It's time to get Curtiss Haw 75A to Aces High. It has been all the battle fields: Eastern, European and Pacific:
The prototype of the plane was designed as a result of a fighter desing competition in 1935 in the USA. Don Berlin was the main designer of the plane. The serial production planes got marking P-36A. They entered in service in 1936 in USA . The export modell was Hawk 75A. The first and the biggest buyer was France. Other customers were Norway, China, Netherlans East-India and Persia. The rest 200 planes that was sold to France went to England after Germany had occupyed France. Curtiss P-36 and Hawk 75 series planes were produced 1021 in all.
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FINLAND
In the spring 1941 Finland bought aeroplanes from Germany, which it had captured when it occupied France and Norway. The commerce included among other things 29 Curtiss fighters. In the year 1943 Finland bought 15 planes more from Germany, so in all Finish Air Force have had 44 planes in service.
At the beginning the planes served in Reconnaissance Squadrons, but the planes were ordered to Fighter Squadron 32 (Lentolaivue 32).
Its advantages were agility and good flying caracteristics and it was also a robust machine. Curtiss Hawks, nicnamed "Sussu", gained 190 confirmed kills in Finnish Air Force, and the major success of the type took place in the hands of Finnish pilots.
Finnis Air Force had 44 Curtiss Hawk 75A (A1-A4 and A6 models)
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FRANCE
On the first day of the attack on France, Groupe de Chasse (fighter squadron; GC) I/5 shot down eight Dornier Do 17s from KG 3 and GC II/5 shot down three Heinkel He 111s of I./KG 53. Between May 10 and June 24, 1940, the Groupes de Chasse that operated Hawks claimed 230 confirmed and 81 probable kills.
These units performed much better than other French fighter units in May and June, at least in part because they also had been assigned France’s elite pilots. Because of the Hawks’ good performance and because replacement aircraft were readily available during the fighting, all Hawk 75 units remained at nearly full strength until the Armistice was signed.
Armee de l'Air had 291 Curtiss Hawk 75A (A1-A3 models)
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NETHERLANDS EAST INDIES AIR FORCE
For example, Java was defended by 24 Curtiss Hawk 75A-7s, plus additional American and British remnants from Malaya and the Philippines. All 24 were destroyed during the first three days of the Japanese attack, March 2-5, 1942.
The Netherlands East Indies Air Force (NEIAF), like the rest of the East Indies forces, remained as Allies after May, 1940. Even before May, 1940, the NEIAF was equipped differently than the LVA, since the USA was much closer than Holland. NEIAF was spread across the Southwest Pacific area over the Dutch holdings.
By August, 1941, the NEIAF had 24 Curtiss Hawk 75A-7s
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THAILAND
Thailand had a small air force. It was modern for its corner of the world. It was used independently when Thailand attacked Vichy Indo China in January 1941. It was taken over by the Japanese when they invaded Thailand on their way south and west in late 1941/early 1942.
The Thai Air Force included: 24 Curtiss Hawk 75N (half armed with 23mm Madsen cannon)
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CHINA
China had limited funds, and bought a variety of aircraft in small lots in 1938-1941.
These included 100 Curtiss P-36M Hawks (fighters) assembled by CAMCO
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And don't forget the Brewster Model 293!
