Curtiss P-36 Hawk / Hawk Model 75
Primary-Source Operation, Flight & Engine Documentation Archive
The Curtiss P-36 Hawk — exported as the Hawk Model 75 — stands as one of the most consequential transitional fighters in American aviation history. It bridged the gap between the fabric-covered biplanes of the 1930s and the all-metal, low-wing monoplane fighters that would define the Second World War. This archive brings together the surviving original factory and military documentation for the P-36 platform in a single, structured collection.
Archive Manifest
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Preliminary Handbook of Operation and Service Instructions — Model P-36A Pursuit Airplane
Curtiss Aeroplane Division, Curtiss-Wright Corporation, Buffalo, N.Y.
Contract W535 A.C. 10136 — Specification 64193
Published by Authority of the Chief of the Air Corps, Materiel Division, Field Service Section, Wright Field, Dayton, Ohio -
Handbook of Operation and Flight Instructions — Models P-36A and P-36C Pursuit Airplanes
Technical Order No. 01-25CB-1
Curtiss Aeroplane Division, Curtiss-Wright Corporation, Buffalo, N.Y.
Contract W535 AC-10136 — Specification Type 98-605, Model 98-605-1 (P-36A) / Model 98-605-2 (P-36C)
Dated: February 15, 1940 -
Handbook of Service Instructions — R-1830 Series Aircraft Engines
Technical Order No. 02-10CB-2
Published by Authority of the Commanding General, Army Air Forces, Headquarters, Air Service Command, Patterson Field, Fairfield, Ohio
Dated: February 25, 1942 — Revised March 20, 1943 -
Detail Specifications for Curtiss Hawk 75-A Airplane (No. 6895-A)
Curtiss-Wright Corporation · Curtiss Aeroplane Division · Export Sales Division
30 Rockefeller Plaza, New York City, U.S.A. — Cable Address: "AEROEXCO"
Subtitle: Single Engine Pursuit
Provenance: Finnish Air Force (Käyttötoimisto) library stamp and Mercantile dealer stamp — a rare export-chain provenance trail documenting the document's journey from the Curtiss Export Sales Division to the Finnish Air Force.
Aerodynamic Design & Airfoil Data
The P-36 employed a fully cantilevered all-metal wing with structural twist engineered to guarantee safe stall characteristics across the flight envelope.
- Wing Root Airfoil: NACA 2215 — thick profile accommodating structural attachments, fuel lines, and retractable landing gear mechanisms
- Wing Tip Airfoil: NACA 2209 — reduced profile drag; ensured stall initiation at the root to preserve aileron authority at high angles of attack
- Landing Gear Innovation: Main gear struts rotated 90° during retraction, allowing wheels to lie flat inside the lower wing trailing edge for full aerodynamic cleanliness
Powerplant Variants
| Powerplant | Configuration | Power Output | Application |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pratt & Whitney R-1830-17 Twin Wasp | 14-cylinder, two-row, air-cooled radial — single-speed GE centrifugal supercharger, Stromberg carburetor | 1,050 hp (783 kW) | Standard USAAC P-36A |
| Wright R-1820-G205A Cyclone | 9-cylinder, single-row, air-cooled radial — single-stage supercharger | 1,200 hp (895 kW) | Export Hawk 75A-7 |
| Pratt & Whitney R-1830-25 | 14-cylinder, two-row radial — prototype high-altitude configuration | 1,000 hp | Experimental XP-36B conversion |
Handling & Stability Characteristics
- Control Harmony: Exceptionally light and responsive at low-to-medium velocities; outstanding roll rate; capable of out-turning early Messerschmitt Bf 109 variants in close combat
- High-Speed Behaviour: Above 300 mph (483 km/h), the radial engine cowl generated aerodynamic turbulence and control forces tightened considerably — documented in early NACA stability studies on control surface blanketing
- Structural Loading: Robust wing architecture; early iterations (~850 lbs) exhibited minor torsional flexing under prolonged high-G manoeuvres, prompting Curtiss to reinforce the wing to over 1,000 lbs for the P-40 series
Performance Data — P-36A Baseline (USAAC Production Standard)
- Maximum Velocity: 313 mph (504 km/h) at 10,000 ft
- Cruising Velocity: 260 mph (418 km/h)
- Service Ceiling: 32,700 ft (9,967 m)
- Maximum Rate of Climb: 3,400 ft/min
- Empty Weight: 4,567 lbs (2,072 kg)
- Gross Loaded Weight: 5,650 lbs (2,563 kg)
- Maximum Range: 830 miles (1,336 km)
Engineering Bulletins & Structural Evolution
- XP-37 / YP-37 — Allison V-1710 Inline Experiment: Engineering bulletins ordered modification of a P-36 airframe to house the liquid-cooled, turbo-supercharged Allison V-1710. The cockpit was relocated aft to maintain CG balance. Turbocharger unreliability halted production, but the programme directly paved the way for the P-40 Warhawk.
- XP-36D through F — Armament Configurations: Technical revisions documented the expansion from two cowl guns to the XP-36E (six .30-calibre machine guns) and the XP-36F, which field-tested twin wing-mounted 23mm Madsen automatic cannons.
This is an archival, static-copy edition fixed at its original publication date. Intended for historical reference, flight simulation, museum restoration, and educational use only. Not approved for active airworthiness maintenance under FAA 14 CFR § 43.13, EASA Part-M, or equivalent international regulations. Operators of active aircraft must use current, revision-controlled publications from the Type Certificate holder or an authorized distributor.
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