Drawing by Tapani Tuomanen

This drawing represents the Curtiss P-40 E White 51 of 20 GIAP, 14th Army, based at Murmashi airfield near Murmansk, flown by Jr. Lt. A. V. Pshenev.

On 1 June 1942, it was damaged by German Bf-109s while escorting some SBs in an attack against an airfield; after a damage to the cooling system, the pilot chosed to land on a small lake; he survived and returned to Soviet forces while the plane sank in the lake.

This plane was painted in U.S. olive drab and neutral grey and hadn't any previous US marking; even the red stars, in four positions, were painted in factory. Stencils were as from US standard. Only the board numbers 51, and perhaps the white front of the spinner, were painted at the unit.

The plane was recovered in fair conditions from the lake in 1997 and brought in UK awaiting for a buyer.

http://lend-lease.airforce.ru/english/articles/sheppard/p40recovery/