The U.S. Army Air Corps was very impressed with the P-36 but always sought improvement. In 1938, Curtiss strengthened the forward air frame and engine mountings to accept the more powerful Wright XR-1536 Cyclops engine of 1,536 h.p. A re-designed propeller with an incredibly streamlined spinner was also added along with a more aerodynamic canopy.
The wicked fast look and increase in horsepower led ground crew to refer to the prototype pursuit as the Hot Rod and thus the Curtiss YP-36HR (Hot Rod) was born.
The Air Corps ordered a service test squadron almost right off the drawing board but there would be problems beyond the typical gremlins of a new prototype. At the center of this would be one government contractor that monopolized the U.S. lacquer market.
At the time, all U.S. Army Air Corps aircraft wore a coat of clear lacquer over the natural metal. These shiny aerial weapons of war became an icon of the age. The lacquered finish wasn't just to enhance the marshal appearance, but was key in protecting the aircraft from severe corrosion common under field conditions.
Unfortunately in 1938 just as the order for the service test squadron of YP-38 Hot Rods was being finalized, the harvest of kapoc, a key component in lacquers of the time, was far below expectations.
As one can imagine, this was not well received by either the Air Corps or the head of Lacklustre Lacquers.
Initially, Lacklustre attempted re-formulating their lacquer recipe and various substitutes for critical kapoc were tried, with varying disastrous results. One failure using the new synthetic crapoc caused the air frame to disintegrate only a week after being exposed to heavy rain.
Far from protecting the aircraft, ersatz kapoc-based lacquers tended to only hasten their demise.
The Air Corps had a crisis on its hands and an answer had to be found and fast before their fleet of aircraft all corroded away.
In a rare moment of clarity, the Air Corps board decided if it's good enough for the Navy, then it's good enough for us and ordered that Naval Aircraft Gray (now more commonly known as Haze Gray FS 220998) be used instead.
Along with all other Air Corps' aircraft, the service-test squadron of YP-36HRs was painted with the new finish.
As Naval Aircraft Gray was created to protect U.S. Navy aircraft from the rigors of life at sea, the Air Corps found it also offered excellent protection from the elements under even the most extreme conditions.
In the field, squadrons would often embellish things under the guise of "enhanced corrosion control measures" by adding their own unique color schemes on top of the mandated Naval Aircraft Gray.
This aircraft from the 43rd Pursuit Squadron on detached service based outside of
Luckenbach, Texas is a fine example of the "New Look" Air Corps of the late 1930s.
The fact that the 43rd provided air defense for the Lukenbach metropolitan area for over three years and not one enemy air attack was recorded during that time is a glowing reflection on the capabilities of both the Curtiss YP-36HR and Naval Aircraft Gray (FS 220998).
The exigencies of gathering war clouds would necessitate a change to Olive Drab in 1941, but for a brief time, Curtiss YP-36HR Hot Rods coated in Naval Aircraft Gray were a common sight in the skies over Texas.
Brian da Basher
