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The P-43 was a development of the P-35 (during the development of the Lancer, the Seversky corporation became the Republic corporation). Thirteen YP-43's were built in 1940, but it quickly became apparent they were not up to the standards of European fighters. A contract was awarded for 205 P-44's (later expanded to 827), but these were canceled when even they were judged to already be obsolete. A further development, which led to the P-47 Thunderbolt, was chosen instead. However, it would be some time before the production of the P-47 could get into full swing (a delay mainly caused by the engine), so rather than have the Republic plant sit idle, it was ordered to begin building P-43's, many of which used partially completed  P-44 airframes. Just over 270 P-43's were built and delivered before December 1941, essentially as busy work.

The version below is the P-43A-1, built in the greatest numbers of any variant (125). Just under 110 were sent to China under Lend-Lease but faired poorly against the Japanese. An unspecified number of P-43/P-43A were also sent to China.

The P-43A-1 uses 40.3 gallons of aviation fuel per hour at routine usage.

Subassemblies: Medium Fighter chassis +3, Medium Fighter Wings +2, three retractable wheels +0.
P&P: 895-kW aerial HP gasoline engine with 895-kW prop and 218-gallon self-sealing fuel tank [Body].
Occ: 1 CS     Cargo: 2.8 Body
 

Armor	F	R/L	B	T	U
All	2/3	2/3	2/3	2/3	2/3
Cockpit	0/0	0/0	0/+20	0/0	0/0

Weaponry
4¥Very Long Aircraft HMG/M-2 [Wings:F] (200 each).
200-lb bomb [Body:U].

Equipment
Body: Medium radio receiver and transmitter, navigation instruments, autopilot.

Statistics

Size: 29'x36'x14'	Payload: 1.01 tons	Lwt: 3.72 tons
Volume:  200 vsp	Maint.: 44 hours	Price: $20,800

HT: 12
HP:  240 [body], 80 [each wing], 24 [each wheel]
 

aSpeed: 356

aAccel: 7

aDecel: 15

aMR: 3.75

aSR: 2

Stall: 77 mph

-5 mph with loaded hardpoint.

Design Notes
The historical wing area (224 square feet) and aSpeed (design was 324) has been used. Body HP, weight and cost have been doubled to better match historical weight and improve HT, but loaded weight still had to be increased 5%.

One third of an armored crewstation was purchased.

The eighty P-43A (1941) also lacked the armor and protected fuel tanks, but replaced the wing LMGs with HMGs.

The P-43B, -C and -D were 150 P-43, P-43A and P-43A-1's converted to the photo recon role by the addition of a camera in the tail. Eight were sent to Australia in 1942 and the surviving six (one damaged on landing and another missing) were returned in 1943.

In late 1942, surviving P-43's of all models were designated RP-43's, meaning the were restricted from combat.

The proposed P-44-1 Rocket (1940) was the same as the P-43 but with a 1,044-kW engine with an estimated aSpeed 386. The P-44-2 would have mounted a 1,492-kW engine with estimated aSpeed 406. No P-44's were built.