Republic "XP-40" (Actually, XP-41)
Model Airplane News Cover Art for February, 1940
by Jo Kotula
Demonstrated in 1940, the plane was not assigned a designation until after the issue had been published
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The Republic P-43 "Lancer" was a progressive development of the Seversky P-35. It can be regarded as an "intermediate" between the P-35 and the superlative P-47. The cover art for February 1940 is an intermediate between the P-35 and the P-43.

During 1938, the Seversky Aircraft Corporation initiated work on two developments of the P-35. One was the AP-2, a conversion of an existing P-35 airframe with a Pratt and Whitney R-1830-19 radial containing an integral, medium altitude supercharger. The other was the AP-4, with a similar engine but with a turbosupercharger mounted in the rear fuselage aft of the cockpit. The airframes of the AP-2 and AP-4 were almost identical to each other, and both featured inward-retracting main undercarriage members.

The AP-2 was eventually delivered to the USAAC as the XP-41 and is the subject of Jo Kotula's art shown above. the AP-4 looked a lot like its P-35 predecessor--the cockpit was raised quite high and there was a large area of transparency behind the pilot. There was a close-fitting engine cowling (as shown in the painting). However, this arrangement caused cooling problems and a more orthodox radial cowling was fitted at an early stage. It was unsuccessful in attracting any production orders.

     

Photos of the Republic "XP-41", "AP-4" and "P-43"
The identification on the cover of MAN is wrong...
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Here is a video that pays tribute to the planes used by the Royal Australian Air Force. A P-43 is included in the compilation.:

Click Here for more information about the Republic "XP-41".

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