Curtiss P-36 Hawk

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

The Curtiss P-36 Hawk, also known as the Curtiss Hawk Model 75, was 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 (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 Curtiss Model 75 was a private venture by the company, designed by former
Northrop Aircraft Company engineer Don R. 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 (670 kW), and
typical United States Army Air Corps armament of one .30 in (7.62 mm) and one
..50 in (12.7 mm) machine gun firing through the propeller arc. Also typical of
the time was the total absence of cockpit 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, resting atop the lower ends of the
maingear struts when retracted, was actually a Boeing-patented design for which
Curtiss had to pay royalties.

The aircraft's extremely low wing loading of just 23.9 lb/ft² gave it
outstanding turning performance, and its high power-to-weight ratio of 0.186
hp/lb gave superb climbing performance for the time. The lack of an engine
supercharger was a serious handicap at high altitudes. Compared to the later
Allison-engined P-40, the P-36 shared the P-40's traits of excellent high-speed
handling, roll rate that improved at high speed, and 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.


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 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 Pearl Harbor
attack. 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

1 × 0.30 in (7.62 mm) M1919 Browning machine gun
1 × 0.50 in (12.7 mm) M2 Browning machine gun
later production variants had two .50 MGs synchronized with the propeller
mounted in the engine cowl and two or four .30 MGs mounted in the wings just
outside the propeller arc
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





*