Republic P-43

[Wildr1]

The P-43 A, had a very good high-altitude performance with an oxygen system. Fast and well-armed with excellent long-range capabilities, until the arrival of the P-38, the Lancer was the only Allied fighter capable of catching a Japanese Mitsubishi Ki-46 at the speeds and altitudes at which they flew. In addition, the P-43 flew many long-range, high-altitude photo recon missions. It was replaced by the P-38 and F-5 version of the P-38. The P-43 was one of the fighters developed from the Seversky racers. Seversky was forced out of his company by his board of directors, the company became Republic Aircraft. Its eventual Republic development from the Seversky line was the P-47.

 

[Wildr1]

P-43 was known as the lancer.

 

[Wildr1]

 

[Wildr1]

You can see the resemblance of the seversky racers in the late thirties to the P-35 seversky fighter, and then the Republic P-47. First 1938 Bendix race winner Jackie Cochrans plane, next 1939 Frank Fuller Bendix winner. Next doolittle's seversky racer. P-35, and P-47.

 

[fubar57]

Nice shots. It's similar to the Caproni-Reggiane Re.2000 Falco

 

[taly01]

Nice shots. It's similar to the Caproni-Reggiane Re.2000 Falco

In Bodie's Thunderbolt book he claims the Caproni-Reggiane Re 2000 was an unlicenced copy of the P-43! The odds of having arrived at the exact same seversky-republic wing shape suggest it was a copy!

 

[newst]

Wikipedia lists the RE-2000's first flight as May 1939 and the P-43's as March 1940. Didn't the Japanese have a single engined fighter or two with a very similar wing plan? I don't think we are looking at a copy cat issue as much as designers working from similar aerodynamics research.

 

[chuter]

In Bodie's Thunderbolt book he claims the Caproni-Reggiane Re 2000 was an unlicenced copy of the P-43! The odds of having arrived at the exact same seversky-republic wing shape suggest it was a copy!

Actually, I think the Re2000 was inspired by the P-35 on which the P-43 was based.

 

[Wildr1]

 

[Wildr1]

 

[Gnomey]

Good shots!

 

[newst]

High Speed Photo Recon version.

 

[keithwwalker]

Great photos. I am wondering if anyone has any photographs of the fuselage spine when viewed from behind (the tail)?
The recent Dora Wings model had a much sharper edge to the spine and that is much different from the ridgeback P-47's.
A photo from behind would clear this up...