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Curtiss P-6 Hawk
Americas P-6 Hawk purchase numbers were limited in large part due to the Great Depression.
By Staff Writer
Originally based on the existing P-1B series of aircraft, the P-6 Hawk series was a first-line pursuit aircraft for the United States in the early 1930s. The Hawk became the last of the fighter biplanes built in quantity for the Army Air Corps and was revealed in at least 13 distinct sub-types that included 8 different models. Though never utilized in combat, the P-6 was always remembered as being perhaps the best-known of all the peace-time piston-engine US Army pursuit fighters.
Developed from already successful racer versions of the P-1 and PW-8, the P-6 featured a series of modifications to enlighten military buyers. The P-6 came under the original designation of Y1P-22, but this was later redesignated to the more familiar P-6 due to the similarity that the aircraft shared with the other P-6 series of airplanes. The United States Army Air Corps placed an order for their initial eighteen P-6s in 1929.
The most notable model of the P-6 was found in the P-6E Hawk. This aircraft was fitted with a 700hp Curtiss V-1570C Conqueror engine capable of speeds reaching 200 miles per hour. Twin .303 caliber machine guns were the sole armament and the landing gears systems were static - though a US Navy version allowed for manual landing gear operation. The design screamed World War One to the core, as the cockpit was of open-air variety and the system still maintained the bi-plane design of aviation yester-year.
As a transitional design, the P-6 featured superior performance for a biplane design of this time, this despite the fact that only forty-six P-6 aircraft were ever ordered into frontline service, even when defense spending for the American military were severely held in check through the Great Depression years.
The P-6 Hawk series went on to see modest export success, albeit in limited numbers, throughout the world - particularly to Latin American customers. The United States Navy also utilized the system with a different designation and some slight modifications.
In all, the P-6 Hawk series would appear as the final stepping stone to more advance aircraft design an engineering, which would take a final leap with the start of World War Two. This American "between wars" design served its purpose and its role quite well.
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Last Revision: 6/5/2008
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| Specifications for the Curtiss P-6 Hawk |
Dimensions: |
Length: 22.57ft (6.88m)
Width:31.50ft (9.60m)
Height: 8.89ft (2.71m)
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Performance: |
About MACH |
Max Speed: 193mph (311kmh; 168kts)
Max Range: 244miles (393km)
Rate-of-Climb: 0ft/min (0m/min)
Service Ceiling: 23,901ft (7,285m; 4.5miles)
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Structure: |
Accommodation: 1
Hardpoints: 0
Empty Weight: 2,714lbs (1,231kg)
MTOW: 3,435lbs (1,558kg)
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Powerplant: |
| Engine(s): 1 x Curtiss V-1570C Conqueror water-cooled inline engine generating 700hp. |
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Armament Suite: |
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2 x 7.62mm machine guns
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| Pictures of the Curtiss P-6 Hawk |
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Aircraft Quick Profile |

Image courtesy of the United States Air Force Museum.
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| 1929 |
Designation: Curtiss P-6 Hawk
Classification Type: Fighter
Contractor: Curtiss - USA
Country of Origin: United States
Production Total: Not Available |
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Operators: Netherland East Indies, Cuba, Japan, Bolivia, Chile, China, Columbia, Germany, Norway, Siam, Turkey and the United States of America.
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| Variants |
XP-6 - Initial Conversion Model of a P-1 aircraft of which the P-6 is derived from featuring tapered wings.
XP-6A - Second Conversion Model of a P-1 aircraft of which the P-6 is derived from featuring untapered wings base on PW-8 aircraft and fitted with low-drag surface radiators.
P-6 - Initial Production Model of which 9 were produced; refined fuselage.
P-6A - Featured Prestone-cooled engines of which nine of this aircraft were produced.
P-6B
P-6C - Production Model Cancelled Before Completion.
P-6D
P-6E (Curtiss Model 43) - Fitted with V-1570C Conqueror 700hp engine; 46 produced.
P-6F
P-6G
P-6H
P-3 - Experimental Radial-Engined Version
P-5 - Experimental Turbo-Charged Version
P-21 - Experimental Radial-Engined Version
P-23 - Experimental Turbo-Charged Version
Hawk I - Export Model
Hawk II - Export Model featuring Wright Cyclone radial engine.
F11C-2 - United States Navy Model fitted with Wright R-1820-78 Cyclone Radial generating 700hp; 28 produced.
BF2C-1 - United States Navy Model with manually-operated landing gears; 27 produced.
YIP-22 - Original United States Army Designation.
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