Arma Hobby Curtiss H-75A-1/A-2 – 1/72 Scale
The Arma Hobby Curtiss H-75A-1/A-2 is a 1/72 scale aircraft model kit featuring three marking options representing fighters with different operational histories during the Second World War. The subjects cover French and Finnish service between 1940 and 1943, including an aircraft involved in Operation Torch and another used to train Czechoslovak pilots.
Each marking option represents an individually identified Curtiss H-75, giving modellers a choice of aircraft associated with different air forces, locations and wartime circumstances.
Three Historical Aircraft Marking Options
The kit features three Curtiss H-75A-1 and H-75A-2 subjects, each connected with a particular period of WWII aviation history.
- Curtiss H-75A-2 No. 130 (U030) – Georges Tesseraud, GC I/5, Rabat, 1942. A Vichy French fighter that engaged American Grumman Wildcats on 9 November 1942 during Operation Torch.
- Curtiss H-75A-1 CU-577 – LeLv 32, Finland, 1943. Originally a French aircraft, this Curtiss was captured by German forces and subsequently transferred to Finland, where it served during the war.
- Curtiss H-75A-2 No. 140 (U040), “1” – CIC Chartres, spring 1940. A French-based aircraft used for training Czechoslovak pilots preparing to fight the Luftwaffe.
French Service and Operation Torch
One of the aircraft represented is the H-75A-2 flown by Georges Tesseraud of GC I/5 at Rabat in 1942. This fighter served with Vichy French forces and took part in combat against American Wildcats on 9 November during Operation Torch.
This marking option represents an unusual encounter in which French and American aircraft fought one another during the Allied operation in North Africa.
Finnish Curtiss H-75A-1
The Finnish marking option depicts aircraft CU-577 of LeLv 32 in 1943. Its history reflects the movement of military aircraft between nations during the Second World War.
Originally operated by France, this Curtiss was captured by the Germans before being transferred to Finland. The aircraft therefore represents a different chapter in the H-75’s wartime service from the French-operated examples included in the kit.
Training Czechoslovak Pilots in France
The third option represents Curtiss H-75A-2 No. 140 (U040), marked “1”, at CIC Chartres during spring 1940.
This aircraft was used to train Czechoslovak pilots preparing to fight the German Luftwaffe. It provides a subject connected with the training of airmen in France during the early stages of WWII.
1/72 Scale Model Subject
The three marking options allow the Curtiss H-75A-1/A-2 to be represented in French or Finnish service, covering combat operations, aircraft transfers and pilot training. Each option is associated with a specific aircraft identification, unit or location, providing a historically defined subject for the completed 1/72 scale model.
