United States' Republic P-43 Lancer fighter

Photos

Republic YP-43 Lancer fighter:

Republic P-43 Lancer fighter:

Design

The Republic P-43 Lancer was a descendent of the Seversky P-35 fighter.¹ A turbo charged engine was added, plus some additional changes, to the last P-35 off the production line that created the XP-41 prototype.¹

Undercarriage

The undercarriage retracted inwards towards the center of the plane.¹

Prototype

In May 1939 the United States Army Air Corps (USAAC) ordered 13 evaluation (YP-43) aircraft after the successful evaluation of the XP-41.¹

The first YP-43 flew in September 1940.¹

Production

Starting in May 1941 deliveries of the P-43 began.¹

• Republic XP-41: 1¹
• Republic YP-43: 13¹
• Republic P-43: 54¹
• Republic P-43A: 80¹
• Republic P-43A-1: 125¹
• Republic P-43B: Conversions to reconnaissance aircraft.¹ Had cameras installed in the rear fuselage.¹
• Republic P-43C: Conversions to reconnaissance aircraft.¹
• Republic P-43D: Conversions to reconnaissance aircraft.¹
• Republic P-43E: Conversions to reconnaissance aircraft.¹
• Total: 272², 273¹

Variants

• Republic XP-41: Prototype.¹
• Republic YP-43:
• Republic P-43:
• Republic P-43A:
• Republic P-43A-1: Had self sealing fuel tanks.¹ Was to be sent to China under Lend-Lease.¹
• Republic P-44: Had a Pratt & Whitney R-2180 turbo charged engine installed (1,400 HP).¹ Development was cancelled.¹

Usage

Australia, China, and the United States used the P-43.¹

China

China received 51 / 103² of the P-43A-1s.¹ These had problems with the turbochargers and self sealing fuel tanks.¹

Australia

The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) received eight P-43s in 1942 to be used as photo reconnaissance aircraft.¹ Six of these survived to be turned over to the United States Army Air Force (USAAF) in 1943.¹

Specifications

	Republic P-43 Lancer1	Republic P-43A Lancer1,2	Republic P-43A-1 Lancer1
Type	Fighter1	Fighter1,2	Fighter1
Crew	11	11,2	11
Engine (Type)	Pratt & Whitney R-1830-351	Pratt & Whitney R-1830-49 Twin Wasp1,2	Pratt & Whitney R-1830-571
Cylinders	Radial 141	Radial 141,2	Radial 141
Cooling		Air2
HP	1,2001	1,2001,2	1,2001
Propeller blades	31	31	31
Dimensions
Span	36'1 10.97 m1	36'2
Length	28' 6"1 8.69 m1	28' 6"2
Height	14'1 4.27 m1	14'2
Wing area
Weight
Empty			5,996 lb1 2,720 kg1
Normal load		7,935 lb2	7,936 lb1 3,600 kg1
Performance
Speed @ 20,000' / 6,096 m			356 mph1 573 kph1
Speed @ 25,000'		349 mph2
Cruising speed			280 mph1 450 kph1
Climb			2,850'/minute1 869 m/minute1
Climb to 15,000' / 4,572 m			6 minutes1
Service ceiling		38,000'2	36,000'1 10,970 m1
Range		800 miles2	800 miles1 1,287 km1
Armament	2: 0.5" MG1 2: 0.3" MG1	2: 0.5" MG1 2: 0.3" MG1 4: MG2	4: 0.5" MG1
Bombs	200 lb1 91 kg1