Book Review of
Republic P-43 Lancer
Author: Marek Rys
Kagero Top Drawings no. 122
Polish-English Publication
ISBN: 978-83-66673-70-0
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 2021
MSRP: $34.95
Polish-English Publication
ISBN: 978-83-66673-70-0
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 2021
MSRP: $34.95
The Republic P-43 Lancer was a single-engine, all-metal, low-wing monoplane fighter aircraft built by Republic, first delivered to the United States Army Air Corps in 1940. A proposed development was the P-44 Rocket.
While not a particularly outstanding fighter, the P-43A had a very good high-altitude performance coupled with an effective oxygen system. Fast and well-armed with excellent long-range capabilities, until the arrival of the Lockheed P-38 Lightning, the Lancer was the only American fighter capable of catching a Japanese Mitsubishi Ki-46 "Dinah" reconnaissance plane at the speeds and heights at which they flew.
In addition, the P-43 flew many long-range, high-altitude photo recon missions until replaced by F-4/F-5 Lightnings (P-38 variants) in both the USAAF and RAAF.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Role: Fighter
National origin: United States
Manufacturer: Republic Aviation
First flight: March 1940
Introduction to service: 1941
Retired: 1944 (China)
Status: Retired
Primary users: United States Army Air Corps, United States Army Air Forces, Republic of China Air Force, Royal Australian Air Force
Crew: 1
Length: 28 ft 6 in (8.7 m)
Wingspan: 36 ft 1 in (11.0 m)
Height: 14 ft 1 in (4.3 m)
Wing area: 222.7 sq ft (20.7 m2)
Empty weight: 5,982 lb (2,713 kg)
Gross weight: 7,418 lb (3,365 kg)
Max takeoff weight: 8,460 lb (3,837 kg)
Powerplant: 1 × Pratt & Whitney R-1830-49 14-cylinder air-cooled radial piston engine, 1,200 hp (895 kW)
Maximum speed: 356 mph (573 km/h, 309 kn)
Range: 650 mi (1,046 km, 560 nmi)
Service ceiling: 35,990 ft (10,970 m)
Rate of climb: 2,500 ft/min (13 m/s)
Wing loading: 33 lb/sq ft (163 kg/m2)
Power/mass: 0.16 hp/lb (0.27 kW/kg)
Armament
Guns: 4 × 0.50 in (12.7 mm) M2 Browning machine guns
Produced: 1940–1941
Number built: 272
Developed from: Seversky P-35
THE BOOK:
Kagero is based in Lublin, Poland.
This book is staple-bound and soft-cover of 20 pages in 8 ¼” x 11 ¾” page format.
It comes packaged in a self-sealing clear cello envelope.
The cover art is split diagonally in two with red at the top and black at the bottom.
On the red part there is a black and white photo of a Lancer on an airfield.
On the bottom black part there is a white line drawing cutaway illustration of the top of a Lancer. Over top of it there are 2 color side views of Lancers.
One is olive-drab over light blue undercarriage. It carries blue and white Australian-Air Force roundels and a white no, A56-5 on the fuselage sides and a white and blue vertical fin flash on the rudder.
The one below it is also in the same color scheme. It has a yellow spinner and upper part of the tip of the cowling in yellow with white at the bottom, USAF roundel that is navy-blue with a white star on it with a red circle and black no. 55P over 02920 on its rudder.
Both these profiles are repeated again in the book.
The book begins with the history of the Lancer in Polish and English. All the captions are in those languages also.
There is one 3-view line drawing of a YP-43 Lancer in 1/72nd scale that includes illustrations of the fuselage interior bulkheads and their locations.
Another 4-view in 1/72nd scale of that version.
A 3-view in 1/72nd scale of a P-43A/A1 version.
Two 2-views in 1/72nd scale of the P-34A/A1.
A 4-view in 1/72nd scale of the P-34B/C/D/E and two 2-views of that version.
In 1/48th scale there are three side-view line-drawings of the YP-43. Including illustrations of the bulkheads inside the fuselage and their locations.
There are two 2-views of the YP-43 in 1/48th scale. Including illustrations of the wing spars.
A side view in 1/48th scale of the P-43A/1A.
Two 2-views in 1/48th scale of the P-43A/1A.
A side view of the P-43 B/C/D/E in 1/48th scale. Including illustrations of fuselage bulkheads and their locations.
Three 2-views of the P-43 B/C/D/E.
Color profile illustrations include:
A YP-43 Lancer that is dark-gray overall with a red cowling nose, an illustration of a indian’s head with white headdress on the sides of the fuselage, black no. 74 over 1P on the rudder and a red, white and blue striped rudder flap.
It was with the 94th Pursuit Squadron (1st Pursuit Group), USAAC, 1941.
A P-43A-1 that is overall olive-drab over a light-blue undercarriage. It has a white no. 4 on the fuselage sides. It has a yellow name “Reluctant Dragon” underlined with a long yellow letter R on the side of the nose.
It was with the 76th Fighter Squadron (23rd Fighter Group) stationed on Wuijaba Airfield in Kunming, on January 1943.
On this plane, Capt. Jeffrey Welborn probably damaged or shot down a Ki-46-II Japanese “Dinah”. It was the only victory claimed by a P-43.
The next profile is a 4-view of the Australian P-43B that Is on the cover art. (already described)
It was with a RAAF reconnaissance unit, stationed at Coomalie Creek, Northern Territory, December 1942.
A side view of a P-43A that is the USAF one shown on the cover art. (already described).
It was with the 55th Pursuit Group, Portland, January 1942.
A side view of a P-43A that is overall olive-drab with a light-blue undercarriage. It has a white nose on the cowling, a USAF star with bars insignia on the fuselage sides and a yellow serial no. 141496 stenciled on the sides of the rudder.
It was with the USAAF training unit, August 1943.
On the back cover of the book there are two more side profiles. Both are YP-43’s in overall navy-blue with white cowling fronts and red, white and blue stripes on their rudder flaps and USAAC roundels under the wings. The bottom one has 2 yellow vertical fuselage bands.
Both aircrafts were with the 55th Pursuit Group USAAC, 1540/41. The 2nd one was the squadron commander’s aircraft.
Inserted in the book there are two large sheets of line drawings, printed on both sides in 15 ¾” x 22 ½” format. They are folded twice to fit the book.
The face side of the 1st sheet shows a 3-view line drawing of a P-43A/A1 in 1/32nd scale. It includes illustrations of the fuselage bulkheads and their locations.
The reverse side shows another 3-view of the P-34A/A1 with illustrations of the wing spars in 1/32nd scale.
The face side of the 2nd sheet show a 3-view line drawing of a P-43 B/C/D/E and illustrations of the fuselage bulkheads and their locations.
The reverse side shows the P-43 B/C/D/E again as a 4-view, with illustrations of the wing spars.
Dora Wings brand manufactures a Lancer in 1/48th scale and Special Hobby brand does it in 1/72nd scale.
This book will be of interest to both modelers and aviation historians.
I sincerely wish to thank Casemate Publishers for this review copy. Casemate is the N. American distributor of Kagero books and all their titles can be viewed on Casemate’s website at:
While not a particularly outstanding fighter, the P-43A had a very good high-altitude performance coupled with an effective oxygen system. Fast and well-armed with excellent long-range capabilities, until the arrival of the Lockheed P-38 Lightning, the Lancer was the only American fighter capable of catching a Japanese Mitsubishi Ki-46 "Dinah" reconnaissance plane at the speeds and heights at which they flew.
In addition, the P-43 flew many long-range, high-altitude photo recon missions until replaced by F-4/F-5 Lightnings (P-38 variants) in both the USAAF and RAAF.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Role: Fighter
National origin: United States
Manufacturer: Republic Aviation
First flight: March 1940
Introduction to service: 1941
Retired: 1944 (China)
Status: Retired
Primary users: United States Army Air Corps, United States Army Air Forces, Republic of China Air Force, Royal Australian Air Force
Crew: 1
Length: 28 ft 6 in (8.7 m)
Wingspan: 36 ft 1 in (11.0 m)
Height: 14 ft 1 in (4.3 m)
Wing area: 222.7 sq ft (20.7 m2)
Empty weight: 5,982 lb (2,713 kg)
Gross weight: 7,418 lb (3,365 kg)
Max takeoff weight: 8,460 lb (3,837 kg)
Powerplant: 1 × Pratt & Whitney R-1830-49 14-cylinder air-cooled radial piston engine, 1,200 hp (895 kW)
Maximum speed: 356 mph (573 km/h, 309 kn)
Range: 650 mi (1,046 km, 560 nmi)
Service ceiling: 35,990 ft (10,970 m)
Rate of climb: 2,500 ft/min (13 m/s)
Wing loading: 33 lb/sq ft (163 kg/m2)
Power/mass: 0.16 hp/lb (0.27 kW/kg)
Armament
Guns: 4 × 0.50 in (12.7 mm) M2 Browning machine guns
Produced: 1940–1941
Number built: 272
Developed from: Seversky P-35
THE BOOK:
Kagero is based in Lublin, Poland.
This book is staple-bound and soft-cover of 20 pages in 8 ¼” x 11 ¾” page format.
It comes packaged in a self-sealing clear cello envelope.
The cover art is split diagonally in two with red at the top and black at the bottom.
On the red part there is a black and white photo of a Lancer on an airfield.
On the bottom black part there is a white line drawing cutaway illustration of the top of a Lancer. Over top of it there are 2 color side views of Lancers.
One is olive-drab over light blue undercarriage. It carries blue and white Australian-Air Force roundels and a white no, A56-5 on the fuselage sides and a white and blue vertical fin flash on the rudder.
The one below it is also in the same color scheme. It has a yellow spinner and upper part of the tip of the cowling in yellow with white at the bottom, USAF roundel that is navy-blue with a white star on it with a red circle and black no. 55P over 02920 on its rudder.
Both these profiles are repeated again in the book.
The book begins with the history of the Lancer in Polish and English. All the captions are in those languages also.
There is one 3-view line drawing of a YP-43 Lancer in 1/72nd scale that includes illustrations of the fuselage interior bulkheads and their locations.
Another 4-view in 1/72nd scale of that version.
A 3-view in 1/72nd scale of a P-43A/A1 version.
Two 2-views in 1/72nd scale of the P-34A/A1.
A 4-view in 1/72nd scale of the P-34B/C/D/E and two 2-views of that version.
In 1/48th scale there are three side-view line-drawings of the YP-43. Including illustrations of the bulkheads inside the fuselage and their locations.
There are two 2-views of the YP-43 in 1/48th scale. Including illustrations of the wing spars.
A side view in 1/48th scale of the P-43A/1A.
Two 2-views in 1/48th scale of the P-43A/1A.
A side view of the P-43 B/C/D/E in 1/48th scale. Including illustrations of fuselage bulkheads and their locations.
Three 2-views of the P-43 B/C/D/E.
Color profile illustrations include:
A YP-43 Lancer that is dark-gray overall with a red cowling nose, an illustration of a indian’s head with white headdress on the sides of the fuselage, black no. 74 over 1P on the rudder and a red, white and blue striped rudder flap.
It was with the 94th Pursuit Squadron (1st Pursuit Group), USAAC, 1941.
A P-43A-1 that is overall olive-drab over a light-blue undercarriage. It has a white no. 4 on the fuselage sides. It has a yellow name “Reluctant Dragon” underlined with a long yellow letter R on the side of the nose.
It was with the 76th Fighter Squadron (23rd Fighter Group) stationed on Wuijaba Airfield in Kunming, on January 1943.
On this plane, Capt. Jeffrey Welborn probably damaged or shot down a Ki-46-II Japanese “Dinah”. It was the only victory claimed by a P-43.
The next profile is a 4-view of the Australian P-43B that Is on the cover art. (already described)
It was with a RAAF reconnaissance unit, stationed at Coomalie Creek, Northern Territory, December 1942.
A side view of a P-43A that is the USAF one shown on the cover art. (already described).
It was with the 55th Pursuit Group, Portland, January 1942.
A side view of a P-43A that is overall olive-drab with a light-blue undercarriage. It has a white nose on the cowling, a USAF star with bars insignia on the fuselage sides and a yellow serial no. 141496 stenciled on the sides of the rudder.
It was with the USAAF training unit, August 1943.
On the back cover of the book there are two more side profiles. Both are YP-43’s in overall navy-blue with white cowling fronts and red, white and blue stripes on their rudder flaps and USAAC roundels under the wings. The bottom one has 2 yellow vertical fuselage bands.
Both aircrafts were with the 55th Pursuit Group USAAC, 1540/41. The 2nd one was the squadron commander’s aircraft.
Inserted in the book there are two large sheets of line drawings, printed on both sides in 15 ¾” x 22 ½” format. They are folded twice to fit the book.
The face side of the 1st sheet shows a 3-view line drawing of a P-43A/A1 in 1/32nd scale. It includes illustrations of the fuselage bulkheads and their locations.
The reverse side shows another 3-view of the P-34A/A1 with illustrations of the wing spars in 1/32nd scale.
The face side of the 2nd sheet show a 3-view line drawing of a P-43 B/C/D/E and illustrations of the fuselage bulkheads and their locations.
The reverse side shows the P-43 B/C/D/E again as a 4-view, with illustrations of the wing spars.
Dora Wings brand manufactures a Lancer in 1/48th scale and Special Hobby brand does it in 1/72nd scale.
This book will be of interest to both modelers and aviation historians.
I sincerely wish to thank Casemate Publishers for this review copy. Casemate is the N. American distributor of Kagero books and all their titles can be viewed on Casemate’s website at:
Highly recommended.