Seversky P-35
Competitive with the Curtiss P-36 for the role of replacing the P-26
Peashooter, the P-35 was still in limited service at the start of
WWII. The NMUSAF’s aircraft is a basic P-35, although it is displayed as
a P-35A.
Variants:
EP-1: Swedish export version, with uprated engine and an extra
pair of machine guns
XP-41: Final P-35 airframe, finished with a supercharged
R-1830-19
P-35A: Swedish order commandered by the US as war neared. The
P-35As were slightly upgunned, with .50-cal machine guns in the cowl
positions, although the .30-cal wing guns were retained. Most P-35As
(excluding three instructional aircraft and six others exported to
Ecuador) were sent to the Philippines in early 1941 to replace P-26s.
These were always intended to be interim aircraft pending the arrival of
P-40s, and by the outbreak of WWII, only the 34th PS remained equipped.
The P-35s were in no way capable of fighting Japanese A6Ms on anything
approaching an equal footing, and in any case a portion of the force was
wiped out on the ground at Del Carmen early on in the fighting.
Survivors were thereafter picked off, with several being used to
evacuate personnel from Bataan before they too were lost. A single
survivor was flown by the Philippine Army Air Corps on a final mission
in early May 1942.
AP-4: Prototype with turbocharger in the rear fuselage for better
high altitude performance, and completely retractable inwardly-folding
landing gear.
YP-43:AP-4 derived service test aircraft with the turbocharger
intake in the cowling.
P-43 Lancer:
P-43A:R-1830-57 powered export aircraft for China, with
self-sealing fuel tanks and capable of carrying light bombs.
P-44: P-43 outgrowth developed as the AP-4J; not proceeded with,
as the larger and much more powerful P-47
was in the offing.
P-44-II: Prior to to the P-44’s cancellation, orders had also
been placed for over 800 copies of an even more powerful derivative, the
AP-4L/P-44-II, powered by the P&W R-2800, but this order was in
place for less than a week before it was terminated.
Recommended Reading:
Air Force Colors Vol.1 1926-1942 Includes several photos of camouflaged
P-35s.
Lloyd S. Jones “U.S. Fighters: Army-Air Force 1925 to 1980s” Aero
Publishers, 1975 P-35, XP-41, and P-43 scale 3-views, XP-44 illustration
Seversky Aircraft Corporation ad, featuring the P-35 and the 2-PA
two-seater Aviation June 1938 p.7
“Republic EP-1 Pursuit” Aviation June 1940 p.52-53 includes a cutaway
diagram
Paul W. Linberg “A Seversky Rubber-Powered
Model” Popular Aviation March 1939 p.65-67 includes
P-35 plans
P-35A scale 3-view Flieger Revue 01-1977 p.41
Phil Butler Air
Arsenal North America: Aircraft for the Allies 1938-1945 – Purchases
and Lend-Lease p.268: lineup of two immaculate Swedish J9s,
plus photos of the 2PA-BX demonstrator, and a 2PA-204 with Swedish
markings prior to becoming an AT-12. Purchase at Amazon
Enzo Angelucci, Peter Bowers The American
Fighter Orion Books, 1987 p.385: P-35 3-view; side
view drawings include the Seversky SEV-3, 2XP, EP-1, and EP-106
Bill Norton U.S.
Experimental & Prototype Aircraft Projects: Fighters 1939-1945
p.49: side view of a camouflaged P-35. Purchase at Amazon
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