This is a sad, much abbreviated story about how the Republic AT-12 Guardsman came to be an Army Air Force "advanced trainer". The story begins on August 15, 1938, at the Seversky Aircraft Corporations airport in Farmingdale, NY. A brand new Seversky airplane, the 2PA-BX, was rolled out on the apron, warmed up and then test flown. Along with its first cousin, a single seat EPI-68, NX2587 (a higher powered spin off of the Army Air Corps standard P-35) the 2PA-BX, NX2586 was to be shipped off to Europe for a flying sales and demonstration tour.

NA P46 Curtiss P-36 Seversky AT 12

When the aircraft left for Europe, Maj. Alexander deSeversky, founder of the corporation, also made the trip with his wife, test pilot George Burrell, and a trusted mechanic.

The group had many sales demonstrations planned for the British, French, Poles, Norwegians, and Swedes. They were to follow a grueling sales program because the corporation didn't have any contacts.

Flight demonstrations in France, Poland, and Norway didn't bring in any orders, by Sweden was soon ready to sign up for a significant number of the EPI-68s, and an enlarged version of the f2PA-BX (design 2PA-204A, for use primarily as a dive-bomber, which was sorely needed).

A BRITISH Air Ministry team was introduced to the planes a Martlesham Air Base in Suffolk, before Seversky flew the EPI-68 to Southampton, to Supermarine's Woolston factory. There its' top test pilot flew the plane, while Seversky flew Supermarine's Spitfire for 30 minutes. Later, Seversky took the two-seater 2PA-Bx to Croydon Airport near London but encountered some really bad weather, and because he didn't know the airport, on landing run out, he collided with an iron post fence and a brick wall, which seriously damaged the aircraft.

To make matters worse, trouble was brewing at home. As the major recuperated from the accident in Europe, Walter K. Kellett (Seversky's Vice President) gave the major the same treatment as the Roman Senate gave Julius Caesar; Kellet was suddenly promoted to president, and the business was renamed Republic Aircraft Corp. The very unhappy Seversky was out on his derriere and, despite his lawsuit, his company's name was legally changed to Republic Aviation.

Sweden's government place two orders, which totaled 120 improved EPI-68 fighters, redesignated Republic EPI-106 (called J9s in service) and 52 dive bombers designated Republic 2PA-204As, an enlarged version of Seversky's 2PA-BX (design 2PA-202) demonstrator. The Swedish FLYGVAPNET sorely needed a new attack bomber, but the US neutrality act (and embargo) was invoked two months later. Ultimately, Sweden only received two 2PA-204A and 60 of the EPI-106 fighters, the other 60 were seized by the US War Department.

In fiscal year 1941, the new USAAF accepted 50 Republic 2PA-204A two-seaters and promptly redesignated them as AT-12 advanced trainers. The first one is shown on a test flight with chief test pilot Lowery Brabham a the controls. The 60 Republic EPI-106s seized by the War Department were redesignated as Republic P-35As, with most of them being shipped to Clark Field in the Philippine Islands. None of the AT-12s or P-35As were ever officially Severskys.

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