severskyaircraft

Third from left is Col. Francis S. Gabreski, the highest scoring ace in the European Theater of WWII. His score of 28 kills were all achieved while flying the Republic P-47 Thunderbolt with the 56th Fighter Group.

Third from the right side of the frame, and next to Gabby Gabreski, is Alexander de Seversky, aviator, aviation visionary, and founder of Seversky Aircraft Corporation (forerunner of Republic Aviation). See: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_P._de_Seversky

Finished just weeks before the company reshuffled its leadership and became Republic Aviation, this was the last Seversky P-35 produced (s/n 36-430), modified with a fully retractable landing gear, lowered & streamlined canopy, and a lengthened fuselage to incorporate an uprated P&W R-1830 with its two-speed supercharger installation in the aft fuselage. Probably scrapped around April 1942 after testing at Wright Field & NACA (Langley) and unsuccessfully competing for a production contract with the XP-38, 39 & 40. However, the USAAC did continue development of its stablemate, the Republic XP-43, which went on to be developed into the famous P-47 Thunderbolt.

Seversky P-35 assigned to the 17th Pursuit Squadron in the Philippines at the onset of America's entry into WWII.