Kit has recessed panel lines,resin parts, photo-etch one vacuform canopy and markings for 3 aircraft. (injection-molded plastic kit). Limited edition. *****
The Hawk II was essentially an export version of the XF11C-2 with a Wright R-1820F-3 Cyclone rated at 710hp at 1676m and 356 litres of fuel, the Hawk I differing in having only 189 litres of internal fuel. Only the Hawk II was exported in quantity, this having a mixed construction similar to that of the F11C-2 and normally carrying an armament of twin 7.62mm machine guns. The first customer for the Hawk II was Turkey, which began to take delivery of 19 on 30 August 1932, Colombia following suit from the end of October 1932 with an initial batch of four twin-float-equipped Hawk IIs. A total of 26 float fighters of this type was delivered to Colombia by the end of July 1934. Nine were supplied to Bolivia, of which three had interchangeable wheel/float undercarriages; four were delivered to Chile, 52 to China, four to Cuba, two to Germany, one to Norway and 12 to Thailand. The Curtiss Hawk II saw combat in Bolivia, China and Siam.
In China they were used in the Sino-Japanese War from 1937 and until 1941 when they were relegated to second-line duties.
During the year of 1936, Len Povey brought his Curtiss Hawk to the "All American Show" at Miami, Florida for acrobatic competition and by accident invented a new revolutionary and exciting maneuver.
Povey was going to make as an extra maneuver three aileron rolls in the top of a loop. Realizing that in the top of the loop he had 140 mph, too much speed to perform the loops he decided to continue the loop and immediately a half roll and repeated the maneuver in other to make a flat "8". Upon landing, James Doolitle (later a General of great fame on account of the Tokio Raid) who was one of the judges questioned Povey. Asked if that was his extra maneuver, to what Povey replied, that it was, when asked about the name of such maneuver, Povey casually replied "a Cuban 8". This maneuver became one of the most important maneuvers of coordination for future pilots.
