Product Description

The Curtiss P-36 began its life in the US where it was considered a revolution in performance design in comparison to other US fighters. Its pilots achieved some of the first American victories of the war and many went on to become aces. One P-36 pilot, Frances Gabreski, became the leading US ace in the European Theater. Yet by the time of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor the P-40 was increasingly supplanting the P-36, which the US then exported to France under the guise of the Hawk 75. Flown by the French, captured by the Germans, sold to the Finns, transferred to India and Africa, and even incorporated into the RAF, the Hawk 75 saw service in every theater of operations and in a variety of combat environments. This book depicts the fascinating life of an aircraft that fought on both sides in the war, including the oft-overlooked Vichy French Air Force, with color artwork and photographs illustrating just how many national P-36 variants there were. First hand accounts recreate many of the conflicts that gave rise to over 60 pilots from several nations who became aces flying P-36 variants. This volume completes the Osprey Aircraft of the Aces coverage of the Curtiss Hawk family.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #412541 in Books
• Published on: 2009-02-17
• Released on: 2009-02-17
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 96 pages

Review
"P-36 Hawk Aces of World War II joins others in the 'Aircraft of the Aces' series to focus on WWII military battles and service. The Hawk saw extensive service and this book documents all the battles and keys to its importance." -California Bookwatch (May 2009)
"In all, a fine book on the subject and the first to have been published covering Hawk 75 aces. One that will delight the aviation enthusiast." - Scott Van Aken, modelingmadness.com (February 2009)

About the Author
Lionel Persyn has written widely about French aces for several French language magazines and has recently collaborated on a study of the Curtis Hawk 75 in French service, a type on which he is regarded as an expert.

Kari Stenman is the world's leading authority on the Finnish Air Force during World War 2, and has written or co-authored many books on the units and aircraft of this service.

Andrew Thomas is one of Britain's leading RAF researchers. He joined the RAF to fly straight from school and has maintained his enthusiastic interest in the history and development of his Service throughout his career.

Customer Reviews

Curtiss' Scrappy Hawk in Action!
My initial thought when I saw the Osprey adverts for P-36 HAWK ACES OF WORLD WAR 2 was: WHAT P-36 Aces!?! Then the attic light went on and I realized P-36 = Hawk 75 = French aces. And, as chronicled in this interesting 'Osprey Aircraft of the Aces' book, some 39 l'Armee de l'Air pilots made ace in the aircraft. Finnish pilots likewise made good use of Hawk 75s against Russian aircraft, some 15 aces being produced. Along with the odd USAAF and RAF kill, Curtiss' scrappy little fighter compiled quite a combat record.

Lest the reader think the P-36 was a second-stringer warbird, consider these facts. The FIRST Luftwaffe pilot downed by l'Armee de l'Air Hawks was Werner Molders! French Hawks were credited with 234 kills in the 1939/40 fighting with Vichy Hawks later adding a few more victories over RAF and USN aircraft. Aces like Camille Plubeau, Georges Baptizet, Edouard Sales, Maurice Tallent, Michel Dorance and Georges Lefol used the highly maneuverable, heavily armed Curtiss fighter to deadly effect. Finnish aces like Eino Koskinen, Aaro Kiljunen and Kalevi Tervoa likewise exploited the Hawk 75's strengths to help down 190 Russian aircraft between 1941 and 1944. Interestingly enough the P-36 Hawk was one of the few warbirds to fly for AND against the Allies in WWII!

Authors Persyn, Stenman and Thomas do a nice of tracing the Hawk's combat career in various air forces and conflicts. Many first-hand combat accounts liven up the text as do some 80 photographs and eight pages of color profiles of P-36s/Hawk 75s/Mohawks by Mark Styling.

P-36 HAWK ACES OF WORLD WAR 2 is a wonderful addition to the 'Aircraft of the Aces' series. It sheds light on a little-known but very effective warbird that saw service around the global in various air forces and is a good read to boot. Recommended.
*****

NB. If several pilots helped down an e/a, the l'Armee de l'Air did not divide the credit for the kill but gave a full victory credit to each pilot!

The old bird that wouldn't die.
`P-36 Hawk aces' is one of the best Osprey books I've read (other than John Weal and George Mellingers' books). I was very pleased with the amount of information the book offered.

The book starts with the French early in the war, battling the Germans, then taking sides with them, then fighting them again. Then the book explains about the Finnish and their unmatched victory-to-death ratio (other than the Germans), then a brief overview on the Americans at Pearl Harbor then finally the British battling against the Japanese. I was surprised that the elderly P-36 could hold its own against the Bf-109s, LaGG-3's (other than speed) and Ki-43s. The Mohawk would even come out on top in some battles!

I thought the all the authors did a wonderful job explaining about the obsolete plane that still held its own against the new fighters of WWII.
In all a well put together book.

A little history of a forgotton aircraft
When it comes to this aircraft there is little written. That is strange given its importance. As one of the two main fighting aircraft for the French during the first year of the war, more information should be available. As our first mass produced aircraft to find its way to war we should know much more. Alas, this isn't so. This is the first publication that I have found devoted to this subject. Considered in that light it is very informative. However, a more detailed comparison of the P-36 and the model 75 to its competitors would be nice. But, for the time being this is as good as it gets!