The Curtiss P-36 Hawk was an American, piston-engine, fighter aircraft which was in service with the US Army's Air Corps between 1938 and 1943. Although it was not as fast and powerful as its successor, the P-40 Warhawk, the P-36 had an outstanding turning performance and a great climbing capacity. It was exported to France, the Netherlands, United Kingdom, Norway, Brazil, and Argentina as the Hawk 75. In World War II, it first saw combat action in May 1940, during the Battle of France, in service with the French Air Force (Armee de l'Air); however, there was not much it could do against the powerful Messerschmitt Bf 109. It was also used in dogfight combat on December 7, 1941, during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, as five Hawks were able to shoot down two Mitsubishi A6M Zero fighters.
The prototype of the Curtiss P-36 performed its maiden flight on May 6, 1935. On its first flight, it was able to reach the maximum speed of 452 km/h (281 mph), flying at 3,000 m (10,000 ft) of altitude. It was powered by one Wright XR-1670-5 radial piston engine capable of delivering 900 HP. However, this power plant would be replaced by a Wright XR-1820-39 Cyclone that generated 970 HP. The aircraft would finally be introduced into service with the US Army's Air Corps on June 23, 1938, as the P-36A Hawk (company Model 75L). The United States ordered 210 aircraft. However, it was the Hawk 75 export version that saw the most service and combat action during World War II. The 200 Hawks that entered French service were their most effective fighters before the German invasion in 1940. Although it was a sound aircraft, with excellent maneuverability, it had already been outclassed in speed and firepower by German and British modern aircraft designs.
Technical Description
The Curtis P-36 Hawk was a single-seat, single-engine monoplane. It was built with a metal airframe and an all-metal monocoque fuselage. Movable surfaces (ailerons and elevators) were fabric-covered. The aircraft was fitted with cantilever, low wing, mounted with a slight dihedral angle. Both the leading and trailing edge tapered toward the tip of wing. Overall, the P-36 was a sturdy and reliable aircraft, with great maneuverability, especially when making close turn. Although it had retractable landing gear, some export version planes had fixed main wheels, especially those sold to Argentina.
Specifications (P-36G)
Type: fighter aircraft
Length: 8.68 m (28 feet, 6 inches)
Wing Span: 11.27 m (37 feet)
Wing Area: 21.92 m2 (235.94 square feet)
Height: 2.57 m (8 feet, 5 inches)
Power Plant: one 1,200-HP, Wright R-1820-G205A Cyclone, radial, piston engine.
Maximum Speed: 518 km/h (322 mph)
Range: 1,046 km (650 miles)
Rate of Climb: 17 m/s (3,400 feet per minute)
Service Ceiling: 9,860 m (32,350 feet)
Crew: one
Armament: four wing-mounted 7.62-mm machine guns; two fuselage-mounted 12.7-mm (.50-cal) machine guns.
 |
| Above, the P-36 Hawk in American service flying over the Pacific. |
 |
| The Hawk 75 in the French Air Force. |
 |
| The P-36C version in 1940. |