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.

DAYTON, Ohio -- Curtis P-36A Hawk diorama with a portrayal of Lt. Phillip Rasmussen on display in the WWII Gallery at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force. (U.S. Air Force photo by Ken LaRock) The P-36, developed from the Curtiss Hawk Model 75 originally designed for France, was first produced for the US Army Air Corps in 1938.

In 1935, Curtiss, Seversky, and Northrop submitted aircraft for a USAAC design competition fly-off. These aircraft would usher in a completely new era of American fighter designs and concepts with enclosed cockpits, retractable landing gear, all metal construction, hydraulic systems and more powerful engines.

It is a fourteen-cylinder two-row supercharged air-cooled radial piston engine with two overhead valves per cylinder, a single-speed General Electric centrifugal-type supercharger, a two-barrel Stromberg carburetor fuel system, an air-cooling system, and an epicyclic reduction gear.

Japanese carrier-borne bombers and fighters devastated the Army Air Forces, Navy and Marine installations on the island of Oahu. The attack killed or wounded almost 3,500 Americans. Opposition to the attack was disorganized and mostly ineffective. Though many pilots survived the attacks, few aircraft were fit to fly.

The Curtiss P-36 Hawk, also known as the Curtiss Hawk Model 75, was an American fighter aircraft that saw limited operational use during World War II. It was developed by the Curtiss-Wright Corporation and served as a predecessor to the more famous P-40 Warhawk. Description.

Amid the 7 December 1941 Japanese carrier strike on nearby Pearl Harbor, First Lieutenant Lewis M. Sanders, commander of the 46th Pursuit Squadron, got aloft from Wheeler Field with four P-36As and led his men in shooting down three attacking aircraft.

Sep 24, 2023 · Enter the Curtiss P-36 Hawk, an American fighter plane that signified a major leap forward. With its sleek monoplane design, retractable undercarriage, and extensive use of metal, the P-36 closed the technological gap between American and European fighters.

The Curtiss P-36 Hawk (Hawk Model 75), was an American-designed and built fighter aircraft of the 1930s and 40s.

The P-36 Hawk fighters were designed by Donovan Berlin as a private venture of Curtiss. The prototype flew in May 1935. Curtiss was awarded with a contract for 77 aircraft in 1936, and in 1937 United States Army Air Corps ordered another 210.