Home»Photo Galleries»Aviation»The Fighter Collection»Curtiss H-75A-1 Hawk

Curtiss H-75A-1 Hawk, Serial#:12881, G-CCVH

Pratt & Whitney R-1830-925, 30 litre, 14-cylinder air-coooled radial

This Curtiss Hawk 75 was built in 1939 as part of the first batch of 100 for the French Air Force. Allocated initially to 1ére Escadrille, Groupe de Combat 11/5 Lafayette at Reims as Hawk No.82 in April 1939 the aircraft later moved to Toul during the Battle of France and then on to Oran in Algeria prior to the Armistice. Post-war Hawk No.82 served as an advanced trainer back in France with 4th Training Squadron at Cazaux. Saved from scrapping in the 1950s the aircraft was stored in France until it was acquired by TFC in 1995. TFC shipped the fighter to California Aerofab for restoration to flying condition, with the wings being being rebuilt by Pioneer Aero in New Zealand and the P&W engine overhauled by Anderson Aeromotive of Idaho. Following a first post restoration flight in the hands of Steve Hinton on 13th October 2004, the Hawk 75 was shipped back to Duxford in February 2005 and made it's show debut at that year's Flying Legends.

The Hawk 75 has been one of the Collection's most regular performers since 2005, both in the UK and with regular trips into Europe. This Hawk 75, along with TFC's Curtiss P-36 are the only airworthy examples of their Curtiss lineage in the world.