Warbird Information Exchange

In regards to painting our P-35A [ J-9] as a Swedish aircraft this goes back to the topic of owners of these aircraft painting them to represent more famous aircraft. If we painted the P-35A as a J-9 then the majority of warbird fans would be in a up roar that we did not paint it to represent a American aircraft that saw combat. Good example of another decision we had to make on the paint scheme for our P-51C. This aircraft never saw combat during WW II and it's fame really came from the fact that it was flown by Paul Mantz for several years as a air racer. Now we could have painted it as a air racer but we felt it more important to painted as a combat aircraft [Tusgeegee Airman] which better represented what the aircraft did during this important time in history. I would hope that most warbird fans would be happy just to see a P-35 take to the air again instead of setting static in some museum collecting dust than to argue to paint it as a J-9.

Exactly

I cant wait to see the MUSAF's example this later week. I'll be sure to grab a few pics for this thread.

Stetz...I know everyone has been picking your brain, I hope you dont mind me asking... any news with the B-24 Joe or B-29 Fertile Myrtle?

Thanks!

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Due to the fact that our collection is rather large [150 aircraft] and our staff is small we have to pick and choose what we are going to fly. We are constantly working on airplanes that we try to fly on a regular basis [ P-51C, TP-40, T-6, Bucker Jungmiester etc] that we have not been able to keep the B-24 flying at this time. The B-29 is dissassembled in storage and would require a huge commitment both man power wise and financially so at this time we have no plans to start the restoration.

Thanks stetz That is completely understandable.

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Well, I wasn't really trying to "argue" about the upcoming paint job. I know it's going to get the rather unusual look the meant-to-be-swedish-J 9's that instead were sent to the Phillipines as P-35A (quickly renamed RP-35A) got, with a mix of both SwAF and USAAC markings. That's still a nice homage to the airplane's own background. My point was more to share the old rare pictures I've found of the very airplane itself that you guys now have in the shop! I'm looking forward as much as anyone else to see it airborne again in any paint job!

On a more historic fun trivia side note, probably not known to most readers here at WIX, the Swedish J 9's were together with the Italian look-alike Regianne 2000 the common fighter to escort and help all the American bombers (more than a hundred B-17 and B-24!) that for different reasons landed in Sweden during the war. But that is, as they say, another story!

Hello All,
After the amazing amount of feedback and interest in the P-35 project I am sorry for the long delay in replying. Due to a temporary assignment out of town for my day job (A&P) I have really been out of circulation. As a result not much time was available to work on anything Seversky related.

To answer the basic questions the following are VCS objectives for the "VCS35" replica:

1. The "VCS35" aircraft is to be powered by a R-1830-92 P&W powerplant as fitted to the C-47/DC-3. The aircraft was orginally powered by (P-35) R-1830-9 and (P-35A) R-1830-45 that are nonexistant. For mock up and preliminary fitting FWF (firewall forward) as many C-47 parts will be used as possible (engine mount, accessosry cowling ect). To this end a core R-1830-92 rear accessory case and C-47 upper accessory cowling have been found and purchased. I am still trying to find a C-47 engine mount and dishpan (exhaust shroud).

2. The "VCS35" aircraft will have the Hamiliton Standard 3E50 counterweight propeller replaced with the HS 23E50 hydromatic propeller. As (again) the counterweight propeller is nonexistant and the 23E50 is very available. A nonfeathering 23E50 hub similar to what is fitted to the new build Yak-3 was purchased. I am still looking for a set of three blades.

3. The "VCS35" will be a full scale, all aluminum flyable replica of the Seversky/Republic P-35A. To enable remanufacture, an effort is under way to completely "Loft" the aircraft with specialized software. This will define the true and accurate airframe design from which all parts will be built around. All jigs, fixtures will be designed and parts will be redrawn with 3D CAD software and checked for fit and structural integrity. This process mirrors the development and engineering of current aircraft design. The flaws and difficulties encountered (see Airbus A380 and Boeing 787) with this approach and been carefully compared with the amazing potential of what can be accomplished with state of the art manufacuring methods (CAM , rapid prototyping ect.)

4. To validate the design and manufacturing process, several small "proof of concept" projects were undertaken. The results were what I posted in the pictures. A completely new P-35A instrument panel was drawn in 2D CAD, and then cut out by a CNC mill. The firewall was also redrawn in 2D CAD and the shape was cut out of MDF with a gantry CNC router. Finally the seat, a modfied T-6/P-51 seat, was used as a pattern to model in 3D Cad and all sheetmetal parts are being modeled presently.
The following is an example of a modeled 3D CAD simple seat bracket:


The hope to soon began construction on the fuselage jig:



I will post more images of parts and progress. If any one should want more information please PM me.

VCS1, so how accurate will this replica be? Are you using either original blueprints or original parts to keep it accurate or are you basically "rebuilding" the design, so that it just looks like a P-35?

I hope to maintain design accuracy (within the margin of safety as most Warbird replica/restorations strive to maintain). Some changes will have to be made in the powerplant area to incorporate the later R-1830-92 (updraft versus downdraft pressure carbs, electric starter versus cartridge, ect.) Additionally if structural integrity is found to be questionable during my design review, areas may have to be reinforced or redesigned.

The issue of the prints is a subject I have really tried to not clarify in these posts. I do indeed have copies of most of the prints (I can tell you that some that were preserved are really unreadable). However anyone who has requested vintage aircraft blueprints from "that place" and plans to use them to do any activity other than "model building" knows the kind of trouble that can be started. I hope this clarifies the situation. I also will not call my version a "P-35A". I decided for FAA licensing and other legal reasons to term it the "VCS35".

I have also been very lucky in that the Planes of Fame at Chino have allowed me to very carefully examine, measure and digitally photograph their AT-12. In reviewing the prints and parts manual I determined that the rear fuselage (Frame 10) aft of the AT-12 are the same part numbers as the P-35A. The firewall and first two fuselage frames are also the same. To actually examine these parts combined with the knowledge of what I have extracted from the prints really got me excited about this project!

I am pushing ahead with the forward fuselage. My goal before "cutting metal" is to mock up all the fuselage frames (1-13) in MDF. Then compare dimensions to the Chino AT-12 before actually constructing the frames in aluminum. With the utilization of 3D Cad for design and a CNC router for manufacture, I hope to have a pretty good (and accurate) replica.

As for the parts issue, I do not have any original P-35/AT-12 examples right now. I was able to purchase a couple of P-43 (just tail strut) parts from a private party. I wanted to validate the accuracy and manufacturing quality of original Seversky/Republic parts before proceeding with making some of my own. With such a small production run and the aircraft being obsolete for later wartime service, I have accepted that I will not be able to find much. However any rumors, leads ect for anything Seversky would be much appreciated!

With the P-35 being a survivor in the warbird ranks, had you ever considered building a P-43 instead?

Thanks for the info VCS1! What an ambitious project and I wish you lots of luck! There can never be too many P-35/AT-12's flying in the world.

Are you working by yourself, or do you have a team in place to help you?

Do you expect this to be a long term project, i.e. in excess of 10 years?

Ditto, what BDK said. Any reason why not a P-43 vs. the P-35?

Hey bdk, I like the way you think.A bird that really needs to be built.

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Great work mate.A credit to you.I know how hard it is going the new build route.It WILL send you insane but you will have so much fun it won,t matter..
Any tips or advice needed please ask.We are traveling along similar paths.

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I have received a request to share more Seversky/Republic Pictures.
Here are a couple from my collection:



This is the aft fuselage jig (station 6 to station 9)



Early Factory shot showing fuselages on jigs



Wing construction shots.

Nice Photo Lineup of early "Convoy Fighter"



I am always looking for more factory Seversky/Republic Pictures. I really would like to see a picture of a P-35/P-35A fuselage with the skin removed if such a picture still exists!

More Seversky/Republic Pictures:

Later Factory Shot showing P-35A and P-43's.


Nice partial disassembly of a P-35A.


Rear Turtle Deck of a P-35A under construction.


Early shot of factory assembling wing spars.