Heller Hawk H.75

[frank2056]

It looks great with the red!

Maybe the 'Brian da Basher Memorial GB'? 

Wow - hard to believe it'll be 5 years next month since Brian went to the spat factory in the sky.

[zenrat]

Heller va good build.



I'll get me coat...

[NARSES2]

That's coming along beautifully Ratty

Heller va good build.



I'll get me coat...

And I'll get your hat   

[PR19_Kit]

Heller va good build.

Where's the 'groan' emoticon when you need one? 

[kitbasher]

Heller va good build.

Where's the 'groan' emoticon when you need one? 

Here 😩

[jcf]

You'll need a convoluted backstory full of intrigue and red herrings, just like the
real world stories of how some machines got to Spain.

The USAAC didn't take delivery of their first production P-36 until 25 April 1938.
The first fixed gear Hawk 75-M for China was completed on 6 May 1938, and the
first 75-O for Argentina on 12 December 1938. The fixed gear Hawks were all
delivered in bare metal.
The fixed gear export Hawks were developed because the War Department listed
the retractable landing gear system as "not for export". The French orders were
the first exceptions and the listing was eventually rescinded. The USAAC were not
pleased with Curtiss receiving the go ahead for the French order because they saw
it as delaying the deliveries needed for USAAC expansion.

The USAAC made the switch to bare metal finish for tactical aircraft in the latter
half of 1937 and a formal order was issued in March 1938. This only applied to
new production aircraft with Alclad skins. Earlier types that didn't have Alclad skin
were painted overall silver lacquer, but only when they came into a maintenance
depot for scheduled maintenance and overhaul. This is why there are photos of
blue & yellow aircraft alongside silver painted aircraft from the same unit.

How someone would get their hands on an H-75/P-36 with retractable gear and
get it to Spain is an interesting question. But, there is a real world bureacratic 
snafu that could help. C/n 12931 (the first French block started with 12932) was
retained by Curtiss for various engine and equipment development purposes, it
was supposed to carry a CAA NX number at all times, but most of the time it was
just painted in USAAC markings, even though it was never in the possession of
the Army. It fell through the cracks and although various directives etc. were issued
it's clear from the verbiage that as far as the CAA were concerned it really wasn't
their problem and they had no inclination to make it so. Thus it flew around for years,
it survived until 1951, from field to field and all over the place without the correct
registration and permissions.
So, what if back in 1937 Curtiss had built a fourth Y1P-36 that they retained for their
own purposes? This aircraft was also to be given a CAA registration number but the
paperwork was incomplete when the aircraft went missing and was thought lost during
a test flight over Lake Ontario?
🤔