the aircraft’s wartime service and remarkable postwar history, read Randy Malmstrom’s profile of Curtiss P-40E AK803/RCAF 1034.
(Image credit: Aircraft Restoration Company)
Aircraft Restoration Company recently unveiled a striking new look for its Spitfire PR.XI PL983. The rare reconnaissance Spitfire now wears temporary USAAF markings inspired by PA892, My Darling Dorothy, honoring the American crews who operated photographic reconnaissance Spitfires from Britain during World War II. Based at Duxford Airfield in Cambridgeshire, England, Aircraft Restoration Company is a family-owned engineering firm specializing in the restoration, maintenance, and operation of historic aircraft. Founded in 1989 by John Romain MBE, ARCo supports private collectors and operators as well as the Royal Air Force’s Battle of Britain Memorial Flight. Its work ranges from complete restorations and major servicing to routine maintenance and the operation of vintage aircraft in the United Kingdom and around the world. For more information, visit www.aircraftrestorationcompany.com.
