TNCA Anahuac 43B of the RFAM 1944.

At the end of the decade of the 30s, the Royal Mexican Air Force only had national biplanes and some post-Great War training aircraft, being much inferior in number and power to other Air Forces, especially in Europe and America. In 1938 the National Workshops on Aeronautical Constructions presented a prototype of a single-seater fighter totally manufactured in Mexico that would alleviate the shortages in the defense of the National skies.

The prototype called Anahuac (AI) mounted an Aztatl R736 12-cylinder double star and 900 HP engine with a propeller with two blades, of national manufacture that provided a maximum speed of 430 km / h, it would be made of plywood to lighten the device and reduce costs, the first 50 devices had a tension-free cover, almost all fabric until mid-1939. The Model (I) had problems in terms of acceleration and maneuverability due to the shortness of its fuselage, in addition to a poor armament of 2 machine guns of 7.5 mm on the edge of the wings, in addition to the fixed landing gear that caused certain collisions due to its height. Models (AII) and (AIII) greatly improved various aspects of construction and lengthened the fuselage and tail a few centimeters, in addition to improving speed, but continued with the same parameters in armament.

In 1943 the TNCA An 43B was produced, an improved fighter with a more powerful engine, better weaponry and almost the entire metal-covered fuselage, the new engine was the 1300hp 12-cylinder double-star Aztatl III R900 which provided a top speed of 520 km / h., with a range of 600 km, retractable landing gear and closed cabin, 4 7.62 mm machine guns were mounted and could carry an external load of 450 kg bombs.

TNCA Anahuac 43B was a simple fighter but suitable for the mission in which it was thought, which was defense and territorial support. With a slow manufacturing pace, the An 43B never reached the 50 aircraft out of the 200 planned before the formal entry into the war, which happened in 1942 when several ships, both civil and military, sank. by the submarines of the Empire of Japan which motivated the Mexican Empire to declare war and engage in combat with the US forces in the liberation of the Philippines in 1944. The Mexican Air Ministry initially intended to send 15 Anahuac 43B with the Expeditionary Force in Squad 201, but the lack of transport ships and costs was negotiated with the USSAF to buy 15 P-47 fighters to join Squad 201.

The TNCA Anahuac 43 served together with the P-47 in the Royal Mexican Air Force until 1965 when the war called them back to service, but they were already lacking and only flew in reconnaissance and ground attack missions but never in combat against another fighter.