The build up 1920-1940 pg.2

Seversky and his chief designer, soon conceded that a fixed gear, two-seat fighter based on their SEV-3 would have no chance at winning the 1935 Pursuit competition. In an amazingly quick turn around, they converted their entry into a single seat machine with retracting gear, but the Wright Cyclone engine they chose for it would not deliver the promised power.

The two-place concept was not dead, Seversky still had hopes for a two-place convoy fighter, as well as a basic trainer (shown here).

A revised P-35 for production with new rudder, large multi-framed canopy, which was later modified.

An early B-17B at March field. Despite the crash of 299 prototype, Air Corps officers wanted to buy the new bomber. Although the design was right, certain details had yet to be worked out regarding defensive armament, fuel systems and crew protection. These were beginning to be addressed when 39 B-17Bs were ordered in August 1937, the aircraft flying for the first time on June 27, 1939. However, it wasn't until the advent of the B-17C, which raised the top speed by 28 mph, with more powerful Wright engine of 1200 hp, that the combat B-17 began to take shape.

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