Mystery Airplane Contest April

The Curtiss Hawk series of fighters began with the Army's PW-8 (PW = Pursuit Water-Cooled) in 1924, and evolved from the P-1 to the P-6. The Navy followed with land and carrier-based models called the F6C.

While the Army continued with liquid-cooled inlines, the Navy moved to the F6C-4 with air-cooled radials. The peak of the Curtiss models was the F11C, later re-designated BFC, for dive bombing.

On 18 October 1932, the Navy let Contract #28847 to Curtiss for 28 production F11C-2 fighter-bombers. The first of these was delivered on 11 March 1933 at an average unit cost of $13,108.68. The final aircraft was delivered on 27 April 1933. Meant for carrier duty, the F11C was assigned first to VF-1B, the "High Hat" squadron, serving aboard the CV-3 Saratoga.

Powered by a 715 hp Wright R-1820-78 Cyclone, the F11C-2 could reach 205 mph, had service ceiling of 24,300 feet, and carried a pair of .30 caliber machine guns. In March 1934, due to its fighter-bomber role, the F11C-2 was re-designated BFC-2. The "High Hat" squadron retained its BFC-2 Goshawks until February 1938, using them as dive-bombers. Although some were assigned to VB-6 with the CV-6 Enterprise, they did not serve aboard the carrier. The later BF2C-1 had retractable landing gear, but had a very short service life.

The BFC-2 in this April 2010 photo taken at the National Museum of Naval Aviation is Bu 9332. It was delivered to the Navy on 13 April 1933, and after assignment to NAS San Diego, was transferred to VF-1B in July 1933. After carrier assignments with VB-2B, VB-3, and VB-6, and land-based assignments to San Diego and Norfolk, it was Struck off Charge on 30 June 1938 with 1,475 hours TT. After a three year restoration, it was delivered to the Museum in 1992.

Of the radial powered Curtiss Hawks, two others exist besides Bu 9332. The Royal Thai Air Force Museum, in Bangkok, holds a retractable gear Hawk III from 1935. A more famous Hawk is displayed at the Polish Aviation Museum, in Krakow. This fixed gear Hawk II is one of two purchased for the Luftwaffe in October 1933 as civilian aircraft by 62 victory WWI ace Ernst Udet after he witnessed a dive-bombing exhibition by Alford Williams in the United States.

Udet was a strong advocate for dive bombing in support of ground operations. (Can you say Stuka?) Registered D-IRIK, it survived WWII, was rebuilt with new wings, and put on display at Krakow.

Only Dave Lundgren identified the Curtiss BFC-2 Goshawk and is this month's winner. Export radial Hawk biplanes were also delivered to China, Siam (Thailand), Columbia, Turkey, and Cuba. Brief well and may you have blues skies and fair winds!