The P-40-CUsare 8th Pursuit Group aircraft aboard the USS
Hornet in October 1940 (CV-8). This experiment was comprised of the 24 P-40s along with nine North American 0-47As of the 2d Observation Squadron (just visible, parked directly behind the Curtiss fighters).
According to George Greene in '
The Wasp's Last Sting' (
Sea Classics, Vol 47), "This was a test designed to compare takeoff runs of standard Navy and Army aircraft. This experiment, the first time a US Army plane had flown from a US Navy carrier, foreshadowed the use of this ship in a ferrying role..." (An example of the latter being 30 USAAC P-40s being flown off
Wasp in 1941 for delivery to Iceland.
BTW, the foreground aircraft was from the 33rd Pursuit Squadron). Its scheme is OD (with tail 'shadow-shading') over Neutral Gray. Tailfin markings (41 8P) are in yellow (it can't been seen here but this is repeated on the upper port wing as 8P 41). 33rd PS unit badges on fuselage (no roundels applied yet). The spinner and immediate forward cowling is red as are the wheel covers (the latter being outlined in red).
The top photo shows P-40K 42-46205 ready for a catapult launch from the escort carrier USS
Breton (CVE-23), 10 Dec 1943).
https://www.asisbiz.com/il2/P-40/15FG/images/USAAF-42-46205-P-40K-Warhawk-15FG6NFS-White-18-CVE-23-USS-Breton-10th-Dec-1943-0B.pngBelow that are P-40Ks of the 45th FS, 15th FG also aboard the
Breton in 1943 (including aircraft 181, '
Moonbeam McSwine').