Curtiss P-6 Hawk aircraft were known for their speed and maneuverability. They were also aircraft which needed the full attention of their pilots. Over one third of the aircraft produced were lost while in flight or landing.

P-6 aircraft had wooden wings covered by fabric, and a metal frame fuselage. An innovation used for the engines was ethylene glycol cooling. Prior engines used water cooling. The new cooling method enabled the Curtiss P-6 Hawk to operate at maximum power levels for longer periods of time. Oleo-strut landing gear were also standardized with the P-6.

In 1927 a prototype P-6 came in second at the U.S. National Air Races with a speed of 201 mph. In 1932, Popular Mechanics magazine reported that a Curtiss P-6 Hawk with a supercharged engine set a 266 mph speed record for a cross-country flight.

Versions of the Curtiss P-6 Hawk were deployed from 1929 through 1939. A total of 70 aircraft of all types were produced.