Na ovom avionu Kertis Hok III je leteo vodja 4. grupe kineskog vazduhoplovstva Kao Chi-Hang. Na njemu je oborio japanski avion Micubisi G3M2 iznad nankinga, 14. jula 1937, i tako postao prvi kineski pilot koji je napao i oborio japanski avion u ratu koji je prethodio drugom svetskom ratu. Na ovom avionu je Ka Chi-Hang  oborio ukupno pet japanskih aviona, od toga dva A5M i ucstvovao u obaranju jos jednog.

Odlican 

Curtiss Hawk III

The Curtiss Hawk III was the export version of the BF2C-1. It differed from the US Navy fighter-bomber in reverting to the wooden wing structure of the F11C-2 (spruce beams with plywood webs and spruce ribs) and having a Wright SR-1820F-53 Cyclone.
The first export of the Hawk was a single example to Turkey delivered in April 1935. Thailand started to receive Hawks from August 1935. In March 1936 the first of a total of 102 were delivered to China, 90 of these being assembled by the Central Aircraft Manufacturing Company (CAMCO) at Hangzhou. One other user was Argentina which started to take deliveries from May 1936. Argentina also purchased the sole example of the Hawk IV in July 1936; this using a Hawk III airframe with a full sliding canopy, carburettor heating and an exhaust collector ring for the SR-1820F-56. One civil demonstrator of the Hawk II was also built.

The Curtiss Hawk II saw combat in 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.
Four Siamese fighter squadrons were equipped with Hawk IIIs and one was operating Hawk IIs during late 1940 when France and Siam engaged in a short border war. The Hawks flew escort, interception and dive-bombing missions against French forces based in Indochina. The survivors of these fighters saw action on 7 December 1941, when Japanese forces invaded Thailand. This action was short-lived as peace talks led to a cease fire later that day. One Hawk III is preserved in Thailand as part of the Thai Air Force Museum at don Muang Air Base, near Bangkok.

The Curtiss Hawk III saw service in: Argentina (10 Hawk III and 1 Hawk IV), China (102), Siam (Thailand) (24), Turkey (1).

Total production: 139

Technical details Curtiss Hawk III
Type:____________Fighter-bomber
Crew:____________1
Span:____________9.60 m
Lenght:__________7.14 m
Engine:__________Wright SR-1820F-53 / 785 hp for take-off
Max speed:_______386 km/h at 3505 m
Service ceiling:_7864 m
Range:___________925 km
Armament:________2x0,3 in Browning machine guns in fuselage. Max bomb load 215 kg


Colonel Kao Chi-Hang

Kao Chi-Hang was born in 1908 into a Roman Catholic family in the Tung Hua County in the Liaoning Province, Manchuria. He was the eldest of six siblings.

In 1925, he entered the Northeastern Army Academy as an artillery cadet.
The following year, he was selected to receive flight training in France.

He returned to China in 1927 and was posted to the Flying Eagle Squadron of the Northeast Army under Marshal Chang Tso-Lin.

In 1929, he became a flight instructor.

When the Japanese invaded Manchuria on 18 September 1931, he went south to join the Central Government and became an instructor in the Central Flying School at Chienchiu near Hangchou.

After returning from Italy after an inspection tour, he was made Deputy Chief of Instruction, and commander of the 4th Fighter Group, with the rank of major.

By November 1937 Colonel Kao’s 4th PG had re-equipped with the Polikarpov I-16 Type 5 and he led the second group in their return-flight to Nanking on 21 November.
While refuelling at Chowkiakou Airfield (Honan Province), they were caught by some Japanese ten G3M2s, who evidently were conducting a reconnaissance. The bombs were already falling when Kao ran to his I-16. The engine of the fighter wouldn't start and with the bombs falling closer, the ground crew, deciding that discretion was the better part of valour, left the aircraft to take cover. Chasing after them Kao brought them back at the point of his service revolver to help him start the engine but lost his life when a bomb exploded alongside the aircraft.
This was the first operational loss of an I-16.

Svaka cast na informacija ,da budem iskren do sad nisam ni znao da su Kinezi imali neku avijaciju.