Hawk 75A from Russian in New Zealand (Not TFC's aircraft)

[RMAllnutt]

Just read in the latest excellent edition of Classic Wings magazine about another Hawk 75. It is not the TFC aircraft, but another one I had not heard of before which served in the French airforce, the Luftwaffe, and finally the Finnish airforce before being shot down in Russia. Apparently it was recovered in 2001. The photograph in the magazine shows a very substantial looking airframe. Does anyone know anything more about it, as I had never heard about this aircraft before.

Cheers,
Richard

[Cees Broere]

Could this be the one that was found with a swastika on its tail?
I remember seing a photo in Classic Wings sometime ago where a
tailsection was sitting in a container.

Cees

[DaveM2]

Cees , yes it is the same one . Richard it is not as substantial as it looks , as all the fuselage structure you see was slapped together by the Russians and isn't from the original wreck . The aircraft was heavily damaged in the crash , but there is the basis for a rebuild , albeit long term.

Dave

[RMAllnutt]

Thanks for the info. Dave. That's too bad about the rest of the airframe... I thought that might be the case in the photo... I was just hoping it just meant the airframe was already substantially progressing in its rebuild. Are there any wings with the project?

Cheers,
Richard

[DaveM2]

Richard

Wings were basically shredded , but some usable parts . The owner is well versed with Curtiss products as he is restoring a P-40N , and of course Pioneer did the wings for the TFC example.

Dave

[Gregory]

I wouldn't mind seeing it back in Finland, some day, perhaps with a Buffalo next to it. And what if some lake were to yield a Fiat G.50 at last?
Just day dreaming on a Monday morning.

Gregory

[DaveM2]

Gregory

There was some interest in Norway about this wreck , as it did spend some time there also , before going on to Finland.
G.50 ...would be nice...let's hope we see the one in Belgrade on display in out lifetime ...

Dave

[Gregory]

The Belgrade G.50 and Finnish Buffalo are perhaps the last unique, unrestored and unavailable operational WW2 fighters in the world. Pity nothing can be done to speed their restoration and display.

Gregory

[Cees Broere]

Dave,

Something else, the photograph of the Hawk as published in the latest Classic Wings also shows a centresection of (I think) a Hurricane. Any info on that one? I thought there was only one Hurricane in New Zealand?


Cheers

Cees

[DaveM2]

Cees

The photo wasn't taken in N.Z. but in the Russian workshop. Not sure which Hurri centresection that is .
Went out and had a look at the Hawk today ...needs some work ... one good thing , absolutely no corrosion of the metal.

Dave