Genesis -- Battle of France -- In African skies -- Fighting the Soviets -- The Rising Sun.
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SUMMARY OR ABSTRACT
Text of Note
Entering service with the US Army Air Corps during the late 1930s, The Curtiss P-36 represented a quantum leap in performance compared to previous US fighters, and when re-engined it formed the basis for the highly successful P-40 series. The P-36 subsequently saw much combat, primarily in its Hawk 75 export form with the French and Finnish in 1939-42. Indeed, 39 French pilots 'made ace' flying the aircraft during the Battle of France, while many other aces claimed at least some part of their totals in the little Curtiss fighter. Ex-French and Norwegian Hawk 75s were also put to good use by the Finnish Air Force in its fight against the Soviet Union, with 15 pilots becoming aces in combat over the barren forests of Karelia, and possibly as many as 50 more making at least some claims in the Curtiss fighter. The Hawk saw service in every theatre of war, and British and American pilots enjoyed some success with the Mohawk IV and P-36A, respectively, in the early days of the war with Japan."--Back cover.