Republic P-43 Lancer

Dora Wings, 1/72 scale

Reviewed by Brett Green

The Republic Lancer betrays its links to the much more famous Thunderbolt with its lookalike appearance, although it was somewhat smaller airframe. But the shape is there!

Air Britain’s Spring 2021 Aviation World magazine covers the development of this series of aircraft.

Destined to be a less than impressive fighter, the initial plans were drawn up by Seversky (who later changed their name to Republic) and produced in 1940. Some 242 were produced and were used for a while by the USAAF and delivery to China for use by the American Volunteer Group against Japan.

It was not well liked by its pilots due to the aircraft's lack of armour or self-sealing fuel tanks, and the engine was more in demand for the DC-3.

The P-43A, which this kit appears to represent, was armed with a single 0.3in mg. in each wing.  Production and interest waned as the P-47 showed so much more promise. However, this later aircraft showed some of the featured developed in the P-43 such as the wing shape, ‘razorback’ cockpit/rear fuselage shape and the oval cowling front.

Apart from China, eight aircraft were also sent to the RAAF for photo-reconnaissance work in 1943.

The kit comes in a sturdy top opening box has a nice rendition of a USAAF Lancer flying over a snow-capped volcano ( Mt St Helens pre-eruption?) and the contents are in a resealable plastic bag and consist of two larger dark grey sprues, two smaller ones, a separately packaged transparency sprue, a PE fret, masks and decals in their own bag, plus a stapled 12-page A5 instruction booklet.

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Parts are crisply moulded with excellent fine surface detail and delicate detail parts. I could find no flash, and any seam lines are imperceptible.

The review sample did have an unfortunate crack across the lower wing from trailing edge to wheel well on the port side, but I assume that this is a one-off accidental piece of damage.

As usual with short-run kits, there are no location pins so care will be needed joining the major parts.

The wing and stabiliser trailing edges are moulded in such a way to produce lovely fine edges and the clever way that the upper wing undersides have been recessed to accept the undercarriage bay inserts is a great idea and allows more accurate wheel bays to be produced.

The cockpit is a nice bit of moulding with some dozen plastic parts making up the interior with PE used for seat belts, levers and instrument panel.

The engine is similarly detailed with both plastic parts and PE used to make up a good-looking unit.

PE is also provided for the cooling gills on each side of the cowling.

Undercarriage is also multi-part with five parts to each leg - very nice!

The clear canopy parts are supplied in three pieces and may be posed open if desired.

All other construction steps are clearly illustrated in the instruction booklet and should help to make up a great little model. Masks will ease the pain of painting a complex framed canopy although there is no diagram to show their location, the layout on the sheet should be self-explanatory.

Markings

Decals are nicely printed in glossy finish with good density, excellent register and cover four airframes:

1. YP-43, 74 1P USAAF 1941 ( wrongly called the USAF), in NMF and red cowling nose,

2. P-43A 40-2920, 55th Pursuit Group, 1942, Olive drab over neutral grey, with yellow cowling front,

3. P-43A, 41-6721, 1942 again incorrectly assigned to the USAF, Olive drab over neutral grey, and 

4. P-43A 41-31496 in August 1943. Olive drab over neutral grey, 

The instruction booklet contains no background info - that came from Wiki and my own thoughts - but does contain a useful colour table for Mr Hobby, Tamiya, AMMO-MIG, Hataka and LIFEColor paints. Colours are called out all through the construction stages.

All-in-all and lovely looking kit of one of America’s less capable aircraft.

Thanks to Dora Wings for the review sample.

Review Text Copyright © 2021 by Graham Carter
Images Copyright © 2021 by Brett Green
Page Created 27 October, 2021
Last updated 27 October, 2021

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