- Yes
- No
Good day everyone, today I would like to suggest the Curtiss Hawk 75N, a unique export variant of the Curtiss P-36 Hawk used by the Royal Thai Air Force during the early years of World War II.
Unlike the standard American P-36, the Hawk 75N featured fixed landing gear with streamlined wheel spats, making it visually distinct while also giving it different flight characteristics. The aircraft served with Thailand during their modernization period and participated in the Franco Thai War as well as the Japanese invasion of Thailand in 1941.
Due to its unique appearance, historical service, and connection to Thailand’s aviation history, I believe the Hawk 75N would make an excellent addition to War Thunder’s Thai aviation subtree.
History
In the late 1930s, Thailand began rapidly modernizing its armed forces under the government of Plaek Phibunsongkhram. As part of this, the Royal Thai Air Force sought modern monoplane fighters to replace older biplane aircraft they already had in service.
Thailand chose to import the Curtiss Hawk export series and ordered the Curtiss Hawk 75N, an export plane based on the American P-36 Hawk fighter.
Unlike the standard US Army Air Corps P-36, the Hawk 75N was simplified for export use and had:
- Fixed landing gear
- Large aerodynamic wheel fairings
- Wright Cyclone radial engine
- Export specific equipment and armament arrangements
Despite the simpler landing gear configuration, the aircraft still provided Thailand with a modern metal monoplane fighter during a period where many neighboring countries had dated aircraft.
The Hawk 75N entered the Royal Thai Air Force shortly before the Franco Thai War against French Indochina. During this conflict, Thai Hawk fighters performed escort and interception duties while helping establish Thai air superiority in several operations.
The 75N remained in Thai service during the Japanese invasion of Thailand in December 1941. After Thailand aligned with Japan, many surviving aircraft continued to operate in secondary roles.
Today, at least one surviving Hawk 75N remains preserved in Thailand, representing an important piece of early Thai military aviation history.
Why It Should Be Added
The Hawk 75N offers:
- A truly unique Thai operated fighter
- Distinct visual differences from the P-36 already in game
- Historical combat service
- Early war Southeast Asian aviation representation
- Interesting gameplay as a slower but maneuverable export fighter
The aircraft would likely appeal to:
- Thai subtree players
- Collectors of export aircraft
- Fans of early WWII aviation
- Players interested in uncommon Axis aligned aircraft
Why It Is Unique Compared to the P-36
The Hawk 75N is not a copy and paste of the P-36.
Major differences include:
- Fixed landing gear
- Different aerodynamic profile
- Different engine setup
- Export modifications
- Unique Thai camouflage and markings
- Different combat history
Visually, the aircraft has a much more “1930s transitional fighter” look compared to the American P-36.
Suggested Placement
Possible placements include:
- Thai subtree aircraft (preferred)
- Japanese aviation tree
- Premium/event aircraft
- Placed alongside other export fighters
I personally believe the aircraft fits best as a standard Thai subtree aircraft due to its historical Thai service.
Specifications
General Characteristics
- Crew: 1
- Length: 8.69 m
- Wingspan: 11.38 m
- Height: 2.84 m
- Empty Weight: approximately 2,100 kg
- Engine: Wright R-1820 Cyclone radial engine
Performance
- Maximum Speed: approximately 500 km/h
- Service Ceiling: approximately 10,000 m
- Range: approximately 1,000 km
Armament
The Thai Hawk 75N featured a heavier and more unique armament configuration compared to many standard export Hawk variants.
Primary Armament
- 1 × 12.7 mm (.50 cal) machine gun mounted in the fuselage
- 1 × 7.62 mm (.30 cal) machine gun mounted in the fuselage
- 2 × 23 mm Madsen autocannons mounted in underwing gun pods
Unlike many standard P-36/Hawk 75 variants, the Thai Hawk 75N used external underwing cannon pods rather than internal wing mounted guns, giving the aircraft a distinctive appearance and heavier low tier firepower.
The use of the Danish made 23 mm Madsen cannons would make the aircraft very interesting in War Thunder, potentially giving it a great burst damage against aircraft and lightly armored ground targets.
If there is any more information or any that may be incorrect, I would appreciate any comments to help build the profile of this beautiful piece of air machinery.
Sources:
Warplanes of the Second World War preserved in Thailand - SilverHawkAuthor Website Military History Materials
Curtiss Hawk 75A-6 | Military Aviation Museum
Curtiss Hawk 75 | Classic Warbirds
Curtiss Hawk 75 – The Fighter Collection
Richard Dunn: Uncertain Wings: Hawk 75 in China
Curtiss P-36 Hawk - Wikipedia