"Hawk 75 - II/5 Lafayette" long sleeves polo shirt

The prototype of the Curtiss P-36 Hawk made its maiden flight in May 1935.

As the outbreak of the Second World War became inevitable, France faced a critical shortage of fighter aircraft to equip the units of the Armée de l’Air. The French government therefore ordered the aircraft from Curtiss, where it was designated the Curtiss H-75. Rugged and highly maneuverable, though slower than the Messerschmitt Bf 109, the H-75 equipped several French fighter squadrons during the Battle of France in 1940, alongside the Morane-Saulnier MS.406 and the Dewoitine D.520.

This particular Hawk arrived in France in April 1939 and served with the 1st Squadron of Groupe de Chasse II/5 “Lafayette” based at Reims.

This American-built fighter was powered by a 950 hp Pratt & Whitney R-1830 radial engine.

Today, it is the only surviving H-75 in the world.