Curtiss Hawk 75A/Mohawk. Part fifteen. The Hawk in France. Part three.

 

(This post is a direct continuation of the previous one)
Almost one month later of the French armistice that took place on 22nd June 1940, the French Armée de l'Air de l'Armistice (Armistice's Air Force - the official name of Vichy France's Air Force) inventoried all their Curtiss H-75s and so, on 20th July one batch of 45 machines remained in Metropolitan France, while most of them, 186 aircraft, were present in French North Africa, with one hundred being in Morocco, where most of the units that fled just before the armistice. 
The Armée de l'Air de l'Armistice was allowed to have three Curtiss fighter units, those being Groupe de Chasse (GC for short) I/4 at Dakar, French West Africa, GC I/5 at Rabat and GC II/5 at Casablanca, both in Morocco, while GCs II/2 and II/4 were disbanded in August 1940.
Following the two years after the armistice, those units had to affront serious moral crises which forced them to fight against, among others, British troops. During the Battle of Mers-el-Kébir (French Algeria), where the British Royal Navy attacked -and sunk- the remains of the French Fleet based there, GCs I/5 and II/5 managed to get their Hawk 75 airworthy again, as they had been put out of service short after the armistice, to try and fight the Fleet Air Arm aircraft. 
It was during this time that some pilots defected to French Equatorial Africa, which had sided with the General Charles De Gaulle. One of those was Sgt. Marcel Milan who flew his Hawk 75A-3 to Bangui, from Thiès, Senegal in May 1941.
Those two squadrons, GCs I/5 and II/5 also escorted the bombers that took part in the reprisal raid on Gibraltar, following the show of strength at Dakar, during which GC I/4 was also forced to intervene. Their last intervention was in November 1942, during Operation Torch, the Allied landings in Morocco, when the H-75s from GCs I/5 and II/5 clashed against the British Fleet Air Arm and US Navy aircraft. Those combats marked the beginning of the end of the French Hawk 75s, which now they showed their obsolescence, and were becoming more and more difficult to maintain and keep them airworthy due to the lack of spare parts. 
At the end of 1941 it was planned to replace the Hawks in Africa with the French Dewoitine D.520 (probably the best French fighter of World War 2), which were to have been the standard fighter of the pre-war Armée de l'Air. Given that those units equipped with the Morane-Saulnier Ms.406 and the Bloch Mb.152 were given priority, only the second flight of GC II/5 was converted to the D.520 in November 1942 when Germany invaded Vichy France putting an end to the Armée de l'Air de l'Armistice. According to the plan this transition would've been ready for 1943. Sweden showed interest in some of the remaining 76 fighters, out of a total strength of 129, still in service in the fighter groups, but they were sold to Finland. 
The Free French Air Force also employed the Mohawk IV. In September 1941 the Groupe de Chasse 'Alsace' (Alsace Fighter Group) was created with various fighter types, among them the Mohawk IV, which was employed in the training role in the Middle East, as it was outdated for combat role. 
After French Africa rallied to the Allied cause, the surviving Hawks, among them some A-4s powered by the Wright engine, were assigned to training and liaison units. 
Those machines that survived the war were used by the training centre at Cazaux (Ariège - France) where they remained until July 1949, when they were definitely retired from service.

Sources:
1st Histoire & Collections - Avions et Pilotes 7 - French Aircraft from 1939 to 1942 Volume1 Amiot to Curtiss
2nd https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Escadrille_française_de_chasse_n°1 (translated)
3rd https://www.facebook.com/groups/AviationFrancaise1940/posts/3495656893926510/ (translated)
4th AJ-Press - Monografie Lotnicze 61 - Curtiss P-36 Hawk Part 1 (translated)

Curtiss Hawk 75A/Mohawk. Part fourteen. The Hawk in France. Part two.

 

(This post is a direct continuation from the previous one)
The first aircraft of the new contract arrived in France in March 1940 and consisted on more than a hundred Hawks H-75A-3 equipped with the more powerful 1,200 hp Pratt & Whitney R-1830 Twin Wasp SIC3G radial engine. They were quickly assigned to Armée de l'Air (French Air Force) units shortly after arrival. 
During that time, many dozens of H-75s were still on their way at sea, on board cargo ships or even the French aircraft carrier Béarn, which was used as an ad-hoc aircraft cargo ship during that time and not as a pure aircraft carrier. Some of those still-on-sea aircraft were lost to u-boat attacks, while others -those on board of Béarn - were stocked in Antigua, and others were diverted to Casablanca, in Morocco, when France signed the armistice. 
The Hawk H-75A-4, officially called H-751, was powered by a Wright Cyclone R-1820-G205A engine with 1,200 hp at take-off engine and required a different engine cowling shape. This variant was never employed in combat event though it was ordered in large numbers before the armistice. 
In September 1939 four fighter squadrons were equipped with the Curtiss Hawk, those were Groupe de Chasse I/4 II/4, I/5 and II/5. Groupe de Chasse means "Fighter Group" -GC for short- which is the French equivalent to a squadron. All those squadrons were based at Reims and were quickly redeployed to their 'frontline' airfields at Wez-Thuizy, Xaffevilliers, Suippes and Toul-Croix-de-Metz. During the Phoney War the Hawk yielded good results, with a total of 42 kills with 22 more probable ones, at the cost of five pilots and 18 aircraft. Even if it was liked by the pilots, specially for its confort, it had also its flaws, specially its lack of power compared with the most modern enemy aircraft - the Messerschmitt Bf.109-, its weak armament (in the earlier versions which only had four machine guns) and its inadequate armour in the fuel tanks.
During the Battle of France, all the H-75 were active all the time, with a fifth squadron , GC III/2, having been converted from the Morane-Saulnier M.S.406 to the Hawk at the very end of May. Initially they were sent to Belgium to support the ground forces during the initial offensive, but after the 10th June they were chased from one base to another by the German onslaught. During late June all the surviving Hawks started to fall back to French North Africa, crossing the Mediterranean on their own.
At the end of the Battle of France, the Curtiss-equipped units scored more than 300 enemy aircraft, 233 confirmed and 84 probables) for the loss of thirty pilots to combat and accidents. 
Some French pilots acquired their ace status flying the Hawk, like Edmond Marin la Meslée with 16 confirmed kills, Camille Plubeau or Jean Accart, among others, with GC I/5 being the unit with most aces in the 1939-1940 period. 
On the other hand, it is estimated that a hundred or so machines were lost to various reasons such as combat, accidents, destroyed on the ground, etc, being those one third of the delivered machines. 

The Hawk was also employed by the Escadron de Protection de l'usine SNCAC (SNCAC factory protection flight - commonly known as the Bourges factory patrol-) , a fighter unit of the Polish Air Forces in France subordinated to the 1st Fighter Group "Kr". This unit was formed after the 10th May to protect SNCAC factory from bomber raids, with several Polish pilots being assigned there. 
From 16th to 24th May two Polish airmen, Sgt. Jan Kremski and Sgt Waclaw Giermer claimed to have shot down one Heinkel He.111 of 8./KG.51. This patrol saw action again on 5th June when four Polish pilots accompanied by Lt. Marcel Haegelen, chief pilot of SNCAC and an ace from World War 1, took off to intercept He.111s of KG.55. With the assistance of many other French fighters present in the area, several bombers were shot down. One of such kills was awarded to Cne. Bronislaw Kosinski, Lt. Marian Wesolowski and Sgt. Kremski together with Lt. Col. Haegelen shared his twenty-third victory.
(to be concluded)

Sources:
1st Histoire & Collections - Avions et Pilotes 7 - French Aircraft from 1939 to 1942 Volume1 Amiot to Curtiss
2nd https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1st_Fighter_Group_(Poland)
3rd https://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Klucz_Kominowy_(Kr) (translated)
4th Mushroom Model Magazine - Red Series 5112 - Curtiss Hawk H-75 in French Service
5th AJ-Press - Monografie Lotnicze 61 - Curtiss P-36 Hawk Part 1 (translated)

Curtiss Hawk 75A/Mohawk. Part thirteen. The Hawk in France. Part one.

 

In late 1937 the French Conseil Supérieur de l'Air (Air Council - depending of the Ministry of the Air), realised that French aircraft manufacturers alone could not equip the Armée de l'Air (French Air Force) with enough fighters, specially after the objectives of the so-called "Plan V", which was in force at the time, could not be achieved. It was decided therefore to ask for help to foreign manufacturers, so several diplomatic missions were set off, including one to the USSR. With the exception of the Netherlands, from which fifty Koolhoven FK-58 fighters were purchased, no other European country seemed able to supply the desired amount of aircraft in the required period. This made the Conseil to turn their interests towards the United States, where unofficial negotiations were already underway since late 1937 by Baron de la Grange, a personal friend of Presiden Roosevelt. 
The newly appointed Air Minister, Guy la Chambre, set instructions for several hundred of foreign modern fighters to be purchased. Given the short delivery dates the French demanded, the choice was limited to just two fighter models, with very similar performance rates: the Seversky P-35 and the Curtiss H-75. The United States Army Air Corps (USAAC) picked the P-35, so the French turned towards the Curtiss H-75.
Negotiations were specially long an difficult, as the French complained that the unit purchase price was much higher than that of a Morane-Saulnier Ms.406 or a Bloch M.B.152, however, the delays suffered by the French national aircraft industry, together with the deterioration of the European political situation, meant that the Frenchs agreed, and an initial contract for a hundred machines, called H-75A-1 was finally signed in May 1938. These fighters were identical to the P-36A, differing only in being equipped with French equipment such as radio, sights, gauges set in metric system and so on. It was powered by the Pratt & Whitney Twin Wasp R-1830 SC3G radial engine rated at 1,050 hp and had the throttle reversed to comply the general practice of the Armée de l'Air. These machines were armed with four 7.5mm Browning machine guns, two in the engine cowling and two in the wings, built under license in France. 
The prototype of this batch was tested at Buffalo, New York in November 1938 by one of Curtiss' test pilots and later, the first plane intended for France was tested by one pilot of Centre d'Expérimentation du Materiel Aérien (CEMA - Air Equipment Experimental Centre). The machines were dismantled, packed into crates and shipped to le Havre, France, where they arrived on 24th December just to be sent to the SNCAC (Société Nationale de Construction Aéronautique du Centre) at Bourges, which was tasked with re-assembling the Hawks in early 1939.
After the Munich Crisis in September 1938 the international situation deteriorated significantly, and French aircraft manufacturers still could not meet the objectives, so further negotiations were held to purchase the new Curtiss fighter, the H-81 (P-40 Warhawk), however, this project never came into fruition due to delays in the manufacture of the Allison engine it was powered by. Therefore, the Frenchs opted for an improved version of the H-75, which was already foresaw when the first contract was signed.
This improved version featured a reinforced rear fuselage and was powered by a Twin Wasp SG3G radial engine, which was slightly more powerful than its predecessor and, from machine number 141 onwards, was armed with two extra machine guns in the wings, with some older models being retrofitted to this new weapon arrangement. 
These new machines were designated as H-75A-2 and a new order was placed for one hundred more machines.
When the war began in September 1939 all the ordered fighters had already been delivered to the France and were taken in charge by the Armée de l'Air with Groupe de Chasse (GC) I/5, II/5 and I/4 in March and April 1939 being the first ones to be equipped with them. Those squadrons were still equipped with the outdated Dewoitine D.500 or D.501 and were going to be equipped by the new Bloch M.B. 151 and M.B. 152, but their entry into service was being delayed. Those units were followed by GC II/4 which received its new machines in early summer 1939. 
In August 1939 a new French commission was sent to the USA to purchase further new fighters as national production could not still meet the objectives of Plan V, which were expected to achieve the following spring.
In spite of difficult negotiations aggravated by the recent state of war and the declaration of neutrality of the USA, the Frenchs managed to sign a contract - more expensive than the previous ones - in early October 1939 for a total of 535 H-75s, with deliveries taking place over the following year, and one hundred of the new H-81 which was becoming available. Moreover one thousand engines and propellers were also ordered with a production license for the Twin Wasp engine to be manufactured by Talbot-Lago. (To be continued)

Sources:
1st Histoire & Collections - Avions et Pilotes 7 - French Aircraft from 1939 to 1942 Volume1 Amiot to Curtiss
2nd AJ-Press - Monografie Lotnicze 61 - Curtiss P-36 Hawk Part 1

Curtiss Hawk 75A/Mohawk. Part twelve. The Hawk in Portugal.

 

During World War 2, Portugal maintained neutrality, but with an eye put on whether Germany would respect it or not. 
Before 1939, thirty Gloster Gladiator biplane fighters were bought from Great Britain, after the British government refused the sale of fifteen Spitfire Mk. I, however, shortly later, in 1940 it was decided that the Portuguese Air Arm needed more modern fighters. Unfortunately, British fighters were not an option, the Royal Air Force (RAF) was in need of every fighter they could get, to defend British Isles during the Battle of Britain. 
However, as the German threat dissipated, the Portuguese government insisted on the supply of modern monoplane fighters. With the transfer of the Gladiator Flights to the Azores islands and the third fighter Flight not formed yet, the Portuguese mainland was left without fighter defence. 
The British Air Ministry, as an answer to the Portuguese requests, allowed the release of a number of Curtiss Mohawks, which were in RAF's reserves in the United Kingdom. 
Thanks to this 16 Mohawks were shipped to Portugal during the summer of 1941. Of the initial batch of 16, five were heavily damaged during the transport to Lisbon, requiring reparations before they could be employed. By January 1942 eleven aircraft were ready for flight after being assembled at Alverca and having their engines overhauled. They were based at Ota base, close to Lisbon, by April.
During the months of April and May, two accidents took place killing their pilots. 
Meanwhile, Captain Machado de Barros left Lajes, in the Azores, together with the Gladiator Flights and was tasked with the creation of Esquadrilha Expedicionária de Caça nº3  (EEC - Expeditionary Fighter Flight No.3), which was to include the Mohawks. The new flight would replace the Gladiators of EEC 1, which were based at Rabo de Peixe airfield, on Sao Miguel island, which soon would return to mainland Portugal.
However, one year later, the transfer to the Azores was not yet completed and, by June 1943 Mohawks were still based at Ota, with one more aircraft lost in July, and another one lost in October reducing their number to just seven operational aircraft.
It wasn't until 14th July 1944 that the first Mohawk Flight was officially commissioned at Rabo de Peixe airfield at Sao Miguel island, replacing EEC1 which was disbanded during the meantime.
The actual number of Mohawks that served in the Azores was revealed to be just seven and their service in the Azores wasn't bright. They suffered continuous fuel shortages preventing normal use of the aircraft and enough training for the pilots. 
After two more accidents taking place between December 1944 and August 1945, EEC 3 was disbanded as fighter aircraft on the Azores had became irrelevant with the end of the war in Europe. Mohawks were withdrawn from service at Sao Miguel, with not a single one returning to continental Portugal.
Overall the Mohawks were not well liked by Portuguese pilots as its fully electrical systems were prone to malfunction in adverse environments. Given that the Azores Archipelago is known for its difficult weather conditions, with high humidity, salty atmosphere, high rainfall and strong winds, the probability of failures was high. Another complaint was the unreliability of the engine, which caused most of the accidents and the placement of some instruments within the cockpit.

Sources:
1st AJ-Press - Monografie Lotnicze 61 - Curtiss P-36 Hawk Part 1 (translated)
2nd Mushroom Model Magazine - White Series 9130 - Portuguese-Fighter-colours -1919-1956

Curtiss Hawk 75A/Mohawk. Part eleven. The Hawk in Norwegian hands.

 

The history of the Norwegian Hawks began in 1938, when the Norwegian government decided to modernize its aerial fleet. Since its own aviation industry was not prepared to develop modern aircraft, it was decided to purchase them abroad.These initial purchases resulted in a dozen of British Gloster Gladiator biplanes, which, although they were not as modern as the German machines, they were modern enough to allow a smooth transition from older biplanes to all-metal fighters, which significantly improved performance.However, the initial plan was to equip the whole aerial fleet with modern monoplanes with retractable landing gear.During the very early war Norway remained neutral. However, the Munich Crisis made it clear that the Germans would not be overly concerned if war broke out. To counter those pressures, the Norwegians needed new aircraft immediately, so in June 1939  a commission headed by Eckhoff, Motzfelt and Reistad (Norwegian Army representatives) was sent to the United States, where they were offered designs from Seversky and Vultee. However, it was clear that the U.S. Army Air Corps itself was struggling with the P-35 and Vultee was unable to produce large numbers of aircraft in a short time, so Curtiss became the only design alternative.On 12th August a contract was signed for the purchase of 12 A-6 Hawks, basically identical to the French A-1, except that the 7.9mm machine-guns were assembled in Buffalo, New York, instead at the customer's facility, as it was the case with the French aircraft. In addition to purchase the pre-built aircraft, the Norwegians obtained the rights to manufacture 24 at their own facility in Kjeller, near Oslo.
On 27th September, with the war already underway, it was clear that the deadline, set for 1st July 1940, could not be completed, so Norway decided to expand its order by another 12 completed aircraft to equip the next squadron. The first of this new batch arrived in Oslo on 20th February 1940, followed by 18 more in four batches from 15th March to 1st April. By 9th April one aircraft was waiting at Kjeller, ready to begin trials and with its armament mounted, five were also in various stages of assembly waiting to be completed at Kjeller (including three unarmed ones), and five were still in crates in Bergen. Of the eight that arrived in Oslo on 1st April, some had been delivered to Kjeller, and five were still on board SS Idefiord transport ship.
The two dozen Hawk plus twelve Gladiators, were not a force that could hold the German Luftwaffe, and Norway was well aware of this, so in January 1940 it was decided to send another delegation to the USA. It arrived in Washington in late February 1940 and was led by Captain Motzfeldt, from the army and Ostby from the Navy. They immediately headed to the Curtiss-Wright factory and a contract for 29 Hawks was quickly negotiated and expanded later to include seven more aircraft. Therefore, a total of 36 Hawks were ordered. In addition, 36 Douglas 8A Nomad bombers and 24 Northrop N3P-B patrol seaplanes were also purchased.
The Hawks chosen by the Norwegians were the Hawk 75A-8 variant, which was identical to the French A-4 with Wright engines. The latter was armed with two 12.7mm (0.50") Browning machine guns.
Externally the A-8 version was recognizable by the teardrop-shaped radome on the fuselage aft the cockpit, to host the radio half-compass antenna. The first of these aircraft, together with other ten, was to be delivered between December 1940 and 25th January 1941 but, as expected, they were never delivered.
The German attack on Norway found most of the Hawks in crates. Only a few were assembled, and even these did not see combat. It's most likely that some were destroyed during aerial bombing raids. After the German invasion, the Norwegians attempted to hide the aircraft that survived, but the Germans found them all.
It's estimated that there were nineteen of them. Almost all, if not all, were later brought to Germany, where they were adapted to local standards by replacing some equipment, such as sights.
The Norwegian Hawks did not serve for long time. Thirteen of them were later transferred to Finland, while the fate of the remaining six is unknown.
While all that was taking place, the five aircraft aboard SS Idefiord had returned to England, where they were briefly considered for combat in northern Norway, but the idea never materialized due to the lack of radio and armament. They were then offered to France, but the French declined before the offer could be accepted.
Eventually, on 24th September 1940 the Royal Air Force (RAF) purchased them from Norwegian representatives in London, together with four Heinkel He.115s also previously owned by Norway, for the low price of £86,000. These five five Hawks were most likely AR-630 to AR-634.
After the fall of Norway, the purchasing committee members, still in the United States, were left with 96 ordered aircraft and a hundred Cyclone engines. Initially, they intended to resell them to Great Britain, but the RAF didn't want American aircraft because building the entire infrastructure for such a small number would be too expensive, and besides, they already had their better designs. Another idea was to replaced the ordered Hawk 75A-8 with P-40s built for the RAF, but this idea was also never implemented.
At the same time, in the United States, the Norwegian legation's air attaché, Oscar Klingenberg, stepped in came up with the idea of organizing training squadrons for Norwegians pilots in Canada, following the example of the RAF. Klingenberg contacted the Canadian consul in Washington and received assurances that an air base in Toronto could made available to him shortly. The Norwegian diplomat chose Canada for two good reasons: First, the British had virtually no available bases on the islands and second, the ordered Hawk 75A-8s were still in the United States, so transporting them to Canada meant no problem at all. Ultimately the airfield on Lake Ontario was leased indefinitely, and a headquarters was established in the suburbs of Toronto. The entire complex soon became known as "Little Norway".
The first 36 Hawks arrived at Toronto on 16th December 1940 with the last one landing on 4th February 1941. There, the aircraft were assembled and tested. Together with the Hawks, the ordered Douglas bombers were also delivered, making this unit's total to 72 aircraft. This was too many for its needs, and since both aircraft were not intended for operational service, it was decided to put half of them up for sale. 
Peru soon purchased the surplus Hawks, and earlier countries such as Canada, China, the Soviet Union and Belgium had expressed interest. Peru didn't buy the Hawks directly from the Norwegians, but through the United States Army Air Corps (USAAC), which first bought them and re-designated the fighters as RP-36G, with the letter "R" standing for "Restricted" meaning that they were undervalued as front-line aircraft but could be useful in second-line duties. They were also given new serial numbers and were delivered to the USAAC between 18th June and later July 1941 and were later transferred to Peru under a Lend-Lease agreement.
Shortly after the Norwegians decided to close their school and continue training pilots within RAF units. The remaining aircraft, including 12 Hawks (six of which were involved in accidents and were written off), were reacquired by the USAAC and were renumbered and designated P-36G to be later sold to Peru, as previously stated.
One aircraft crashed during a flight from Toronto to the United States. When the Norwegians disposed of their aircraft, they also sold the radio equipment, which the Peruvians did not need. Initially, they categorically refused to pay for the Lear radios, which were no longer needed there, but the firm stance of "Little Norway" meant that the additional $90,000 was regretted, and the radios were purchased along with the aircraft.

Sources:
1st AJ-Press - Monografie Lotnicze 61 - Curtiss P-36 Hawk Part 1 (translated)
2nd https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-36_Hawk#Norway

Curtiss Hawk 75A/Mohawk. Part ten. The Hawk in service with the Luftwaffe.

 

The Germans got some Hawks at the cheapest cost. They captured many of them in France after its surrender. For instance, in Bourges, ten aircraft were found in advanced state of assembly. They were completed by specialists from Arado, but they all were most likely lost during trials. Around 25 more Hawks were captured by the Germans in Chateauroux, and 20 or 21 more aircraft were found in French ports. Those aircraft were sent to Wuppertal plant, where their radio equipment was replaced with FuG-7a radios and their sights with Revi C-12s. A number of aircraft were captured at airfields, and some were later used for familiarization flights for selected German pilots.
In fact, between August and October 1940 one staffel, 7/JG.77 based in Brittany, flew at least twelve H75s. Some were also employed by the Jagdfliegerschule 4, near Nuremberg. 
In November 1942 Germany invaded Vichy France, putting an end to the "Free" French zone, seizing the Hawks still present there too, among many other war material. 
However, most Hawks were in such sorry state that were beyond repair. At least 13 and 19 at most were also captured in Norway, when Germany invaded in 1940.
Most of the Hawks were handed to Finland.


 

Sources:
1st AJ Press - Monografie Lotnicze 61 - Curtiss P-36 Hawk (translated)
2nd https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-36_Hawk#Nazi_Germany

Curtiss Hawk 75A/Mohawk. Part nine. The Hawk in Finland.

 

Finland became one of Germany's allies, not out of any sympathy for fascism. The main reason was its aggressive neighbour, the Soviet Union, which attacked the Nordic country by surprise on 30th November 1939, waging the so-called 'Winter War'. 
The heroic and effective of not just the Finnish army, but the entire Finnish society allowed Finland to keep its independence, albeit at the cost of some territorial losses. In this conflict the Soviets suffered very heavy losses, even if they were fighting an enemy several times weaker in numbers.

That stance won worldwide sympathy for the Finnish, but that sympathy soon faded away when Germany attacked the USSR and Finland sided with the Axis, as it was the only way to maintain their independence.
Finnish pilots were renown for their remarkable successes in aircraft deemed unsuitable for combat in other countries, like the American Brewster Buffalo. This was, of course, mainly due to the conditions they faced,. the abysmal quality of their equipment and the lack of experience of most Soviet pilots, faced with the determination with the Finnish pilots fought for their country. Among the aircraft that composed the Finnish Ilmavoimat (Air Force) there were also some Curtiss Hawks.

The first Hawks delivered to Finland were sent by the Germans, after the conquest of Norway. These consisted on several A-6 models delivered in the spring of 1941. After Operation Barbarossa in June 1941, additional Hawks were delivered to Finland, this time captured from the French. The Hawks of this batch included seven A-4 and nine A-2/A-3. The next delivery took place between 28th July and 2nd August 1941 and included 11 Hawk 75A-1, one A-3 and one A-6. Two more A-3 arrived in Finland on 4th and 5th December 1941.
Many of those ex-French aircraft were only now being unpacked from the crates in which they were shipped across the Atlantic, as they were not assembled before the fall of France. 
In the Finnish workshops, where they were being now assembled, their radio equipment and sights were replaced by German Revi 3D or C/12D ones. 
In the spring of 1943, the Ilmavoimat received 15 additional Hawks, this time ex-Vichy France ones.

In total the Finns had 44 Hawks, including six A-1s, nine A-2s, nine A-3s, seven A-4s and thirteen A-6s. They affectionately nicknamed them "Curtissi" or "Sussu" (meaning 'sweetheart' in Suomi), but complains about their poor armament or problems with the Cyclone engines in their seven A-4s were common. At the turn of 1942/1943 only four A-4s remained operative and their engines were replaced with Twin Wasp ones.

In service with the Finns the Hawk was, overall well-liked with a good victory-to-loss ratio. In total Finns Hawks scored 190 and one-third kills for the loss of 15 of their own between 16th July 1941 and 27th July 1944, the dates of the Continuation War.
The Finnish Hawks were initially armed with either four or six 7.5mm machine guns. This was enough at the opening phases of the Continuation War, however, due to the increasing speeds and armour on Soviet aircraft, that arrangement was not powerful enough, so in 1942 the Finnish Valtion lentokonetehdas (State Aircraft Factory) replaced the fuselage machine guns with either one or to .50 in (12.7mm) Colt or Browning FN machine guns and installed two or four .303 in (7.7mm)  Browning machine guns in each wing. Some cannibalized 12.7mm Berezin UB or LKk/42 heavy machine guns were also employed. This new arrangement did not change the good flying characteristics of the Hawks and the armament was much more effective against Soviet aircraft. 

After Continuation and Lapland Wars, surviving Finnish Hawks remained in service with various Ilmavoimat squadrons, namely HLeLv 13, 11 and LeSK (training unit) until 30th August 1948 when the last operational Finnish Hawks were put into storage. In 1953 they were scrapped.

Sources:
1st AJ Press - Monografie Lotnicze 61 - Curtiss P-36 Hawk part 1
2nd https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-36_Hawk#Finland

Curtiss Hawk 75A/Mohawk. Part Eight. In service with the Royal Air Force.

 

The Curtiss Hawk 75 also served with the Royal Air Force (RAF). It all dates back when the Franco-British purchase committees decided to coordinate their activities, which proved to be an excellent idea, albeit rather risky. Aircraft production orders in the United States for both countries were closely linked, and cancelling contracts with one could mean, at best, delays in deliveries with the other. Furthermore, it would also mean the renegotiation of prices. Since Great Britain was unable to produce enough aircraft at the beginning of the war, it relied heavily on supplies from the United States. 
At the same time, by spring 1940 it was becoming obvious that France would fall soon, leaving the United Kingdom as the only bastion in Europe holding back the German war machine. In this situation, commission chairman Arthur Parvis could not allow the American contracts to fall through. On 15th June 1940 he received a confidential message from London telling that France could capitulate at any moment and therefore, appropriate measures should be taken to secure the ordered equipment which was still in American soil. 
That same day, at midnight, Purvis received authorization from London to take every steep needed to save British orders. French Colonel Jacquin, residing at the Rockefeller Center, in New York and serving on the French commission on behalf of his government, met up with Purvis on 16th June. The Frenchman was well aware that the war was already lost for his country, and after discussion, it was decided that Great Britain would take over all remaining French orders.
There was a strong need of urgency, because with the resignation government in Paris, all authority held by the commission members in the US was terminated. On 17th June the French signed the relevant documents almost simultaneously with Marshal Petain's announcement of surrender, signed four days later. By then, however, all equipment originally intended for France, already belonged to Great Britain. That same day, the equipment remaining in the US destined for shipment, was secured and all French assets were frozen.

At this same time, many French Hawk 75 were landing in England, fleeing from the German invasion, crossing the English Channel. Among them were pilots of the A-1, A-2 and A-3 versions of the Hawk 75. In this way a small numbers of them ended in the RAF. A few more A-3s came directly from the United States, but these were aircraft that did not make it to their original destination in France and the ships that they were loaded in, were diverted to England, while on sea. Alongside those, five more Hawk 75A-6 from a Norwegian order, wich was also never fully fulfilled, ended up in British hands. However, the largest number of Hawks delivered to Great Britain came from the third French order and represented the A-4 variant. 
Individual aircraft received RAF registration numbers and the name 'Mohawk', with the Mohawk Mk. I being the Hawk 75A-1, Mohawk Mk. II, the 75A-2 and so on, depending on the version. It is estimated that there were around 196 of the Mohawk Mk. IV (Hawk 75A-4). However, it should be remembered that ten Hawk 75A-9 previously intended for Persia and five A-5s manufactured in India were also designated at Mohawk Mk. IV. The total amount of A-4s coming from France remains unknown, although it is estimated at 233 to 260 (255 plus 5 Indian ones). 

Given that the earlier Mohawk I and II version, were equipped with a much less powerful engine, they were transferred to training units as training aids for mechanics. They were also frequently used for various tests. Similarly, the Mohawk IVs were not considered equal to the British Hurricanes and Spitfires, but rather served as a reserve in case of disruptions in the supply of those British fighters.
All ex-French aircraft were first transferred to Burtonwood Aircraft Repair Depot in a gradual fashion, where instruments were replaced with those calibrated in British units, and British radio equipment and armament were installed. Instead of the Belgian-made machine guns, the Mohawks were equipped with British 7.7mm (0.303 in) Browning machine guns. It also became necessary to re-adjust the throttle lever movement to the standard pattern used everywhere except in France. It was at Burtonwood where those fighter were repainted in standard RAF day fighter camouflage. 

Mohawks weren't specially popular in the RAF, just like any other radial-engined fighter, except for the Gloster Gladiator. Pilots might had fewer reservations about them, but mechanics often quibbled. American fighters required American spare parts and American tools to operate. Even if a set of tools was included with each wooden crate containing a disassembled Hawk, they wore out quickly and, it's should be pointed that not all aircraft arrived in England disassembled. Even rivets of a diameter not used in the RAF posed a problem, not to mention the Wright engines, which had not been used in British aircraft until then. Furthermore, in 1941 the production of the Hawk 75 was completely discontinued and replaced by the Curtiss P-40, ceasing consequently the production of spare parts for the Hawk 75. In this situation, the British Mohawks quickly found themselves in secondary theatres of the the war, such as Abyssinia and India-Burma. 
In this theatre it was employed by Nos. 5 and 155 Squadrons, which saw some combat against Japanese fighters during 1942. However, as obsolete as they were, the type was mainly employed in bomber escort and ground attack duties until it was retired definitely in 1944. Some few units in the British Isles, No. 510 Squadron among them, also employed some old Mohawk III as squadron hacks during 1943.

It's also worth pointing that the Hawk 75 flew comparative flight tests against the Spitfire Mk. I. These took place between 29th December 1939 and 13th January 1940 at the Royal Aircraft Establishment, with the Hawk 75A-2 (No. 188 -coming from the French order-) being declared as winner. It turned out that, aside from top speed and dive acceleration, the Hawk outperformed its rival every aspect. It was more agile, climbed faster and dived at higher speeds. Pilots also found it more pleasant to fly, take off and land thanks to its more stable landing gear. 
However, while the Hawk could easily outmanoeuvre the Spitfire and get on its tail, the British fighter could simply escape without any problems, taking advantage of its considerable speed advantage.

 

Sources:
1st AJ-Press - Monografie Lotnicze 61 - Curtiss P-36 Hawk Part 1 (translated)
2nd https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-36_Hawk  

Curtiss Hawk 75A/Mohawk. Part Six. The Curtiss 75 Hawk in China.

 

The Curtiss Model 75H was a simplified export variant of the Curtiss Model 75 fighter built with fixed landing gear, powered by a Wright GR-1820 radial engine rated at 875 hp. It was used as a demonstrator for various countries, among them, China.
The first Model 75H was completed in June 1937 and was soon shipped to China. On 25th August 1937 it was shown in Nanjing where, Madame Soong Mei-Ling, General Secretary of the Aviation Commission for the Kuomintang Government acquired the demonstrator for $35,000 of the time and gifted it to Colonel Claire Chennault, back then, advisor to the Republic of China Air Force (ROCAF). The Model 75H was interesting for the ROCAF as it was powered by the same engine that the Curtiss Hawk III biplane, the backbone of ROCAF fighter force, so it was familiar to both pilots and ground crew.
After having acquired the aircraft Chennault instructed American technicians to install weapons on the 75H, including one .5-caliber and one .3-inch machine gun in the nose, and one .3-inch fixed machine gun on each wing. He also invited his colleagues Billy McDonald and John Williamson as well as Col. Mao Bangchu and Major Huang Panyang from China to train on the aircraft. 
Apparently, during the Battle of Shanghai Chennault himself flew the 75H on many reconnaissance flights, witnessing various stages of that battle. After the fall of Shanghai, the 75H was passed on to the leader of ROCAF's 17th Squadron, Huang Panyang who also employed the type for recon duties. Later it was passed on to 25th Squadron on 7th May 1938, where its leader Tang Busheng flew it too. During this time, the 75H was flown to Nanjing, under heavy Japanese anti-air fire and, when approaching to its homebase, it suffered a spin when landing, causing several damage beyond repair.

In September 1937, two weeks after the demonstration flight of the 75H, the Chinese Government ordered from Curtiss thirty Model 68 Hawk III biplanes and thirty Model 75M, which was the mass-production variant of the 75H having also a fixed landing gear. Those sixty aircraft arrived disassembled in Guangzhou during the early summer of 1938 and on 9th July 1938 the 25th Squadron received its first 75M in Hengyuang, province of Hunan, under the guidance of Chief Advisor Chennault.
The whole squadron was not fully equipped with the 75M until 5th August 1938. 
It was then discovered that those aircraft were shipped directly from the United States without test flights and they were 20 mph (32 km/h) slower than expected. They were also prone to suffer many mechanical failures. Curtiss urgently dispatched an investigation team to China to handle the situation, which reached to the conclusion that the fighters were in perfect conditions and it was ground personnel's fault for not following maintenance procedures, specially on the mechanical maintenance section, as they did not have good understanding of the functions of the aircraft's components and lacked technical skills.
On 18th August 1938 a force consisting on 27 Japanese fighters attacked Hengyuang and Sqd. Ldr. Tang Busheng faced the enemy with a force consisting on three 75M and seven Polikarpov I-152. During the ensuing fight one 75M was shot down with another one damaged. Sqn. Ldr. Tang was killed in action and the other two 75M were forced to land.
On 24th August the 25th Squadron was rebased to Liuzhou, in the province of Guangxi. Later, on 18th September twenty-four Japanese bombers escorted by a force of twenty-two fighters bombed Liuzhou, destroying one 75M, causing the 25th Squadron to be rebased again, this time to Zhijiang in Hunan. 
From Zhijiang both 25th and 16th Squadrons (this last one was recently equipped with the 75M) performed joint training under Chennault supervision. Later on 7th and 8th November thirty-six Japanese aircraft attacked Hengyand Zhijiang with both squadrons dispatching a total of eight 75Ms to engage them. During this battle two Japanese aircraft were shot down and another one was damaged, with one 75M being destroyed on the ground. 
On 11th January 1939, Sqn. Ldr. Liu Yijun, deputy leader Zhang Mufei , Sqn. Ldr. Zhang Xuecheng, Mu Yuwen and Zhang Yaonan flew five 75M to Chongqing, province of Sichuan, where the 75M were handed over to the 18th Squadron, however, on the return trip the transport where those pilots were travelling back crashed killing all the officers. As a result, both 25th and 16th squadrons were short on personnel and equipment and had to be disbanded. 
After the fall of Wuhan in October 1938, Hengyang was in range of Japanese bombers so it suffered frequent aerial attacks. That's why 16th Squadron, which was recently equipped with the 75M, and under command of Cpt. Yang Hongding, was transferred to Zhijiang. After completing joint training, it was transferred to Yibin, Sichuan during early 1939 to provide aerial defence in Chongqing, the wartime capital of the Republic of China back then. In June 1938 every aircraft and some personnel of 16th squadron was merged into 18th Squadron with the 16th being officially disbanded in August. The 18th squadron was officially established in November 1938, with Cpt. Yang Yibai in command. In January 1939 the unit was transferred to Kunming, province of Yunnan for advanced training and provide aerial defence of the city. In April they took part in the interception of enemy aircraft by a mixed formation led by Hu Zhuangru, the officer academy's fighter squadron leader. In May they were transferred back to Yibin to serve in the night-fighter role in Chongqing. In December 1939 they took part in the Guinan campaign and from January to May 1940 they served as aerial defence alerts in the Kunming area to protect the important Yunnan-Indochina railway. In June 1940 they returned to Chongqing to, once again, protect the capital and serve in aerial defence operations between Chengdu and Chongqing until the end of 1940. 
Shortly after the squadron was disbanded too. The remaining aircraft were transferred to the 11th Squadron, dedicated to the training role in January 1941. 
It was during this year that the remaining units of the ROCAF went to India to receive aircraft provided by the United States. The 75Ms were handed over to the 3rd Squadron, which remained in Chengdu. By 1942 a small number of 75Ms were still in service. Among them at least two were provided by the American personnel who were present in China at the time when the B-25 Mitchell bombers belonging to the famous Doolittle Raid made an emergency landing.

There was another variant that served in China, the Hawk 75Q. This variant featured a retractable undercarriage and was armed with one .5-inch and one .3-inch machine gun in the nose, plus two 23mm Danish-made Madsen cannons in the wings, similar to both the XP-36F and the Hawk 75A-5. It was shipped together with a Curtiss CW-21 light fighter to CAMCO's (China Aircraft Manufacturing Company) facilities in Leiyun, province of Yunnan to be assembled. 
After flight tests it was flown to Chengdu to take part in mock aerial dogfights against the Soviet-made Polikarpov I-153 and I-16 of the ROCAF, proving the 75Q to be superior to both. 
After those testing additional components of the 75A-5 were delivered to Leiyun but they were soon evacuated to Bangalore, India, due to Japanese bombing and their advancing army. 
There, they were handed to Hindustan Aircraft, where they were completed. 
For more information about their fate, check out our previous post about Asian users of the Curtiss Hawk 75.

Sources:
1st https://cwlam2000.epizy.com/caf35.htm (translated and adapted)
2nd  AJ-Press - Monografie Lotnicze 61 - Curtiss P-36 Hawk Part 1 (translated)
3rd https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-36_Hawk

Curtiss Hawk 75A/Mohawk. Part Five. Various Asians users.

 

The Curtiss 75 was also employed by various users in Asia, among them, the following ones:

• British Raj: During the late 1930s India was technologically comparable to "average Asian country" and, therefore, had to rely on assistance from industrialized European countries. However, at the outbreak of the war and amidst the Japanese expansion, a group of industrialists from Bombay decided to establish an aircraft factory in Poona. This group was contacted by William D. Pawley, an American entrepreneur who funded the Chinese Central Aircraft Manufacturing Company or CAMCO and was looking for a new location for the company. The reason for this was the Japanese threat to CAMCO facilities in China, so, in December 1939 an agreement was signed.
  When French Indochina fell in September 1940 and Japan expanded its holdings, work on organizing the Indian aircraft industry intensified. On Christmas Eve 1940, Hindustan Aircraft Limited (HAL) was officially confirmed, with shares held by Intercontinent Corporation represented by Pawley, and the local Indian Government. 
  Raw materials and semi-finished products were to be shipped from the United States and several dozens of Chinese and Indian specialists were sent to that country and Great Britain to expand their knowledge and gain the experience needed. They were to take top positions at HAL and CAMCO plants. 
  Since production was expected to be quite substantial, it was decided to relocate the HAL factory from Poona to Bangalore in southern India. In August 1941, the first aircraft was manufactured there, a Harlow PC-5 trainer.
  At that time CAMCO's operations at Loiwing (Yunnan province - south-west China, where CAMCO moved its headquarters) were practically inexistant. In April 1941 the Indian government placed its first major order at HAL for 48 Hawk 75, intended to equip some squadrons at the Royal Indian Air Force. These were built using parts and equipment salvaged from the remains of Loiwing plant, which was destroyed after a Japanese bombardment on 26th October 1940, and surrendered by the Chinese government. 
  Production in India was largely dependent on American supply, which significantly curtailed after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, as when the United States entered the war every raw material suitable for wartime production was retained. Export plans changed, now entirely controlled by colonial government. As a result, HAL plant suffered greatly and production there was extremely slow until mid-1942 when larger contracts were assigned: thirty Harlow PC-5 trainers, 24 Vultee V-12 bombers, Hawks and transport gliders. It was also very valuable the ability to overhaul Allied aircraft from nearby stationed units and supply them with new equipment. One of the larger orders was for 600 jettisonable auxiliary fuel tanks for the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF).
  However, both the United States and Great Britain did not consider HAL plant as a viable investment and an American mission was sent there to assess the capabilities of the Indian industry and concluded that it should be treated more as a repair base than a full-fledged supplier of equipment. Influenced by this opinion the Indian colonial government severely limited the orders and, as a result, only five Hawk 75A-5 were manufactured in Bangalore, the first of which took off on 31st July 1942.
  In addition to those five aircraft, numerous Hawk 75s were deployed on Indian soil by Royal Air Force's units stationed there. More than 80 of these were British Mohawk Mk. IV.
  The Royal Indian Auxiliary Air Force operated some Mohawk IVs, which were initially intended for Iran. The No. 1 (Indian) Operational Training Unit, based at Risalpur, operated the type until late July 1942..
  
  
• Dutch East Indies: One of Curtiss' earliest customers was the Dutch East Indies, for wich the Dutch government purchased P-6 Hawk biplane fighters and got a production license for their construction in 1929. Those fighters constituted the backbone of that colonial air force until 1935 when it was determined that effective protection required large seaplanes or patrol boats as well as long-range bombers capable of attacking a potential invasion fleet far from shore. However, it was also foresaw that those aircraft, as well as the many naval bases in that region, would need fighter protection. 
  Initially the Royal Dutch Navy considered the purchase of Curtiss P-6 Hawk biplane fighters to defend the airspace of Soerabaja naval base. However, the need for more fighters arose in 1938 when the Dutch government decided to modernize the Royal Dutch East Indies' Air Force with new equipment. The American offer, with the Curtiss-Wright CW-21 Demon export fighter, was chosen. A decision was made to purchase 35 CW-21, however due to pressures from the parliament, that amount was reduced to 24 aircraft in October 1939.
  The issue of selling Hawk 75 aircraft to the Dutch arose during the negotiations for the CW-21 contract. In June 1939, Bob Fausel (Curtiss' factory pilot) was at Bandoeng airport, on Java, tasked with presenting the proposed aircraft to the local military forces. Persuading them wasn't easy, as they thought that in island conditions, most operations would be conducted over open sea, so single-seat, single-engined aircraft were simply not viable. Larger machines with a crew of at least one pilot and one navigator were required, according to their doctrine. Fausel, however, convinced them of the exact opposite, although, as he admitted later, their decision was probably influenced by France, China and Norway as, if those countries ordered or operated the type, then the Curtiss Hawk 75 couldn't been a bad aircraft.
  Negotiations conducted at the turn of 1939 and 1940 resulted in the purchase of several different types of aircraft, including two fighters: the Brewster B-339D Buffalo (an export variant produced for and hated by the US Navy) and the Curtiss Hawk 75A-7. One hundred and sixty-four Buffalos were ordered, against only 20 Hawk 75s. They were to be delivered between July and August 1940.
  The first of Dutch Hawk 75 was flown personally by Fausel on 16th April 1940 and the first batch was dispatched on 6th May. Nine more were ready at New York to be shipped when Germany invaded the Netherlands on 10th May. At that moment planes' destination was changed and, instead of heading to the colony, they were to be sent to mainland Netherlands to defend it against Germany. However, before they could reach their new destination, Netherlands capitulated and the Hawk 75s were shipped to Java, as originally intended. 
  By 1st August 1940 every delivered aircraft was assembled and transferred to 1. Jachafdeling (1st Fighter Squadron), later renamed IV. Vliegtuiggrope (IV Aircraft Group). Some aircraft were lost to accidents and, when the Royal Dutch East Indies Air Force was mobilized in November 1941 there were just 15 Hawk 75 operational. All of them were later employed in combat against the Japanese.
  
  
• Iran: In 1940 the Shah of Iran ordered ten Cyclone-powered Hawk 75A-9 from Curtiss to replace their ageing Hawker Furys. These aircraft were loaded onto ships and shipped between March and April 1941. They were to be assembled at the aircraft factory and another Curtiss' factory pilot, Ed Elliot, was to fly each one into Iran. One Hawk 75 was shot down by Iranian anti-air fire by mistake, shortly after having being taken over by the Imperial Iranian Air Force. 
  After the Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran, carried out on 25th August 1941, the nine remaining Hawk 75s were sent to India, where they were used in training units.

Sources:
1st  AJ-Press - Monografie Lotnicze 61 - Curtiss P-36 Hawk Part 1 (translated)
2nd https://www.rafweb.org/Organsation/OTU_1.htm
3rd https://kw.jonkerweb.net/index.php/en/aircraft-factory-lists/aircrafts-c/curtiss-hawk-75a-7-uk?showall=1
4th https://www.iiaf.net/history/iiaf.html

Curtiss P-36 Hawk/Hawk 75/Mohawk. Part Four. In Peruvian skies.

 

Before World War 2, Peru was South America's second-largest air power after Argentina, not in vain they were involved in one important armed conflict in the region such as Colombia-Peru War of 1932 and the previous Trujillan Revolution on that same year.
However the country's aeronautical corps had some remarkable weak points: the 104 aircraft that composed their aeronautical corps were outdated and they encompassed up to 31 types of different aircraft. Unification wasn't in their agenda, and virtually every aircraft required its own spare parts and different treatment. 
Meanwhile, the war in Europe, in spite of its distant future, could have far-reaching consequences for South American countries as well. Primarily they were divided in two sides: those supporting the Allies and those supporting the Axis. Therefore, a pretext for a war in South America could be found at any given moment. Peru, as an allied supporter, feared mainly its southern neighbour, Chile, which maintained a so-called "pro-German neutrality". However, when the United States announced its Lend-Lease programme, it also extended its scope to Peru, protecting this way the country from its traditional enemy. U.S. support for Peru also influenced Chile's stance, which in January 1943 abandoned its neutrality and severed diplomatic relations with the Axis powers.
Among the aircraft received from the US under the Lend-Lease, there were ex-Norwegian Hawk 75A-8 fighters. The first 18 of them, designated as RP-36G by the USAAC, arrived in Peru in late 1942 with additional 10 machines arriving in November 1943. The later batch completed a 15-day 5,900 Kilometer (3.666 miles) flight from Kelly Field, Texas to Las Palmas, Cañete province - Central Peru. The total duration of this flight was 29 hours and 45 minutes.
The Peruvian Hawks served with the Cuerpo Aeronáutico del Peru  (Peruvian Aeronautical Corps) first and the Fuerza Aérea del Peru (Peruvian Air Force) later until 1954, when the last one was retired. They operated with two squadrons: 11 & 21 Escuadrón de Caza (11th and 21st Fighter Squadrons). 
Since they arrived from the United States after being refurbished, they were armed with two 12,7mm Browning machine guns in the fuselage and two 7,62mm in the wings, making them more like the Hawk 75A-2 in terms of armament, than the six-gun Hawk 75A-8.

Sources:

1st AJ-Press - Monografie Lotnicze 61 - Curtiss P-36 Hawk Part 1 (translated)
2nd http://p40hawksnest.com/Curtiss/Types/P-36/Peru/P-36Peru.html

Curtiss P-36 Hawk/Hawk 75/Mohawk. Part One. The Mohawk in service with South Africa.

 

The Curtiss P-36 Hawk is an American fighter plane which was designed in the mid 1930s. A contemporary of other famous fighters like the German Messerschmitt Bf.109 or the British Hawker Hurricane among others, it saw service with various air forces around the globe, among them, the South African Air Force (SAAF) during World War 2.

By late 1940 it was obvious that the United Kingdom had won the Battle of Britain and the fear of a German invasion began to dissipate from British society. During that battle, the Royal Air Force (RAF) had kept some Curtiss Hawks 75 (taken from France) and some Mohawks (bought from the United States) in reserve "just in case". However, those fighters were no longer needed and were problematic because they required completely different equipment than the Hawker Hurricane and the Supermarine Spitfire fighters, which were the standard frontline fighter of the RAF back then, and, moreover, they were equipped with a radial engine, which was never popular in the RAF's Fighter Command, with the exception of the Gloster Gladiator. 
Thanks to the defeat of the Luftwaffe, Great Britain's production capacity was increased and, although factories kept suffering bombardments, losing many aircraft each time, they were able to increase production output of fighters. At the same time, the Union of South Africa requested requested modern equipment and, since the RAF couldn't get rid of Hurricanes and Spitfires, it was decided to send the Mohawks to South Africa.
The SAAF was to receive 90 aircraft. The initial batch was shipped to Takoradi (Ghana), where a British assembly plant was located capable of assembling 200 aircraft of various type per month. From there they were then distributed to units in India, Sudan and Egypt. This batch was later complemented with another shipment which was initially sent to Aden and was diverted to South Africa.
The debut of the Mohawk IV with the SAAF was, to put it mildly, unsuccessful. The first four machines were assembled right after landing on 17th December 1940. Ground tests and component checks continued for another week and it wasn't until 27th December that the first aircraft, registered as AR673 was ready for its maiden flight. At the controls was Wing Commander A. Sweeney, of the RAF, who took off with any major problem. However those began when the fighter gained an altitude of 152 meter above sea level and the engine began to loose power, crashing the aircraft into the sea half a mile from the shore, killing its pilot.
After the accident the assembled aircraft were grounded and an investigation was carried on. It was quickly realized that Sweeney die because his aircraft had a French-style throttle opening and closing mechanism. The pilot had simply made a mistake, and the low altitude he was flying on, prevented him from correcting the error. The remaining aircraft were quickly re-inspected, and the needed modifications were made to those still equipped with French-inherited throttles. Other sources suggest a different cause for the accident, according to a commission set in June 1941 and led by J. Thomson and L. M. Townsend, the engine failure was due to a seizure. 
Anyway, the oil systems in every Mohawk were replaced and, on 13th July they were cleared for flight.
However, the problems with the Wright Cyclone engines that the Mohawks were powered by, confirmed the opinions of the pilots and mechanics. Parts of the oil system were made with inappropriate materials and the engine itself was often short on lubricator, due to the insufficient oil flow to the cylinders. This lead to another decision made on 3rd October 1941 ground all Mohawks. Curtiss-Wright (the manufacturer company of the Mohawk) quickly manufactured new components, this time from more durable materials and sent them to their users together with a manual called "Do It Yourself: How to Repair a Factory-New Wright Engine", as a joke. 
Additionally, the mechanics made additional holes in the oil ring to improve oil flow to the engine. This solution was never approved by Curtiss-Wright but it worked nonetheless.
After all those setbacks, the British revised the contract with the South African Government and the number of Mohawks were reduced to 70. By that date twenty Mohawks were landed in Mombasa and were transported to Nairobi, with twenty-four still on board the ship and twenty-six still waiting their turn in Great Britain for loading. 
Additional 16 aircraft arrived in Nairobi between April and May 1941. Those 16 machines were not, however, part of the main order, as they were, most likely, part of a batch destined to Greece which couldn't arrive before its capitulation.
The Mohawks were employed by the SAAF's No. 3 Squadron which was committed to aerial support during the East African Campaign in mid-1941 and took place in the Battle of Gondar, which marked the end of that aforementioned campaign. Afterwards, they were employed to patrol the border with Vichy-held Djibouti. 
The SAAF was greatly disappointed with the Mohawk, as was expressed in an official letter sent to the British Air Ministry. The RAF, however, did not want the aircraft back, not even as trainers, and stubbornly insisted on handling over the Mohawks still waiting transport in England. 
After the East African Campaign, most were used by SAAF's home defence units and some training units, with the last of them surviving until 1945.

Sources:
1st AJ-Press - Monografie Lotnicze 61 - Curtiss P-36 Hawk Part 1 (translated)
2nd https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-36_Hawk#British_Commonwealth
3rd https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3_Squadron_SAAF
4th https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/6_Squadron_SAAF