Curtiss Hawk III & IV

The export version of the BF2C-1, the Hawk III, differed from the US Navy fighter-bomber in reverting to the wooden wing structure of the F11C-2 (spruce beams with plywood webs and spruce ribs) and in having a Wright SR-1820F-53 Cyclone offering 785hp for take-off and 745hp at 2925m. Gun armament comprised two synchronised 7.62mm weapons. The first export of the Hawk III was a single example to Turkey delivered in April 1935, supply of 24 to Thailand following from August 1935. In March 1936, the first of a total of 102 Hawk Ills was delivered to China, 90 of these being assembled by the Central Aircraft Manufacturing Company (CAMCO) at Hangchow. One other purchaser of the Hawk III was Argentina, which took delivery of 10 from May 1936. The last-mentioned country also purchased the sole example of the Hawk IV in July 1936, this using a Hawk III airframe with a full sliding cockpit canopy, carburettor heating and an exhaust collector ring for the SR-1820F-56 Cyclone, which delivered its maximum 745hp at 3810m. The Hawk IV attained 399km/h at 3810m and 390km/h at 5000m.