Hawk 75 (Twin Wasp)

by Scott Taylor

HyperScale is proudly supported by Squadron.com
 

Blake Pickering’s photos of the Curtiss Hawk 75A-1 at the Planes of Fame Museum in Chino prompted me to dig out some photos I shot of the same aircraft back in November 2004 when I was in Los Angeles on a business trip.

The aircraft’s cowl was removed when I saw it, allowing me to get some some photos of the Pratt & Whitney R1830-SC-G and accessory area behind the engine. I also took a photo of the aircraft’s data plate. It reads:

TYPE H75A1
NO DE SERIE 82
NO FABRICATION 12881
(manufactured) 4 39

Details of the rivets and panel lines on the aircraft are also noteworthy on this immaculately restored aircraft.

As Blake said, this plane is one of the stars of the Planes of Fame’s large collection.

Delivered in April 1939 as one of 100 Hawk75A-1s ordered by the French, this aircraft, a genuine Armée de l'Aire combat veteran, was assigned to GC II/5 at Reims and fought in the Phoney War and the Battle of France before heading to Oran, Algeria, where it saw action against British and American forces.

Postwar, the aircraft was on the strength of the 4th Training Squadron in Cazaux, France from 1946 to 1949, then sat in a field until The Fighter Collection acquired it and eventually restored it for the Planes of Fame Museum.

 

Click the thumbnails below to view larger images:

Images Copyright © 2005 by Scott Taylor
Page Created 23 April 2005
Last updated 23 April 2005

Back to HyperScale Main Page

Back to Features Page