From: Joseph F Baugher <jfb@ihlpl.att.com>
Subject: Number Thirty-Six in the Series -- the Curtiss P-36 Hawk (Part 3 of 6)
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories -  Naperville, Illinois
Date: Sun, 8 Nov 1992 19:08:07 GMT


From Joseph F Baugher <jfb@ihlpl.att.com>


Considerable interest in the Hawk had been aroused in Britain as a 
result of a test flight carried out by an RAF pilot in France.  The 
Hawk 75A possessed remarkably good controls and the ailerons were 
fairly light at high speeds in contrast with the early Spitfire which 
had ailerons which were almost immobile at speeds over 300 mph.  At 
the end of 1939, the Royal Aircraft Establishment arranged for a loan 
of a Curtiss Hawk from France (the 88th production Hawk 75A-2) for 
comparative trials against a Spitfire I (K9944).  In many respects, 
the Hawk turned out to be superior to the Spitfire.  The RAE found 
that the Hawk did indeed have exceptional handling characteristics and 
beautifully harmonized controls.  In a diving attack at 400 mph, the 
Hawk was far superior to the Spitfire I owing to its lighter ailerons.  
In a dogfight at 250 mph, the Hawk was again superior, because its 
elevator control was not over-sensitive and all-round view was better.  
However, the Spitfire could break off combat at will because of its 
much higher speed.  When the Spitfire dived on the Hawk, the Curtiss 
could avoid its opponent by banking and turning rapidly.  The Spitfire 
could not follow the Hawk around and would overshoot the target.  The 
Hawk 75A displayed appreciably superior take-off and climb 
characteristics.  The swing on takeoff was smaller and more easily 
corrected than on the Spitfire, and during the climb the Hawk's 
controls were more effective.  However, the Hawk tended to be rather 
slow in picking up speed in a dive.  

Based on these trials, the British government briefly toyed with the 
idea of ordering the Hawk for the RAF.  For whatever reason, these 
plans were never carried out.  However, the fall of France in June 
1940 caused quite a few Hawks to fall into British hands.  

Those Hawk 75As which had not yet been delivered to France before the 
surrender (most of them A-4s), plus those whose pilots had flown them 
to England to escape the German occupation were taken over by the RAF 
and given the name Mohawk.  The total number of Mohawks impressed by 
the RAF was 229 planes.  Most of them were former French machines, but 
a few former Persian Hawks and even some Indian-built machines were 
included in the Mohawk total as well.  

There were four RAF sub-variants--Mohawk I, II, III, and IV.  

Former French Hawk 75A-1s were named Mohawk I by the RAF, with Hawk 
75A-2s being named Mohawk II.  There was a total of 29 of these 
planes.  Unfortunately, it is difficult to track which planes were 
A-1s and which were A-2s, since Mohawk I and Mohawk II aircraft were 
intermixed with each other and with Mohawk IVs in the RAF serial 
number blocks AX880/898, BK876/879, and BL220/223.  

More than 20 former French Hawk 75A-3s were taken over by Britain as 
Mohawk IIIs.  RAF serials for these Mohawk IIIs were BK569/588, but 
some A-3s were mixed in with Mohawk IVs in serial block AR630/694.  

The name Mohawk IV was assigned to the remainder of the French Hawk 
75A-4 order which was taken over by the RAF.  The exact number of 
Mohawk IVs diverted to Britain cannot be determined from the RAF 
serial numbers alone, since some blocks applied to both IIIs and IVs 
without distinction.  The total number of Mohawks appearing as IVs 
total 190, only six less than the total of Hawk 75A-4s built.  
However, some 75As other than A-4s became Mohawk IVs, including the 
ten A-9s originally intended for Persia and at least six of the former 
Chinese A-5s assembled in India.  Mohawk IV RAF serials of record are 
AR630/694, BB918/937, BB974/979, BJ434/453, BJ531/550, BJ574/588, 
BK876/879, BL220/223, BS730/738, BS744/747, BS784/798, BT470/472, 
LA157/158 and LA163/165.  

Mohawks taken on strength by the Royal Air Force were refitted with 
British equipment, including 0.303-calibre Browning machine guns.  The 
French throttles were replaced by throttles which operated in the 
"British fashion", i.e., were pushed forward to increase the power.  
The RAF decided that its Mohawks were not suitable for the European 
theater, and sent 72 of them to the South African Air Force (where 
they were flown by the 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th Squadrons which 
operated in East Africa), while others were flown by the 5 and 155th 
RAF squadrons based in India.  At one time, eight Mohawks provided the 
sole fighter defense of North-East India, and the fighter remained 
operational on the Burma front until finally replaced by more modern 
types in December 1943.  12 Mohawks were sent to Portugal.  

The Hawk 75A-5 was the Curtiss company designation for a 
Cyclone-powered model which was to be assembled in China by the 
Central Aircraft Manufacturing Company (CAMCO).  At least one complete 
airplane and some kits of unassembled parts were delivered to China.  
After assembling some aircraft in China, the CAMCO firm was 
reorganized as Hindustan Aircraft Ltd.  in Bangalore, India.  In April 
1941 the Indian government placed a contract with Hindustan for the 
construction of 48 Cyclone 9-powered Hawk 75As, together with the 
necessary spares.  Hindustan acquired a manufacturing license from 
Curtiss, and the first Indian-built machine flew on July 31, 1942.  
However, shortly after this flight, a change in policy resulted in the 
decision to abandon the construction of complete aircraft in India.  
After four more machines were constructed, the Hindustan program was 
terminated.  These Indian-built machines were eventually absorbed into 
the RAF as Mohawk IVs.  

The government of Persia (now Iran) ordered ten Hawk 75A-9 versions 
powered by Wright R-1820-G205A engines.  These reached Persia shortly 
before that country was occupied by British and Russian forces on 
August 25, 1941.  The Hawk 75A-9s were discovered still in their 
shipping crates.  These aircraft were taken over by the British from 
Persia and were transferred to India as Mohawk IVs, where they were 
operated by the 5th Squadron of the RAF.  

Sources: 

  Curtiss Aircraft, 1907-1947, Peter M Bowers, Naval Institute Press, 
  1979 

  The Curtiss Hawk 75, Aircraft in Profile No.  80, Profile 
  Publications, Ltd.  1966 

  War Planes of the Second World War, Fighters, Volume Four, William 
  Green, Doubleday, 1961.  

  Air Enthusiast, Volume 1, William Green et al, Doubleday, 1971.  

Joe Baugher       AT&T Bell Laboratories    2000 North Naperville Road 
		  Naperville, Illinois 60566-7033.   (708) 713-4548

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