Curtiss P-36 Hawk

(P-36 Hawk/Hawk 75/Mohawk)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-36_Hawk

The Curtiss P-36 Hawk, also known as the Curtiss Hawk Model 75, is an
American-designed and built fighter aircraft of the 1930s and 40s. A
contemporary of both 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
radial engine.

Perhaps best known as the predecessor of the Curtiss P-40 Warhawk, the P-36 saw
little combat with the United States Army Air Forces during World War II. It was
nevertheless the fighter used most extensively and successfully by the French
Armee de l'air during the Battle of France. The P-36 was also ordered by the
governments of the Netherlands and Norway, but did not arrive in time to see
action before both were occupied by Nazi Germany. The type was also manufactured
under license in China, for the Republic of China Air Force, as well as in
British India, for the Royal Air Force (RAF) and Royal Indian Air Force (RIAF).

Axis and co-belligerent air forces also made significant use of captured P-36s.
Following the fall of France and Norway in 1940, several dozen P-36s were seized
by Germany and transferred to Finland; these aircraft saw extensive action with
the Ilmavoimat (Finnish Air Force) against the Soviet Air Forces. The P-36 was
also used by Vichy French air forces in several minor conflicts; in one of
these, the Franco-Thai War of 1940–41, P-36s were used by both sides.

From mid-1940, some P-36s en route for France and the Netherlands were diverted
to Allied air forces in other parts of the world. The Hawks ordered by the
Netherlands were diverted to the Dutch East Indies and later saw action against
Japanese forces. French orders were taken up by British Commonwealth air forces,
and saw combat with both the South African Air Force (SAAF) against Italian
forces in East Africa, and with the RAF over Burma. Within the Commonwealth, the
type was usually referred to as the Curtiss Mohawk.

With around 1,000 aircraft built by Curtiss itself, the P-36 was a major
commercial success for the company. It also became the basis not only of the
P-40, but two other, unsuccessful prototypes: the YP-37 and the XP-42.

The prototype first flew on 6 May 1935, reaching 281 mph (452 km/h) at 10,000 ft
(3,000 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 its
way there. Curtiss took advantage of the delay to replace the unreliable engine
with a Wright XR-1820-39 Cyclone producing 950 hp (710 kW) and to rework the
fuselage, adding the distinctive scalloped rear windows to improve 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
only reached 285 mph (459 km/h).

Although the competing 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 manner, and
therefore wanted a backup fighter. The Y1P-36 (Model 75E) was powered by a 900
hp Pratt & Whitney R-1830-13 Twin Wasp engine, and the scalloped rear canopy was
further enlarged. The new aircraft performed so well that it won the 1937 USAAC
competition with an order for 210 P-36A fighters.


Role
Fighter

Manufacturer
Curtiss-Wright Corporation

First flight
6 May 1935

Introduction
1938

Retired
1954, Argentina

Primary users
United States Army Air Corps
Finnish Air Force
French Air Force
Royal Air Force

Number built
215 (P-36) plus 900 export Hawk 75 variants

Unit cost

$23,000


Developed into
Curtiss P-40 Warhawk

The first production P-36As were delivered to the 20th Pursuit Group at
Barksdale Field in Louisiana in April 1938. The aircraft's service history was
marred by numerous teething problems with the engine exhaust, skin buckling over
landing gear, and weak points in the airframe, severely restricting the
performance envelope. By the time these issues were resolved, the P-36 was
considered obsolete and was relegated to training units and overseas detachments
at Albrook Field in the Panama Canal Zone, Elmendorf Field in Alaska, and
Wheeler Field in Hawaii.

The P-36s had been delivered to Hawaii in February 1941 by being loaded on the
carrier the USS Enterprise in California, then in a first for the USAAC, flown
off the carrier's deck by the P-36's U.S. Army Air Corps pilots when the
Enterprise neared the coast of Hawaii. This saved considerable time over the
traditional shipping method of having the fighters first disassembled, crated
and then loaded by crane in the hold of a freighter, then unloaded and
reassembled in Hawaii.

The only combat by U.S.-operated P-36s took place during the Japanese attack on
Pearl Harbor. Five of the 39 P-36A Hawks at Pearl Harbor, delivered previously
by the USS Enterprise, were able to take off during the attack and were credited
with shooting down two Japanese Mitsubishi A6M2 Zeros for the loss of one P-36,
among the first U.S. aerial victories of World War II.


Specifications (P-36A)

General characteristics
Crew: 1
Length: 28 ft 6 in (8.7 m)
Wingspan: 37 ft 4 in (11.4 m)
Height: 8 ft 5 in (2.6 m)
Wing area: 235.94 ft² (21.92 m²)
Empty weight: 4,567 lb (2,076 kg)
Loaded weight: 5,650 lb (2,560 kg)
Max. takeoff weight: 6,010 lb (2,732 kg)
Powerplant: 1 × Pratt & Whitney R-1830-17 Twin Wasp air-cooled radial piston
engine, 1,050 hp (783 kW)

Performance
Maximum speed: 313 mph (272 knots, 500 km/h) at 8,500 ft, 2,960 m
Cruise speed: 270 mph (235 knots, 432 km/h)
Range: 625 mi (543 nmi, 1,006 km) at 270 mph (419 km/h), 860 mi (748 nmi, 1,385
km) at 200 mph
Service ceiling: 32,700 ft (9,967 m)
Rate of climb: 3,400 ft/min (17 m/s)
Wing loading: 23.9 lb/ft² (116.8 kg/m²)
Power/mass: 0.186 hp/lb (306w/kg)

Armament

Guns: 1 × 0.30 in (7.62 mm) M1919 Browning machine gun
1 × 0.50 in (12.7 mm) M2 Browning machine gun

Bombs: some were also later fitted with a single hardpoint under each wing that
could carry a bomb of up to 100 lb (45 kg) or a light bomb rack for three 50 lb
(23 kg), five 20 lb (9 kg) or 30 lb (14 kg) bombs





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