World War Photos

Crashed P-43A serial 40-2926 of the 55th Pursuit Group, Portland 17 November 1941

Seversky AP-4 NX2597 – P-43 prototype

P-43A serial 40-2921 of the 55th Pursuit Group – landing gear

P-43A serial 40-2921 of the 55th Pursuit Group, Portland AB, November 1941

P-43A-1 Lancer 41-31449

P-43A serial 41-6687 near Esler Airfield 9 March 1942

American ground crew completes the wing assembly on a P-43 Lancer for the Chinese Air Force, 1942

P-43 serial 41-6678 of the 55th Pursuit Group, Portland AB, November 1941

P-43A #92 serial 40-2920 of the 55th Pursuit Group, Portland AB, January 1942

Republic YP-43

Republic P-43A 241P of the 1st Pursuit Group

P-43A-1 Lancer 41-31449 2

P-43 Lancer in flight

P-43 2055P of the 55th Pursuit Group – Oakland 1940

Crashed P-43A Lancer serial 40-2916 1941 2

P-39, P-43 Lancer 41-31468, P-40 Warhawk 41-36475, A-20 41-19109 and B-25 Mitchell 41-12736

Republic P-43 Lancer 41-6721

P-43A of the Chinese Nationalist Air Force

Chinese Republic P-43 Lancer is refueled at Kunming China before take off

P-43 and Vultee P-66 Vanguard China

Chinese pilots pose beside a Republic P-43 September 1942

P-43A loaned from the CNAF, 76th FS 23rd FG – 15 September 1942

Republic P-43 at an airfield somewhere in China 17 September 1942

P-43A Lancer serial 40-2916 1941

P-40K #103 of the 76th FS, 23rd Fighter Group and P-43A in background

The Republic P-43 Lancer was an important transitional fighter for the United States Army Air Corps (USAAC) during the prelude to World War II, bridging the gap between 1930s aircraft designs and the more advanced fighters that would dominate the skies during the war. Born out of the Seversky Aircraft Corporation’s work, the P-43 evolved from the earlier XP-41 and AP-4 designs under the new leadership of Republic Aviation Corporation following the departure of Alexander Seversky in 1939.

1. Seversky to Republic Aviation:

   • In September 1939, Alexander Seversky was ousted from his own company, leading to the reorganization of Seversky Aircraft Corporation into Republic Aviation Corporation. Despite the shift in leadership, many of Seversky’s design ideas persisted in the new company’s fighter development.

2. XP-41 and AP-4 Influence:

   • The XP-41 and AP-4 were earlier prototypes that laid the groundwork for Republic’s subsequent designs. The AP-4, in particular, was equipped with a Pratt & Whitney R-1830 turbosupercharged engine. It experimented with close cowlings and retractable airscoops for streamlining, but this design failed due to excessive engine heat, leading to a more standard cowling being adopted.
   • These early designs provided valuable experience with turbosuperchargers, which became crucial in later fighters.

3. Development of the YP-43 Lancer:

   • A contract was signed with the USAAC in May 1939 for the development of a modified version of the XP-41 and AP-4, leading to the YP-43 Lancer.
   • The YP-43 retained many features from the AP-4 and XP-41, including the turbosupercharged Pratt & Whitney R-1830-35 engine that produced 1,200 horsepower. The wing was redesigned with a graceful elliptical shape, similar to what would later be used on the P-47 Thunderbolt.
   • Armament was upgraded slightly, with two .50 caliber machine guns in the cowling and two .30 caliber guns in the wings, though this was still considered light compared to European and Japanese fighters of the time.

4. Production and Testing:

   • The first YP-43 (s/n 39-704) was delivered to the Army in September 1940, and the remaining 12 aircraft were delivered by April 1941. Extensive testing was carried out, including a humorous incident where Gen Mark Bradley attempted to solve ground looping issues by adding a tail wheel lock, only for the aircraft to flip and break apart.
   • Ground looping issues were eventually mitigated by raising the tail wheel strut and adding a hinge, allowing the tail wheel to partially retract and reduce drag.

5. Limited Success and Obsolescence:

   • While the P-43 was an improvement over the earlier P-35, it quickly became obsolete due to rapid advances in aerial warfare in Europe. The P-47 Thunderbolt was already in development as the next major fighter for Republic and the Army.
   • To keep Republic’s production line operational until the Thunderbolt could be produced, an additional 54 P-43s and 80 P-43A models were built, some using funds from the Lend-Lease program. These were mainly intended for China, where they saw action against the Japanese.

6. Operational Use:

   • While the P-43 Lancer was generally considered unsuitable for front-line combat, it was used for advanced fighter training. Many were later converted for photo reconnaissance missions, with designations like P-43B and P-43C, and equipped with various camera setups.
   • A total of 108 Lancers were shipped to China, where they engaged in combat against Japanese forces, although their performance was generally inferior to nimble Japanese aircraft.
   • The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) received eight P-43A-1 Lancers for high-altitude reconnaissance, designated with serial numbers A56-1 to A56-8. One aircraft was lost in a landing accident.

Despite its relative obscurity, the P-43 Lancer played a vital role in the USAAC’s transition from older aircraft designs to the more capable fighters that would dominate later in the war. Unfortunately, none of the Lancers survived the post-war scrapping, leaving the type as a nearly forgotten piece of aviation history.

Specifications

Bibliography

US Fighters of WWII – Aeroplane Special Aviation Archive, Kelsey Publishing Group 2014
U.S. Fighters – Army Air Force 1925 to 1980s – Lloyd S. Jones
United States Army and Air Force Fighters 1916-1961 – Harleyford Publications 1961
Forgotten Fighters and Experimental Aircraft U.S. Army 1918-1941 (2) – Peter M. Bowers, Arco 1971
P-47 Thunderbolt P-35 / P-41 / P-43 – A. Jarski, R. Michulec, AJ Press Monografie Lotnicze 25 (polish)
Robert F Dorr, David Donald: Fighters of the United States Air Force. From WW1 dogfighters to the the stealth fighter.