Thursday 1 August 2024

Finnish Curtiss Hawk 75 for Bag the Hun

There are no ratings for the Curtiss P-36 / Hawk 75 in the Bag the Hun rule book, so I have worked out my own based on the Curtiss P-40 Tomahawk I. The numbers are pretty much the same apart from the MAN rating, as the Hawk 75 variant had a lower wing loading and better power to weight ratio, giving what the RAF considered to be an outstanding degree of manoeuvrability. I've also down rated the SPD factor by one to reflect relative performance compared to the P-40. However, the armament factor is increased due to the Finnish up-gunning of their variants, to improve the otherwise feeble firepower, from 1942 onwards. 

To begin with the  Hawk 75 has a forward firepower rating of 6, based on its initial armament of four, or more often six 7.5mm rifle calibre machine guns. The Finns quickly replaced the Hawk 75  fuselage guns with .50 cal machine guns and fitted four or sometimes six wing mounted .303 Brownings, giving an increased FF of between 8 and 10. I have settled for a typical load out of two .50 cal and four .303 machine guns as the default.

Here's the nuts and bolts:

SPD 6

MAN

ALT 6

ROC 2

ROB 1

SIZ 1

FF (F) 6 (1941) or 8 (1942 onwards)

AMMO 12

...just have to try it out now to see how it works in an actual game!

2 comments:

  1. I can't remember where I got it (maybe from the Bag the Hun Facebook page?), but there is a Excel file that lists the stats for the Hawk 75

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  2. Thanks..I'll track it down 🙂

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