Seversky A8V1 "Dick"
The aircraft that cost Alexander de Seversky his company, and caused Seversky Aircraft Company to become Republic Aviation Corporation.
With losses to their G3M bombers flying from Formosa into China, Japan ordered 20 of the Seversky 2PA-B3 long-range "convoy fighters". The deal was concluded in secret, and the aircraft were delivered to become the Imperial Japanese Navy A8V-1 Type S Two-Seat Fighter. The aircrafts' history in Japan is not well detailed, but the performance was found to have disappointing performance and were relegated to a reconnaissance role based from Nanking. Assuming they would remain in service they were allocated the American reporting name of "Dick", however they appear to have been removed from service before the attack on Pearl Harbour. Three aircraft were passed on to civil use, becoming transports for Japanese newspaper companies.
With the export order becoming common knowledge, the poor financial position of Seversky led to the board expressing a lack of confidence in Seversky himself, removing him and restructuring the company. Adopting the more patriotic name of Republic the overhauled company continued developing the P-35 fighter to become the highly successful P-47 Thunderbolt.