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American fighter aircraft designed in the Republic Aviation. The plane was designed in 1939 for a competition organized by the United States Army Air Corps (USAAC). P-43 began flying
in 1939 and offered some improvement in performance over the Seversky P-35 and Curtiss P-36. P-43 Lancer was produced in a small number of copies and did not play a significant role in the war as it was quickly recognized as “useless in combat”, but according to some sources, it was a rather underrated. The main reason for the withdrawal of the aircraft by the USAAF was the lack of self-sealing fuel tank. Except this defect, the aircraft was considered pleasant to fly, fast and with a good rate of climb. About 60 Lancers reached the Chinese Nationalist Air Force and saw combat against Japanese forces.
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- Crashed P-43A serial 40-2926 of the 55th Pursuit Group, Portland 17 November 1941
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- Seversky AP-4 NX2597 – P-43 prototype
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- P-43A serial 40-2921 of the 55th Pursuit Group – landing gear
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- P-43A serial 40-2921 of the 55th Pursuit Group, Portland AB, November 1941
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- P-43A-1 Lancer 41-31449
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- P-43A serial 41-6687 near Esler Airfield 9 March 1942
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- American ground crew completes the wing assembly on a P-43 Lancer for the Chinese Air Force, 1942
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- P-43 serial 41-6678 of the 55th Pursuit Group, Portland AB, November 1941
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- P-43A #92 serial 40-2920 of the 55th Pursuit Group, Portland AB, January 1942
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- Republic YP-43
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- Republic P-43A 241P of the 1st Pursuit Group
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- P-43A-1 Lancer 41-31449 2
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- P-43 Lancer in flight
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- P-43 2055P of the 55th Pursuit Group – Oakland 1940
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- Crashed P-43A Lancer serial 40-2916 1941 2
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- P-39, P-43 Lancer 41-31468, P-40 Warhawk 41-36475, A-20 41-19109 and B-25 Mitchell 41-12736
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- Republic P-43 Lancer 41-6721
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- P-43A of the Chinese Nationalist Air Force
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- Chinese Republic P-43 Lancer is refueled at Kunming China before take off
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- P-43 and Vultee P-66 Vanguard China
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- Chinese pilots pose beside a Republic P-43 September 1942
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- P-43A loaned from the CNAF, 76th FS 23rd FG – 15 September 1942
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- Republic P-43 at an airfield somewhere in China 17 September 1942
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- P-43A Lancer serial 40-2916 1941
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- P-40K #103 of the 76th FS, 23rd Fighter Group and P-43A in background
American fighter aircraft designed in the Republic Aviation. The plane was designed in 1939 for a competition organized by the United States Army Air Corps (USAAC). P-43 began flying
in 1939 and offered some improvement in performance over the Seversky P-35 and Curtiss P-36. P-43 Lancer was produced in a small number of copies and did not play a significant role in the war as it was quickly recognized as “useless in combat”, but according to some sources, it was a rather underrated. The main reason for the withdrawal of the aircraft by the USAAF was the lack of self-sealing fuel tank. Except this defect, the aircraft was considered pleasant to fly, fast and with a good rate of climb. About 60 Lancers reached the Chinese Nationalist Air Force and saw combat against Japanese forces.
Specifications
variant |
YP-43 |
P-43 |
crew |
1 |
1 |
wingspan (m) |
10,97 |
10,97 |
lenght (m) |
8,50 |
8,68 |
height (m) |
4,26 |
4,26 |
wing area (m2) |
20,72 |
20,72 |
empty weight (kg) |
2484-2565 |
2565 |
normal take-off weight (kg) |
3311 |
3534 |
max take-off weight (kg) |
3599 |
3599 |
wing loading (kg/m²) |
151,36 |
151,36 |
engine |
Pratt & Whitney R-1830-35, two-row, air-cooled, 14-cylinder radial engine, 29988 cm³, 1200 hp |
Pratt & Whitney R-1830-47, two-row, air-cooled, 14-cylinder radial engine, 29988 cm³, 1200 hp |
propeller |
Curtiss-Electric, constant-speed 3-blade, 3,35 m |
Curtiss-Electric, constant-speed 3-blade, 3,35 m |
fuel (l) |
549-825 |
549-825 |
max speed (km/h) |
565 at 7620 m |
562 at 7620 m |
cruising speed (km/h) |
451 |
451 |
ceiling (m) |
11582 |
11582 |
range (km) |
1287-2092 |
1287-2092 |
rate of climb |
14,5 m/s |
14,5 m/s |
bombs (kg) |
54,5 |
54,5 |
armament |
2×7,62 + 2×12,7 mm |
2×7,62 + 2×12,7 mm |
USAAF serials |
39-704 – 39-716 |
41-6668 – 41-6721 |
variant |
P-43A |
RP-43 |
crew |
1 |
1 |
wingspan (m) |
10,97 |
10,97 |
lenght (m) |
8,68 |
8,68 |
height (m) |
4,26 |
4,26 |
wing area (m2) |
20,72 |
20,72 |
empty weight (kg) |
2720 |
2710 |
normal take-off weight (kg) |
3373 |
3391 |
max take-off weight (kg) |
3847 |
|
wing loading (kg/m²) |
162,8 |
|
engine |
Pratt & Whitney R-1830-49, two-row, air-cooled, 14-cylinder radial engine, 29988 cm³, 1200 hp |
Pratt & Whitney R-1830-49, two-row, air-cooled, 14-cylinder radial engine, 29988 cm³, 1200 hp |
propeller |
Curtiss-Electric, constant-speed 3-blade, 3,35 m |
Curtiss-Electric, constant-speed 3-blade, 3,35 m |
fuel (l) |
549-1014 |
|
max speed (km/h) |
573 at 6096 m |
573 at 6096 m |
cruising speed (km/h) |
451 |
|
ceiling (m) |
10973 |
|
range (km) |
1046- 2334 |
869 – 1300 |
climbing time |
6′ at 4570 m |
|
armament |
4×12,7 mm |
4×12,7 mm |
USAAF serials |
P-43A: 40-2891 – 40-2970, P-43A-1 41-31448 – 41-31572 |
40-2894 and 40-2897 (ex P-43A) |
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.