The Curtiss P-36 Hawk, also known as the Curtiss Hawk Model 75, was a U.S.-built fighter aircraft of the 1930s. A contemporary of the Hawker Hurricane and Messerschmitt Bf 109, it was one of the first of a new generation of combat aircraft—a sleek monoplane design making extensive use of metal in its construction and powered by a powerful piston engine.
Obsolete at the onset of World War II and best known as the predecessor of the Curtiss P-40, the P-36 saw only limited combat with the United States Army Air Forces but was extensively used by the French Air Force and also by British Commonwealth (where it was known as the Mohawk), and Chinese air units. Several dozen also fought in the Finnish Air Force against the Soviet Red Air Force. With around 1,000 aircraft built, the P-36 was a major commercial success for Curtiss.
Developement
The Curtiss Model 75 was a private venture by the company, designed by former Northrop Aircraft Company engineer Donovan Berlin. The first prototype constructed in 1934 featured all-metal construction with fabric-covered control surfaces, a Wright XR-1670-5 radial engine developing 900 hp (671 kW), and typical U.S. Army Air Corps armament of one 0.3 in (7.62 mm) and one 0.5 in (12.7 mm) machine guns firing through the propeller arc.
Also typical of the time was the total absence of co*ckpit armor or self-sealing fuel tanks. The distinctive landing gear which rotated 90° to fold the main wheels flat into the thin trailing portion of the wing was actually a Boeing-patented design for which Curtiss had to pay royalties. P-36 Hawk.
The prototype first flew on 6 May 1935, reaching 281 mph (452 km/h) at 10,000 ft (3,050 m) during early test flights. On 27 May 1935, the prototype was flown to Wright Field, Ohio, to compete in the USAAC fly-off for a new single-seat fighter but the contest was delayed because the Seversky entry crashed on the way to the contest. Curtiss took advantage of the delay to replace the unreliable engine with a Wright XR-1820-39 Cyclone producing 950 hp (709 kW) and to rework the fuselage, adding the distinctive scalloped rear windows to improve rear visibility.
The new prototype was designated Model 75B with the R-1670 version retroactively designated Model 75D. The fly-off finally took place in April 1936. Unfortunately, the new engine failed to deliver its rated power and the aircraft attained only 285 mph (460 km/h).
Although its competitor, the Seversky P-35, also underperformed and was more expensive, it was still declared the winner and awarded a contract for 77 aircraft. However, on 16 June 1936, Curtiss received an order from USAAC for three prototypes designated Y1P-36. The USAAC was concerned about political turmoil in Europe and about Seversky’s ability to deliver P-35s in a timely matter, and therefore wanted a backup fighter.
The Y1P-36 (Model 75E) was powered by a Pratt & Whitney R-1830-13 Twin Wasp engine producing 900 hp (671 kW) and further enlarged scalloped rear canopy. The new aircraft performed so well that it won the 1937 USAAC competition with an order for 210 P-36A fighters.
Its extremely low wing loading of just 23.9 pounds per square foot gave it outstanding turning performance, and its high power-to-weight ratio of 0.186 hp/lb gave it superb climbing performance as well, especially for the time, although its lack of an engine supercharger handicapped it at high altitudes. Compared to the Allison-engined P-40, the P-36 shared the later P-40’s traits of excellent high-speed handling, of roll rate that improved at high speed and of relatively light controls at high speed. However, it was underpowered affecting its acceleration and top speed and it did not accelerate in a dive as well as the P-40.
History Curtiss P-36 - Hawk 75
This Hawk 75 was shipped to the French Air Force in April 1939 and assigned to Group de Chasse II/5 at Reims. She was based at Toul during the battle of France and then made her way to Oran, Algeria in Vichy North-Africa. While under the Vichy government, Hawks clashed with British aircraft over Mers el-Kébir and Dakar. During Operation Torch in North Africa, French Hawk 75s fought against U.S. Navy F4F Wildcats, losing 15 aircraft to 7 US planes shot down.
After the War she was assigned to L’Ecole de l’aviation de chasse 4 at Cazaux in western France until she was struck of charge and being stored in 1949. She was bought by Michel Pont and been in storage until the Fighter Collection moved it to Duxford in the United Kingdom and registered her as G-CCVH in the 1980s. She was restored to airworthy condition in Chino, USA where she made her first flight in October 2004.
She made her first public appearance in the UK in 2005 and is painted in the original colours she wore in the battle of France with serial 82 coded X881 of 3 Escadrille “Lafayette” of Groupe de Chasse II/5 based at Toul during the battle of France. The green band on the fuselage, going behind the Indian (the badge of 3 Escadrille), shows that is was the Hawk 75 of the Commanding Officer of 3 Escadrille.
