Mohawk

[phylo_roadking]

Can anyone point me at any information about RAF service and any combat involvement by Mohawks (P-36 export Hawk 75s riginally meant for France) in RAF Service? I've recently seen a comment that as of 1942 there was still one RAF Fighter Command sqaudron equiped with Mohawks, so the RAF can't have been as prejudiced against them as against some other types they received.

[Njorl]

Hello phylo, this is what I found:

In June 1940 42 Hawk 75As were evacuated to Great Britain from France. They were given the name Mohawk and folowing designation of versions:
Mk.I - Hawk 75A-1 version with no wing MGs,
Mk.II - Hawk 75A-1 and A-2 with 4 MGs,
Mk.III - Hawk 75A-2 and A-3 with 6 MGs,
Mk.IV - Hawk 75A-4.
Great Britain also took over from USA the last batch of 215 Hawk 75A-4s from the French order. Because of this only 15 former Armee de 'lAir planes thate were in the best shape were pressed into service in RAF - 7 Mohawks Mk.I, II and III with Pratt&Whitney R-1830 engine (serial numbers AR631-AR637) and 8 Mk.IVs with Wright R-1820 engine (AR638-AR645). 215 Mohawk Mk.IVs brought directly from USA received serial numbers as follows: AR (30 planes), AX (20 planes), BB (35 planes), BJ (45 planes), BK (30 planes), BL (10 planes), BS (35 planes) and BT (10 planes). The Biritish changed the weapons it carried to 6 Browning .303 MGs, sights, radio, instruments, installed armour glass winscreen and outer rear mirror, reversed the throttle lever acting by 180 degree. All 230 planes were painted anew and sent to reserve units all over the Isles.

In 1941, when threat of German invasion disappeared Mohawks were sent to operational training units in eastern Africa and Middle East (114 planes) and to new users (Portugal - 12 Mohawk Mk.IVs received in October 1941; Republic of Southern Africa - 76 Mk.IVs until Autumn 1941, 15 more in 1943).Luftwaffe's entry into combat on libian-egyptian front in early 1941 forced the withdrawal of Mohawks - potentially effective against Italian airforce - and their replacement with Hurricanes and P-40s. Mohawks were sent to Aden, Kenya and India.

In 1941-1942 Sqn. 5. of RAF, based at Dum Dum aerodrome near Calcutta, was rearmed in Mohawk Mk.IVs. They flew their first sortie on June 17th 1942. Sgt. Garnett scored first aerial victory on this type of plane on August 20th 1942, shooting down japanese Nakajima Ki-27 fighter. Mohawk's good manouverability allowed horizontal dogfight with Japanese fighters, whose light armoure made them easy prey for Mohawk's small calibre armament. In January 1943 squadron's involvement was changed to ground attack missions (in which Mohawks were rather inefficient). The last aearial victory of Sqn. 5. was won over Maungdaw on March 30th 1943. 4 Mohawks battled 6 Ki-43s and shot down 2 of them with loss of one own plane.

April 1st 1942 Squadron 155. of RAF was formed in Peshawar and equipped with Mohawks. Unit flew its first operational sortie in September 1942 defending the airspace over Madras. November 10th 1942 Mohawks of this squadron shot down 2 Ki-43 fighters. This feat was repeated on December 5th 1942. Since January 1943 the squadron was delegated to perform air-to-ground attacks. This situation lasted until spring 1944. The last air combat of Mohawks took place on November 9th 1943 over Palel in Birma. Lt. Dunford shot down 1 of 6 engaged Ki-43s.

Apart from ex-French Hawk 75A-4s, 5. and 155. Sqns also recevied 5 HAL Hawk 75A-5s (serial numbers starting with LA) and 10 Hawk 75A-9 from training unit in Aden (assembled in Karachi, serial numbers starting with HK).

Source: Michal M. Mietelski TBiU Samolot myśliwski Curtiss Hawk 75, Wydawnictwo MON, Warszawa 1987, ISBN 83-11-07411-9

Regards,

MJU

[phylo_roadking]

Thanks for that!

[thorwald77]

Mohawk III was used by 510 sqn based at Hendon from Oct 42-Apr 44
This was an air communications unit

[phylo_roadking]

Thats who it is, then. I wondered about the one squadron still in the UK mid-war, that didn't make any sense.

[Markus Becker]

I have a related question. When did the production of the Curtiss Hawk end?

[phylo_roadking]

March 1941, with the 1095th and last aircraft produced.

[thorwald77]

March 1941, with the 1095th and last aircraft produced.

From "The Illustrated Encyclopedia of 20th Century Weapons & Warfare " P.1258 gives the number built at 1,443 including prototypes and those built outside the US.

[phylo_roadking]

The extras were aircraft assemebled under license in China and Argentina.

[Bessar]

A letter that appeared some years ago in Air International gives the following serials for aircraft supplied to Portugal

AR642
AR643
AR652
AR664
AR666
AR668
AR671
AR673
AR679
AR680
AX882
AX886
BB927
BL220
BJ531
BJ547
BJ582
BS732
BT789

for a total of 19 airframes. Most sources say only 12 were put in service (with one being immediately lost), so doubtless the "extra" aircraft were delivered as parts to keep the others going.

Cheers