Curtiss P-6 Hawk

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