Seversky P-35

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seversky_P-35

The Seversky P-35 was a fighter aircraft built in the United States by the
Seversky Aircraft Company in the late 1930s. A contemporary of the Hawker
Hurricane and Messerschmitt Bf 109, the P-35 was the first single-seat fighter
in U.S. Army Air Corps to feature all-metal construction, retractable landing
gear and an enclosed cockpit.

When the USAAC announced a competition for a new single-seat fighter in 1935,
Seversky sent the SEV-2XP, confident it would win despite being a two-seater.
However, the aircraft was damaged on 18 June 1935 during its transit to the
fly-offs at Wright Field. To compete with the Curtiss Model 75, a single-seat
aircraft with retractable undercarriage, Seversky rebuilt the aircraft into the
single seat SEV-1XP, replacing the SEV-2XP's fixed landing gear with a
retractable undercarriage where the mainwheels retracted backwards into the
wing, and an 850 hp (634 kW) R-1820-G5 replacing the -F3 of the SEV-2XP. The
SEV-1XP was delivered to Wright Field on 15 August for evaluation, which was
generally successful, although the Cyclone failed to deliver its rated power and
the SEV-1XP only reached 289 mph (465 km/h) rather that the 300 mph (483 km/h)
predicted by Seversky.

Role Fighter
Manufacturer Seversky
First flight 15 August 1935
Introduction 1937
Retired September 1952 (Sweden)
Primary users United States Army Air Corps
Swedish Air Force
Number built 196 (inc. export)
Unit cost US$22,500[1]
Variants P-43 Lancer
Seversky SEV-3

The first P-35s were delivered to the 1st Pursuit Group (27th, 71st and 94th PS)
stationed at Selfridge Field in Michigan. The aircraft utilized a wet wing to
save weight and ground personnel quickly learned about the persistent fuel
leaks. The P-35's performance was poor even by contemporary standards and,
although USAAC aviators appreciated the aircraft's ruggedness, it was already
obsolete by the time deliveries were finished in 1938.[23]

Specifications (P-35A)

General characteristics
Crew: One
Length: 26 ft 10 in (8.17 m)
Wingspan: 36 ft 0 in (10.97 m)
Height: 9 ft 9 in (2.97 m)
Wing area: 220 ft² (20.43 m²)
Empty weight: 4,575 lb (2,075 kg)
Loaded weight: 6,118 lb (2,775 kg)
Max. takeoff weight: 6,723 lb (3,050 kg)
Powerplant: 1 × Pratt & Whitney R-1830-45 Twin Wasp radial engine, 1,050 hp (783
kW)

Performance
Maximum speed: 290 mph (252 knots, 467 km/h) at 12,000 ft (3,660 m)
Cruise speed: 260 mph (226 knots, 418 km/h)
Range: 950 mi (826 nmi, 1,530 km)
Service ceiling: 31,400 ft (9,570 m)
Rate of climb: 1,920 ft/min (9.8 m/s)
Wing loading: 27.8 lb/ft² (135.8 kg/m²)
Power/mass: 0.172 hp/lb (0.282 kW/kg)

Armament
Guns: 2x 0.30 in M1919 Browning machine guns; 2x 0.50 in Browning M2/AN machine
guns
Bombs: up to 350 lb (160 kg) of bombs






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