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| P-43 Lancer | |
|---|---|
 AUSAAF P-43 in 1942 | |
| General information | |
| Type | Fighter |
| National origin | United States |
| Manufacturer | Republic Aviation |
| Status | Retired |
| Primary users | United States Army Air Corps |
| Number built | 272 |
| History | |
| Manufactured | 1940–1941 |
| Introduction date | 1941 |
| First flight | March 1940 |
| Retired | 1944 (China) |
| Developed from | Seversky P-35 |
TheRepublic P-43 Lancer was a single-engine,all-metal, low-wingmonoplanefighter aircraft built byRepublic, which was first delivered to theUnited States Army Air Corps in 1940.[1] A proposed development was theP-44 Rocket. While not a particularly outstanding fighter, the P-43A had a very good high-altitude performance coupled with an effective oxygen system. Fast and well-armed with excellent long-range capabilities, until the arrival of theLockheed P-38 Lightning, the Lancer was the only American fighter capable of catching a JapaneseMitsubishi Ki-46 "Dinah" reconnaissance plane at the speeds and heights at which they flew. In addition, the P-43 flew many long-range, high-altitude photo recon missions until replaced by F-4/F-5 Lightnings (P-38 variants) in both the USAAF and RAAF.
TheSeversky Aircraft Company, which in 1939 changed its name to Republic, constructed a range of private venture, one-off variants of itsP-35 design, featuring different powerplants and enhancements, designatedAP-2,AP-7,AP-4 (which flew after the AP-7),AP-9, andXP-41. The series included a carrier-based version designated theNF-1 (Naval Fighter 1) that was also built. The most significant of these was the AP-4, which served as the basis for future Seversky/Republic aircraft. It featured fully retractablelanding gear, flush riveting, and most significantly aPratt & Whitney R-1830-SC2G engine with a belly-mountedturbo-supercharger, producing 1,200 hp (890 kW) and good high-altitude performance. The turbo-supercharger had been refined byBoeing as part of the development program for theB-17 Flying Fortress, and the improved performance it offered was of great interest to other aircraft manufacturers.[1]
The XP-41 and sole AP-4 were nearly identical, although the AP-4 was initially fitted with a largeprop spinner and a tight-fitting enginecowling, as a testbed to evaluate means of improving the aerodynamics ofradial-engined fighters, following similar experiments with the first production P-35. The AP-4's big spinner was later removed and a new tight cowling fitted. Unsurprisingly, these measures led to overheating problems. On 22 March 1939, the engine caught fire in flight, the pilot had to bail out, and the AP-4 was lost. Despite the loss of the prototype, the USAAC liked the turbo-supercharged AP-4 demonstrator enough to order 13 more in May 1939, designating themYP-43.[2]
The YP-43 differed from AP-4 in having a "razorback"fuselage with a tall spine extending back from thecanopy.[3] The engine air intake was moved from the port wing to under the engine resulting in the distinctive ovoid cowling. The aircraft was powered by an R-1830-35 14-cylinder air-cooled radial engine with a General Electric B-2 turbo-supercharger generating 1,200 hp and driving a three-blade variable-pitch propeller. Armament consisted of twosynchronized .50 in (12.7 mm)machine guns in the cowl and a single .30 in (7.62 mm) machine gun in each wing.[1]
The first of 13 YP-43s was delivered in September 1940, the last in April 1941. Early testing revealed a strong tendency to yaw during takeoff and landing rolls, fixed by redesigning the tailwheel. Although the aircraft exceeded the initial USAAC performance requirements, by 1941 it was clearly obsolete, lacking maneuverability,armor, orself-sealing fuel tanks. The USAAC felt the basic P-35/P-43 design had exhausted its reserves for further improvement in performance and shifted its interest to the promisingRepublic P-47 Thunderbolt.[4]
Production aircraft, identical to the YP-43 prototypes, were designated "Lancer" and were delivered between 16 May and 28 August 1941. Ongoing delays in the P-47 program resulted in USAAC ordering an additional 80P-43A, withPratt & Whitney R-2180-1 Twin Hornet engine rated at 1,400 hp (1,000 kW). The engine promised better high-altitude performance, and armament was upgraded with 0.50 in machine guns replacing the 0.30 in in the wings. The USAAC was sufficiently interested to assign the AP-4J variant an official designationP-44 Rocket. Combat reports from Europe indicated that the new type was already obsolete, consequently, the entire order was canceled on 13 September 1940, with no prototypes built.
Alexander Kartveli and his team focused their efforts on the advancedAP-10/XP-47 which eventually became the P-47 Thunderbolt.[1] When thePratt & Whitney R-2800 engine intended for the new P-47 was not yet available, it was decided to order 54 P-43s to keep the Republic production lines operating. An additional 125 P-43A-1s were ordered for China through theLend-Lease program, originally intended to equip the ThirdAmerican Volunteer Group (AVG). These initially differed in the Air Materiel Command specification from earlier P-43s in being armed with two 0.50 in machine guns in each wing and no fuselage guns, and having rudimentary armor and fuel tank protection.[5] This would have required a series of serious engineering changes. Reality intervened: actually, as delivered, the P-43A-1 had the same armament layout as the P-43As: four .50 in machine guns, two in the cowl and two in the wings. Externally, they were identical, and only the serial numbers distinguishes a P-43A from a P-43A-1. Many of these aircraft were fitted with cockpit armor before shipment westward from California in crates; evidence is murky whether this additional armor came from Republic or was cobbled together after delivery.[6]
By 1942, a total of 272 P-43s were built, including all its variants, a remarkable number considering the original intention was to build none.[5]
The Lend-Lease aircraft were delivered to China throughClaire Chennault's American Volunteer Group, the Flying Tigers. Pilots involved in the ferrying flights commended the P-43 for its good high-altitude performance compared to theCurtiss P-40, good roll rate, and a radial engine without a vulnerable liquid cooling system. Apparently, several AVG pilots asked Chennault to keep some P-43s, but the request was denied due to the aircraft's lack of armor or self-sealing fuel tanks. In addition, the turbo-supercharger proved unreliable and the "wet wing" fuel tanks leaked constantly.[7] In April 1942,Robert Lee Scott Jr. — a USAAF pilot with the AVG[8] —photographed the peaks of Mt. Everest from 44,000 ft (13,000 m), attesting to the strengths of this aircraft. On the other hand, in April 1942, veteranCAF fighter pilot Maj.Zheng Shaoyu, a survivor of many air battles including the "Zero-scourge" in the war against theImperial Japanese invasion of China, was ferrying a P-43 back into China for renewed combat operations against the Japanese, when it suddenly caught fire causing his death in the ensuing crash.[9][10]
The Japanese noted that the P-43's fuel tanks were easily punctured, making them easier to shoot down than P-40s.[11] The type was replaced by other aircraft in early 1944. Rudimentary protection added on the P-43A-1 was insufficient.[citation needed] In addition, the R-1830 engines were in high demand for theDouglas C-47 transport, effectively grounding the surviving aircraft.
The USAAC considered the P-43 and its variants obsolete from the start and used them only for training purposes. In fall 1942, all surviving USAAF (transitioned from USAAC in June 1941) P-43s were redesignatedRP-43, indicating a permanent change in role. Most of the aircraft that were not sent to China were modified forphoto-reconnaissance duties and used for training. Eight P-43s (four P-43A-1s and four P-43Ds) were loaned to theRoyal Australian Air Force in 1942 and served withNo. 1 Photo Reconnaissance Unit. The RAAF flew many long range, high-altitude photo reconnaissance missions before the six survivors were returned to the USAAF in 1943.[12]
Data from The American Fighter[13]
General characteristics
Performance
Armament
Related development
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era
Related lists
