US Air Force Museum - WWII - Pearl Harbor - Philip Rasmussen's P36 Diorama & P-35
Bill Maloney
1/20/2007

01RasmussenP36Diorama 02RasmussenP36Diorama 03RasmussenP36Diorama 05RasmussenP36DioramaPan
01 Rasmussen P-36 Diorama 02 Rasmussen P-36 Pearl Harbor Diorama 03 Rasmussen P-36 Pearl Harbor Attack Diorama 05 Rasmussen P-36 Diorama Pan
06SeverskyP35 07SeverskyP35    
06 Seversky P-35 07 Seversky P-35

Seversky P-35 Specifications:

Length: 25 feet, 4 inches
Wingspan: 36 feet, 0 inches
Height: 9 feet, 9 inches
Crew:
1
Weight:
Empty - 4,600lbs Max Takeoff - 5,600lbs
Max Speed: 280mph at 12,000 feet
Cruise Speed: 260 mph
Range: 625 miles
Service Ceiling: 31,600 feet
Fuel Capacity: ___
Powerplant: Pratt & Whitney R-1830 Radial Engine 850 hp
Armament:
 One 50cal Browning Machine Gun
 One 50cal Browning Machine Gun
 Up to 320lbs of bombs externally
First Flight : 1937
Cost: $22,500

Seversky P-36A Hawk Specifications:

Length: 28 feet, 6 inches
Wingspan: 37 feet, 4 inches
Height: 8 feet, 5 inches
Crew:
1
Weight:
Empty - 4,600lbs Max Takeoff - 5,650lbs
Max Speed: 313mph at 12,000 feet
Cruise Speed: 250 mph
Range: 830 miles
Service Ceiling: 32,700 feet
Fuel Capacity: 161
Powerplant: Pratt & Whitney R-1830 Radial Engine 1050hp
Armament:
 Two 30cal or 50cal Browning Machine Guns
First Flight : 1937
Cost: $23,000

The first four photos are a diorama of Lt. Rasmussen mounting his P-36 in his pajamas on the morning of December 7, 1941. The airfield was under attack and his was one of a few aircraft that made it into the air before being destroyed. Once in the air Rasmussen charged his machine guns but to his surprise they wouldn't stop firing. He pulled the charging handle back into the locked position so that he wouldn't shoot off all his rounds before meeting the enemy. In his first attack he shot down one enemy Zero, then was attacked by 2 other Zeros. The hits severed his rudder and hydraulics and he lost control of the aircraft. As he lost altitude he regained control and headed into some clouds to avoid being attacked then made it back to the airfield. Landing without brakes he rolled off the end of the runway. The plane was a total write off except for the engine.

The ground personnel who had witnessed the whole scene came running up to his plane cheering. After the attack over 500 bullet holes were counted in the aircraft, and a 20mm shell and bullet were found lodged in the radio directly behind him which saved his life.


USAF Museum WWII Exhibits Main Page

US Air Force Museum in Dayton Main Page