The P-35, one of the forerunners of the Republic P-47, was the first single-seat, all-metal pursuit plane with retractable landing gear and enclosed cockpit to go into regular service with the U.S. Army Air Corps. The Army accepted 76 P-35s in 1937-1938 [S/N 36-354 to 36-429; 36-430 (77th aircraft built) became the XP-41] and assigned 75 to the 1st Pursuit Group, Selfridge Field, Mich.
The Japanese Navy ordered 20 of a two-seat version (2PA-L) of the P-35 in 1938, the only American-built planes used operationally by a Japanese squadron during World War II. Sweden also purchased 60 improved single-seat EP-1s, but a second order for 60 was taken over by the U.S. Army in 1940 and designated P-35As. Most were assigned to the 17th and 20th Pursuit Squadrons in the Philippines; all were lost in action early in the war.
The National Museum of the United States Air Force has a P-35 on display.
Type
Number built/
Converted
Remarks
P-35
76
Initial production aircraft
P-35A
60
Swedish order seized in 1941
TECHNICAL NOTES: Armament: One .50-cal. and one .30-cal. fuselage mounted machine gun plus 320 lbs. of bombs Engine: Pratt & Whitney R-1830-9 Twin Wasp of 850 hp at 8,000 ft. Maximum speed: 281.5 mph at 10,000 ft. Cruising speed: 259.5 mph Range: 800 miles on 134 gal. at 200 mph Service ceiling: 30,600 ft. Span: 36 ft. Length: 25 ft. 2 in. Height: 9 ft. 1 in. Weight: 5,600 lbs. maximum Crew: One
