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Too Late for 1940 | Norway’s Lost Curtiss Hawks
When Norway sought to modernize its air force before the Second World War, it turned to the United States — and to one of the most advanced fighters of its time: the Curtiss Hawk 75. Ordered in 1939, these sleek all-metal monoplanes were meant to defend Norwegian skies. But when Germany invaded on April 9th, 1940, the Hawks were still sitting in their crates — the most modern fighters Norway would never fly in combat. In exile, the surviving aircraft found new purpose. In Canada’s “Little Norway,” Norwegian pilots trained on the Hawk 75A-8, preparing to fight for the liberation of their homeland. Some aircraft even found their way to Peru under Lend-Lease, ending a journey that spanned three continents. This is the story of Norway’s lost fighter — from Kjeller to Canada, and finally, to South America. Chapters: 00:00 - Intro 01:00 - Models & Specs 02:50 - The Hawk Before the War 06:48 - The Hawks of Little Norway 09:00 - Accidents & Fatalities 12:05 - Fate of the Hawks 15:09 - Outro Sources: NFF-kontakt. Oslo. 1974. NFF-kontakt. Oslo. 1976. NFF-kontakt. Oslo. 1984. Bjørn Hafsten (multiple NFF articles) Guhnfeldt, Cato. Fornebu 9. april. Wings, Oslo, 1990. https://www.flyfabrikken.no/curtiss-hawk-75-a6 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-36_Hawk#cite_note-21 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-36_Hawk#Norway Norsk Luftfartsmuseum Forsvarsmuseet Forsvarshistorisk museum Norsk Teknisk Museum Thumbnail: Fenrik Conrad Mohr Flyfabrikken.no DigitaltMuseum.no
When Norway sought to modernize its air force before the Second World War, it turned to the United States — and to one of the most advanced fighters of its time: the Curtiss Hawk 75.
Ordered in 1939, these sleek all-metal monoplanes were meant to defend Norwegian skies. But when Germany invaded on April 9th, 1940, the Hawks were still sitting in their crates — the most modern fighters Norway would never fly in combat.
In exile, the surviving aircraft found new purpose. In Canada’s “Little Norway,” Norwegian pilots trained on the Hawk 75A-8, preparing to fight for the liberation of their homeland. Some aircraft even found their way to Peru under Lend-Lease, ending a journey that spanned three continents.
This is the story of Norway’s lost fighter — from Kjeller to Canada, and finally, to South America.
Chapters:
00:00 - Intro
01:00 - Models & Specs
02:50 - The Hawk Before the War
06:48 - The Hawks of Little Norway
09:00 - Accidents & Fatalities
12:05 - Fate of the Hawks
15:09 - Outro
Sources:
NFF-kontakt. Oslo. 1974.
NFF-kontakt. Oslo. 1976.
NFF-kontakt. Oslo. 1984.
Bjørn Hafsten (multiple NFF articles)
Guhnfeldt, Cato. Fornebu 9. april. Wings, Oslo, 1990.
https://www.flyfabrikken.no/curtiss-hawk-75-a6
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-36_Hawk#cite_note-21
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-36_Hawk#Norway
Norsk Luftfartsmuseum
Forsvarsmuseet
Forsvarshistorisk museum
Norsk Teknisk Museum
Thumbnail: Fenrik Conrad Mohr
Flyfabrikken.no
DigitaltMuseum.no
