Seversky 2PA-L Convoy Fighter Soviet Russia 1938 AT-12 Guardsman Type Photo 8x10 For Sale

Seversky 2PA-L Convoy Fighter Soviet Russia
1938 AT-12 Guardsman Type Photo 8x10
Soviet-Bought, License Never Used — Aitken CollectionDESCRIPTIONThis 8x10 black and white photograph shows a Seversky 2PA-L, the landplane version of the company's two-seat Convoy Fighter. The hand-lettered caption label with the print identifies it as construction number 143, a two-place pursuit built for and delivered to Russia in 1938 along with one amphibian, the 2PA-A. The label lists the registration as unknown, and no registration or national markings are visible in the frame.The Soviet Union bought two 2PA aircraft, one landplane and one amphibian, along with a license to build the design, and then never put it into production. The design was sold abroad in other versions too. Japan took 20 as the A8V1, and Sweden ordered 52 but received only two before a U.S. embargo, so the other 50 were kept in the United States and went into U.S. Army service as AT-12 Guardsman trainers. The company behind it was founded by Alexander de Seversky, a Russian-born naval aviator who lost a leg in World War I, returned to combat, and settled in the United States in 1918. Seversky Aircraft was reorganized as Republic Aviation in October 1939, the name behind the P-47 Thunderbolt.The view is a low angle from beside the wing, with the tandem cockpits and the engine cowling behind the propeller in frame. Spectators stand beneath the wing, and a bicycle can be seen in the background at one edge, so the airplane is shown with a crowd gathered around it.This print is a company reprint made by McDonnell Douglas (MDC) at St. Louis, not an original period print, and it is offered and priced as such. The back is stamped in blue MDC ST. LOUIS, OCT 2 1974, NEGATIVES NOT FILED, and carries an ink stamp for Donald and Barbara Aitken of Irvine, California. The caption label credits the photo to D. Russell. It comes from the AITKEN COLLECTION. Scanned at 600dpi.Donald Aitken was a Navy-trained aviator who flew helicopters and then spent his airline career as a United Airlines captain on the 747, 727, 757, 767 and DC-10, retiring in 1996. He grew up watching planes overhead in rural North Dakota and flew radio-controlled airplanes well into his later years.Every effort is made toward fact checking and provenance, including background research through news and historical archives. If any listing is incorrect in any way and you are unsatisfied with the item, please connect with me and I'll make it right. Orders placed before Noon CDT ship same day via Ground Advantage with tracking so you know exactly when it will arrive. Returns accepted on all items exceeding $25 in cost. Rigid, professional packaging on all shipments, sealed and protected in acid free protectors. Shipping is free and already built into the price, so the BIN price is exactly what you pay, no surprise shipping costs at checkout.CONDITIONBlack and white 8x10 print on cream-toned paper. The photograph is soft, with motion blur and a dark, heavy shadow across the wing, so fine detail is limited. Fine white scratch lines, small dust specks and light grain show across the image, along with a few darker spots. No tears, creases or stains are visible in the scans. The back is clean cream paper with the hand-lettered caption label, the blue MDC ST. LOUIS OCT 2 1974 NEGATIVES NOT FILED stamp (the last letter is faint) and the Aitken ink stamp, as shown. Please review all photos closely, as they are part of the description.