The Seversky P-35 was the first fighter air­craft from the design team of Alexander de Seversky and Alexander Kartveli, a pair of Russian immigrants that would be at the fore­front of American military aviation through the years before and during the Second World War. Seversky was a Russian First World War Ace with thirteen victories. He defected to the United Slates in 1918, founding the Seversky Aviation Corporation in 1931. Kartveli immi­grated to the U.S. in 1928 and joined Seversky as his Chief Engineer.
The P-35 was a direct development of the Seversky SEV-3 amphibian aircraft, a three place, all-metal, low-wing monoplane that was initially fitted with a pair of EDO Corporation floats and wheels. The SEV-3 was powered by a Wright J-6/R-975 nine cylinder radial engine offering 420 hp. The very sleek amphibious aircraft could attain speeds in excess of 190 inph. Seversky himself set a new World Speed Record in the SEV-3 on 9 October 1933 at 179.7 mph. The SEV-3 was years ahead of its time, as no other amphibi­ous aircraft could attain such performance. In 1934, Seversky modified the SEV-3 amphib­ian for land-based operations only. The floats were removed and a pair of fixed main landing gear with wheel "spats" were installed. Seversky wanted his aircraft to be able to compete for one of the new military contracts being offered by the War Department.

Download File Size:12.09 MB

---