Tag: Squadrons

Free Download Phil H. Listemann – The Curtiss Mohawk (Squadrons! No.17)
Philedition | 2016 | ISBN: N/A | English | 52 pages | PDF | 105.46 MB
The Curtiss Hawk 75 was the export version of the USAAC Curtiss P-36 that became, from 1936 onwards, the standard American single-seat fighter and represented a big step forward for the USAAC. The French were the first to express interest in this fighter and ordered large quantities before and during the first months of WW2. When the French ask for an armistice, all of the contracts were taken over by the British and the balance of the Curtiss H-75 still to be delivered were shipped out to the UK where they became the Mohawk. The RAF also took charge of more Mohawks coming from various sources and in all over 200 Mohawks were included in the RAF inventory. Some were handed over to the SAAF where they served in East Africa, while most would be sent to the Far East where they served until the end of 1943. The full story of the Mohawk in the RAF and in the SAAF is here told in 50 pages illustrated with 55 photos and 7 colour profiles.

Free Download Phil H. Listemann – The Curtiss Kittyhawk Mk.II (Squadrons! No.18)
Philedition | 2017 | ISBN: N/A | English | 40 pages | PDF | 24.88 MB
The Curtiss P-40 was the most numerous USAAF fighter on hand when the United States entered the war in December 1941. A development of the Curtiss P-36, the P-40 was essentially a P-36 equipped with an Allison inline V12 V-1710. The French were the first to express an interest in this model, known as the H-81, having already ordered the Curtiss H-75, the export version of the P-36. The Curtiss H-81 would later be purchased by the USAAC and the RAF as the Tomahawk. Curtiss continued to improve the breed and a new production model, the H-87, was soon available with a new version of the V-1710 that had a spur-gear reduction mechanism, raising the engine thrust-line. This caused the nose profile to be redesigned, hence the new Curtiss designation. The RAF became interested in purchasing this version as the Kittyhawk for its squadrons fighting in the Western Desert and to replace the Tomahawk already in service. In all four Marks would be used by the RAF, the Mk II corresponding to the P-40F/L and would see service in only two squadrons, the Australian 3 Squadron and the British 260 Squadron and saw action for the first time shortly before the Battle of El Alamein. The full story of the Kittyhawk Mk II is here told in 38 pages illustrated with 40 photos and 5 colour profiles.

Free Download James J. Halley – The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force
Air-Britain Historians Ltd | 1980 | ISBN: 0851300839 | English | 392 pages | PDF | 130.49 MB
Although an old book (published before the Falklands War!, in 1980), it gives good information on squadron history and information on aircraft flown.