amrSPAD SCOUTS SVII - SXIII One of the supreme aerial weapons of the first world war as the French Spat single-seat fighter in i various qbrms. Its success as the more remarkable in view of is icon fom a series of undistinguished (end. in some caves outlandish) predecessors that had emerged from the ‘works of the Société anonyme pour Aviation ef ses Béniees "These included the frenkish Spad A.2 and Ad jn which the gunner cockpit was mounted in front of the aicrafes tractor aieret in'Apall 1916 the Spad Type V appeared. This ves 2 clean, Compact. single seater, wholty “conventional in Sppearance, yet embodying several structural features that ine appeared in the Spad A2 and Ad The most noxble of these were the Unusual inerplane bracing and the thethod of actusting the ailerons, which were Atted 0 the per wings only, Careful stention to stractoral design give the ype Van airtrome of smmease strength Toit Biches ue che Gesgne of te SAD. had been foraunate in being able to devign the new Spa {ype round the excellent new 140-h.p. Hispano-Suiza 8A ifine designed ‘by Mare Bickige Also in carly prospect rasa gunesynchconizing meckiaism’ designed for this {gine by Bika The Spad Type V made its Ses ight in the hands of the company’s test pilot, Béquet, and is said 10 have tained a. peed of 213 kmv/he’ (34 mph) on that Seomion, Such a speed seems unlikely, but the auerafts erformanee wos uindoulnedly very good and greatly ime Bressed the Drench authoritis when it undervent ofl Enis at Villacoublay in May 1916. ‘The Spad's.pertor- nance woe subutantlly better than that of the Nieuport Stouts then in general se in the escadiles de chasse of the leietion mniftare, and ‘an, inital order for 268 production aircraft was placed. forthith “Fhe fror contact wat awarded to the parent firm, who started production in the summer of 1916. The air: Gah delivered to the Aviation mii were designated Spud VIl and were powered by the Hispano-Suiza 6Aa Gapiney which delivered 130 hp. at 1,450. rpm. and TE hp. at 1700 rpan. (lt showld ‘be Noted that ‘many ‘5.3281, 2 Spad Vl of Esc. SPA 98. Erench Spads VII bore the marking “140 bp Hispano- Suiza” on the rudder when fitted with the 8A engine, Which was more usually referred to as the 150-I.p. Hise pano-Suiza.) Armament was a single 7.65 mm, Vickers achine-gun with Bitkigt synchronizing gear, ‘mounted slightly to starboard of centre. "The ammunition was sated ia, continuous canvas belts wound! on 10 larg diameter drums. ‘Long exhaust pipes terminating just abaft the cockpit ran along the fuselage sides; that on the port side served as a step, ‘The main fuel tank was mounted under the Tower wing and was shaped to conform to the, contours of the belly fairing of the fuselage. Tt had a device for jewsisoning its contents in emergency, and the Spad IT muse have becn the fist operauona aircraft to have the safety device. ‘One carly Spad_VIT had a 150-h.p. Renault engine. Like the Hispano-Suiza, the Renault was a water-cooled 'V-8, but its exhaust valves were on the inboard sides of its cylinders. "This must have created something of a problem on the Sped, on which a stacke-type exhaust One was in fact fitted) must have interfered with the pilor’s view. Doubtless the Renault installation was an Insurance against possible failure of the Hispano-Suiza, Tt was not developed. ‘The first two Spads VI to go to an operational unit are believed t0 have been S.112 and S.113, which were Gelivered to Escadrille N.3 on 2nd September, 1916. ‘The first was allocated to Sergent Paul Sauvage, the second to Lieutenant Georges Guynemer, The 21-year-old Guy- emer had ungl then flown the Morane-Saulnier parasol ‘monoplane and Nieuport scouts with which his escadrille ad Been successively equipped and had at that time a victory score of some fourteen enemy aircraft. Tt was almost. a5 if the Spad had been designed with Guynemer in mind. He took to Béchereau’s masterpiece immediately, and shot down a German it on his second flight in the Spad. On 23rd September, 1916, three enemy aiccraft fell to the Vickers gun of Guy- nemer’s Spad. He was himself shor down in that combatbut was unhurt, His victory toval had risen wo thirty by the end of January 1917, Delightedly, he called his Spad hhis_mitrailleuse volonte (fying. machine-gun). Escadrille N3 was the first unit to be equipped throughout with Spads and was consequently re-desig- nated SPA. Tt was one of the greatest of the French escadrilles de chasse, including in its members Capitaine ‘Armand Pinsard (27 viewoties), Sous-Lieutenant. René Dorme (23), Capitaine Alfred Heurtaux (21) and Capi- taine Albert Deullin (20). Pinsard’s first Spad in Esca- ddrille SPA'3 was S.122. ‘By the end of October 1916 twenty-five Spads VIT hhad been delivered to operational escadrilles. Despite the immense fighting value and relative scarcity of the new fighter, the French authorities generously made some ‘Spads ‘available to the R.F.C. within a few weeks of the emergence of the first production aircraft. Three were in British hands by the end of September 1916, and at least cone of these was flying operationally before that month ‘was out, This aircraft was with No. 60 Squadron, and on 28th September Captain E. L. Foot was flying it when he attacked four enemy aircraft and shor down one of them. On 20th September, 1916, Major General H. M. ‘Trenchard, General Officer commanding the RFC., wrote to Colone] Bares asking for a further 30 Spads, and a week later Captain Lord Iones-Ker of the British Aviation ‘Commission followed this up with a further letter sug- gesting that the 30 R.F.C. Spads might be built by Blériot ‘Aéronautique. ‘The French Minister of War gave his approval to this contract in 2 letter dated Sth October, 1916, on the understanding that the engines for the Spads would be supplied by the R.F.C. Among the earliest Spads used by the R.F.C. were those that had the British serial numbers A253, A256, A262, A263, A310 and A312. Of these, A256 is known to have been with No. 60 Squadron, REC, on 10th October, 1916. ‘To both French and British authorities the Spad’s quality was obvious, and both countries wanted more for their fying services, France's problem was that of ex- panding production: Britain's dificulty was how to obtain @ share of the output of Spads. In France production was extended to a number of additional contractors, and eventually the Spad VII vias built by the following’ com- panics in addition 1o the parent Societé anonyme pour PAviation et ses Dérivés: Bieriot Aéronautique; Les Ateliers d'Aviation L. Janoir; Kellner et ses Fils; Construction aéronautique Edmond de Margay (built 1,800); Sais to be the Spad Type V. his akeatt cenainiy eit fnnoust tubs and no Gover plates ate bee of he fn over he single central levator contol ever, L’Atelier de construction d’Appareils d’Aviation Roger Sommer. Les Ateliers de Construction Régy Fréres (built 200); Société d'Etudes Aéronautiques; and the Grémont concern. Corresponding arrangements for increasing production of the vital 150-.p. Hispano-Suiza engine had to be made, and early deliveries of the Sped VII might have been larger if more engines had been available. Even ‘with that engine the Spad did not long retain a sufficiently great advantage over the new German fighters that were Introduced in the autumn of 1916. In December 1916 Guynemer old Béchereau: “The 150-h.p. Spad is not a match for the Hal- berstadt. Although the Halberstadt is probably no faster it climbs better, consequently it has the overall advantage. More speed is, needet possibly the airscrew might be _ improved. ” ‘The Spad was given the filip it needed by the develop- ‘ment of the 180-n.p. Hispano-Suiza 8Ab engine. This was the 150-hp, $Aa engine with the compression ratio in- creased 10 5.3:15 at full throttle it could produce 204 hip. The BAb engine was fitted to French-built produc Udon aircraft as supplies became available. The first Spad VIL_to have the high-compression engine was allocated to Guynemer, who Won 19 victories on the aircraft. Dur~ ing that strenuous period the engine was never changed, a remarkable record for the time. Radiator shutters were fitted to the later Spads VI. On some aircraft these were disposed radially, but a sim- pler arrangement of vertical shutters was eventually Standardized, By Ist August, 1917, over fifty French escadrilles de chasse were equipped with the Spad, and there were 445, Spads VIT with these units. A further $0 aircraft were with non-operational units; two of these had experimental installations of the 200-hp. geared Hispano-Suiza 8B engine. ‘The supply of Spads to the Royal Flying Corps was a slow business. The first British unit to be selected for ‘complete equipment with the Spad VIL was No. 19 Squadron, RF.C,, which had carlier had the useless BE12, The first Spad to reach No. 19 Squadron was delivered in October 1916, ‘but re-equipment was not complete until February 1917. In that month No. 23 Squadron received its first Spad but was not fully re- equipped until April 1917. A British contract for Spads was given to the Kellner firm in March 1917, ‘As bot the RFC. and RNAS. wanted Spads for their fighter squadrons arrangements’ were made for the 15 rom the ptoévetion Spad Vl in having no exhaust pipes. an unusual arangement of ‘note lrpenai War Museum 0.874aly production Spad VI. without un when photographed. Spad VIL to be manufactured in England, Several speci- men Spads VII were supplied to the British authorities: these included two acquired by the Admiralty and given the British serial aumbers 9611 and 9612; S211, an- other Admiralty purchase numbered N3399; and $.1321, ‘which was given the Brish serial number A965, The first Admiralty contract for Spads was for fifty aircraft (Noo30——-N6079) ofdered. from the British Nieuport Company in December 1916, but by February 1917 that batch of serial numbers was re-allocated for Nieuport- built $-E.$s for the RNAS. This second allocation was short-lived, however: by Sth, March the batch had again een changed to consist of Nieuport scouts. Further Admiralty contracts for one hundred Spads VII (N6210 SSN6284 and N6580—N6604) were given to Mann, Egerton & Co, Lid., of Norwich; the latter group was Subsequently reduced to N6S80——N6S09. The War Ofice ordered 100 Spads from L. Blériot (Aeronautics) of Brooklands," 10 be numbered A8794— A8693. “In February 1917 this company moved to Addlestone and changed its name to Bleriot & Spad, Its further change of title to The Air Navigation Co, Lid., did not occur until after Spad production had ceased at Addle- stone. ‘The decision to deliver all British-built Spads to the REC, and all Sopwith triplanes to the RN.AS. led to a’ change of identity for the Mann Egerton” Spads. ‘Apparently only N6210 was delivered wearing an N serial ‘umber. It was tested at Martlesham Heath and differed from tie original French design in having a mounting for a Lewis gun above the upper wing. The ex-RN.A\ Spads were re-numbered A9100— AQi6L and Bi351— B1363; they were supplemented by BI364—B1388 and B91] — 89930, and it has been reported that the last twenty were those originally ordered as N6580 — N6599. ‘The first Mann Egerton Spad, re-numbered A9100, was under test at Martiesham Heath in May 1917. ‘Bicriot & Spad of Addlestone began deliveries in chat month: A8794 and A8795 were at Famborough on 19th May. ‘The products of this firm left the factory with an enormous Hooded fairing over the Vickers gun breech. Doubtless this was expected to make it easier for the (Photo: Jean Nod, pilot to clear jams, and it was intended to serve as Windshield, but it obstructed forward, view so seriously that it had to be removed. ‘This modification must have Fetarded production. Other features of the British Blériot Spad aireraft were unsatisfactory. Their radiators were Fegarded as inefficient, and a modification of the gun's magazine proved troublesome, . ‘No doubt these changes in the original design were welldntentioned, for the original French-designed arma- ‘ment installation was not itself satisfactory. A burst of fire exceeding about ewenty rounds imparted so much rotational momentum to the drum carrying the feed belt Of ammunition that the belt could be forced on even iter the gun ceased firing, causing a double feed. In No. 19 Squadron, REC, this dificulty was overcome by replacing the drums by ammunition boxes. Relatively few British-built Spads reached the squadrons in France. Their aircraft were mostly Ezench-built, and as late as the summer of 1917 a further British contract for siaty 150-hp. Spads was given to the firm of Kellner et tex Fils of Billancourt. It seems that the first two aircraft to be delivered under this contract were received by the REC. in the first week of September 1917. Spads with the 180-lup. SAb engine were also delivered to the RECs these aircraft were sometimes referred to as the Spad TI. The REC. used the Spad in small numbers in the Middle Bast Altogether nineteen were sent to that theatre of war, a few going to each of F.C. Squadrons Nos, 30, 63 and 72. ‘These included the ‘British-buile Spads A806 and A8812, which were used by No. 30 ‘Squadron, and A8808, which went to No. 72 Squadron. {in 1917 Italy and Belgium received a small number of ‘Spads VIL. Fifteen delivered to Belgium were numbered Spl to p15 and equipped the S* Escadrille (later re- umbered the 10:). Te has been reported that the first of these was given 19 Edmond Thieffry and that he shot down an enemy aircraft the day after he received it. ‘Taly acquired more Spads than Belgium, the first in February 1917, These were widely used by the squadrig- lie da caccia side by side with Nieuports and Hanriots, among the Tulian units known to have had some Spads VI being the 715,725, 754, 762, 77, 789, and 91 squadriglie. ‘A brilliant Ttalian exponent of the Spad was MaggioreFrancesco Baracca of the 918 squadriglia. On 13th May, 1917, he shot down an Austrian Albatros D IIT as his first victory won on a Spad VIT, His final victory score was 34 when he met his death in action on 19th June, 1918; about 23 of these were achieved on Spads Vit and XII. Before the Russian revolution of October 1917, pro- duction of the Spad VII had begun at the Duks factory in Moscow. ‘The type was subsequently flown by Rus- sian pilots as part of the motley collection of aircraft, ‘mostly of foreign origin, that had always composed the equipment of Russia's fying services, ‘The Spad VII was flown operationally on the Western Front by American pilots. Those serving with SPA.124, the Escadrille Lafayette, had become acquainted with the Spad when their unit was re-equipped in the spring of 1917, Nearly a year later, in February 1918, SPA.124 was transferred to the American Expeditionary’ Force as the 103rd Aero Squadron, U.S.A.S. At that time it still had a number of Spads VII for, as discussed below, early operational experience with the Spad XTIT was by no means trouble-free, and the Spad VII inad to soldier on ‘much longer than’ has been generally believed. From the French government the U.S.A.S. bought a total of 189 Spads VII; deliveries started. in December 1917. As late as October 1918 some were allocated 10 the 138th and 638th Aero Squadrons, and later that year it ‘as intended to equip the squadrons of the Fifth Pursuit Group with Spads VII. Jn addition to the French-built Spads bought by the AEF, a number of British-built aircraft went to the UISA;, where they remained in use for some years after the war. At least nineteen British Spads crossed the Atlantic. ‘They. were B1356 — B1361,B1372, BI374 "31376, B1384, B1386, B9911, B9913, B9914, BO9I6, 89917, B9920 and B9924, Production of the Spad VII in the U.S.A. was con- templated in 1917 shortly after America entered the wai ‘A total of 3,000 aircraft was envisaged but the scheme ‘was abandoned when it was realised that the Spad was ‘not suitable for the Liberty aero-engine. In addition to the two French Spads VIE that had ex- perimental installations of the 200-h.p. Hispano-Suiza, One or {Wo abortive attempts were ‘One of the eariest production Space Vil arrives at an operational escdril install 200-n.p, engines in Spads, A twin-gun variant with 2° 200-hp, Hispano-Suiza under ‘construction a8 the Bleriot & Spad Addlestone works was reported to have been abandoned in July 1917 (possibly beeause the Spad XIII was then in prospect), later British experiment ‘was the installation of 2 200-hp. Wolseley Viper, re- ported to have been made in October 1917. penne French devepmeny With the 200-bo, geared ispano-Suiza early in 1917, In January, at the request of Guynemer, work begin on a development of the Spad.VIT in which a 37-mm camon-Puteausr was Tounted between the cinder ‘blocks of a. 200-hp. geared Hispano-Suiea, ‘Tihs variant of the basic 200-h-p. Hispano-Suiza. 8B was, designated 8C. ‘The. shell fring {gun was installed with its breech in the cocky Passing through the hollow arscrew shaft, Additionally a Single Vickers gun was ‘mounted on top of the fuselage to starboard, Iying in a tough in the top cowling. The fesuling’ aiccraft, was’ designated” Spad XIICa, in Appearance very similar to the Spad VII but in reality a iferent pircraft Its loaded. weight of 800 ke (1,958 ib) was 185 kg (407 Tb) greater than that of the Spad Vil its wing area Was 20.2 sq. m, (2174 sq, f), whereas that of the earlir type had been 18° sq. m, (193.7 sq, fe). ‘On the Spad XIf the mainplanes had quite a large radius of curvature at the leading edge and were rigged wwith slight postive stagger. Advantage was taken of the higher thrust line of the geared engine to At a cowling that required no. protubertnt faisings ever the camehaft housingss and an enlarged rudder with a curved traling- cee a Baal ery us tv Suyncmer was fying his Spa carly Jl He called it hs aoion magigue, and won his 43t3, 50th Slst and S2nd victories on it The Spad XIU was pot into production, and 300 were built. René Fonck flew the Sind SH SAS for prof his atime enreer and won ‘But for less skilled pilots the Spad XII was rather too much of a handful. The 37-mm gua was a single-shot ‘Weapon and had to be reloaded by hand during combat, thus demanding exceptionally gocurate fying. and mark manship. Vibration was one of the several troubles that plagued” the geared” Hispano-Suiza, and this alfected Inarkamanship ‘adversely, The heavy’ recoll and fumes in the cockpit made the Spad XIICz1 unpopular.Nevertheless, it was officially regarded as a standard type. Later production aircraft had the 220-h.p. Hispano- Suiza SCb which increased the Spad XIP's maximum speed from 197 km/hr (123 mp.h.) to 212 km/hr (132.5 mph). As late as July 1918 one Spad XII was sold to the U.S.A. and was allocated to the 13th Aero Squadcon, then at Belrain, where it was flown by the commanding bllcer, Major C. J. Biddle, in early October 1918, Biddle hhas recorded that this Spad XII was to have been flown by Le D. E. Putnam of the 139th Aero Squadron, but Purnain was killed on 14th September, 1918, consequently the aircraft went to Biddle. ‘Contemporary with the Spad X1ICa.l in the S.PAD. drawing office was the Spad XITIC.1. This was a wholly Separate design intended to exploit the standard 200-h.p. Hbpano-Suiza 8B engine and more conventional arma- mem of twin Vickers guns mounted above the engine ‘The prototype Spad XT is believed to have been $.392, which was flown by Sous-Lieutenant René Dorme at Bue con th, April, 1917. ‘This first Spad NTL was demonstrated to French fighter squadrons by Maurice Prévost, and the first production ireraft emerged cowards the end of May 1917. The Initial contract. was for 250 Spads XIII but production twas slow to gather momentum. By Ist August only seven- teen had been delivered and six more were at the ex- perimental establishment at Villacoublay. Large-seale production was planned. As early as April 1917, before the prototype could have been fully evalu- ated, it was estimated that 2,230 Spads XIII would be Uclivered by 31st March, 1918, This optimistic forecast twas made before the persistent troubles that, bedevilled the 200-h.p. Hispano-Suiza had manifested themselves: in fact, only 764 Spads XII had been completed by 31st March, 1918, and of that total only 290 were in ope tional ‘service on Ist_ April "The Spad XIII was generally similar to the Type VII, having the same characteristic interplane bracing with mid-bay Heshaped King-post members, The engine cow~ Ting reverted 10 having projecting fairings over the cam- shaft housings, but the frontal radiator opening had a Spa Xill French Navel Ar Service, Ounktk 1918 sharp edge without camber, and radiator shutters were standard fitting. ‘On the first production version of the Spad XIII the mainplanes ‘were quite different from those of the Spads Vil_and XII, for they had well-rounded tips and. the ailerons had averse taper with slightly curved wailing edges. The centre-section struts had forward stagger, and f bracing wire connected the top of the forward strut to the upper longeron on cach side. ‘As they became available Spads XIII were jssued to the escadriles de chasse, either as replacements for Spads Vit or as new equipment, Fortunately, production of the Spad VII did not cease: indeed, during the first quarter of 1918 a total of 1,220 Spads VII were built compared with some 630 Spads XII ‘Guynemer had 2 Spad XIII shortly before his death and must have won his final victories while flying. it, iis was a standard early production aircraft with rounded wing tips and the early centre-section bracing, Le grand Chasseur disappeared on 11th September, 1917, not quite 33. years old and with a victory score of 54. Although fourteen months of bitter fighting were to elapse before the war ended, only René Fonck was 10 surpass Guy- hhemer in the final list of French aces. Fonck, too, was a brilliant exponent of the Spad XILL. In October 1917, in a letter to the French Mi War, Général Pétain stated bluntly that the Ni scouts then in service Were inferior 10 all contemporary enemy fighters and that it was essential that, by the spring of 1918, French fighter squadrons should be equipped exclusively with Spads or the Nieuport 28. With the abandonment of the Nicuport 28 the need for enormous rnumbers of Spads, became, vital Tt became equally essential to improve the reliability of the 200-hyp. Hispano-Suiza engine. In a report submitted in carly 1918 Général Péain recorded that _mechanical faults had rendered unserviceable two-thirds of the Spads XIII with operational units, By the end of February 1918 the Under-Secretary. of State was informed that there was, an Almost total lack of spares for Hispano-Suiza engines.Fortunately, the production of engines with better quality reduction ‘gear, coupled ‘with independent eme- dial work by Mare Birkigt on the engines lubricston, improved the situation. By” March 1918" the "parent S.B.AD. company was producing Spads XIII at the rave of cleven per day, and the type war bulk by cght ores coguactors, namely: ‘AGM. (ult 361); ‘Adolptie Bernard (1,750): Bleviot Aéronautique (2.300) Société anonyme des Hublistements Borel (300); Kellner et ss Fils (1.280); Plerre Levasseur (240); Socité des Eablisrements Nieuport (700); Société “anonyme” franguise de Constructions Aéro- ‘autiques (00), With the 1.141 Spads XTIT built by the parent company, total production thus reached 8,472 by the ime fe ceased in isis, ‘The great majority of the production aircraft were of a, modified ype in which the wing Ups reverted to buns, squasish shape’ rather similar to that of the Spad Vil. In these later aircraft the centresection ‘brace: was strengthened by Stting a substantial fared We-70d oe each side between the top of the forward contiesecion furut and the upper longeron, thus forming what looked like an inverted-V strut supporting the forward spar of the upper wing. Additionally, the 200-n.p. Hispano-Suiza 8B was super: sede by the 220-h p. Be, high-comprosion versiog of the basic geared engine, and the covling round the fadisc tor was again given slight camber, Latet stl the 335-hin Hispano-Suiza BEC improved the Sad MIits soe mance farther, “The modified Spads XITT were available carly in 1918. By that ume No. 23 Squadron, IEC had’ been re: equipped with Spads XIII, and it seems that their fst blunting’ aircraft was B6882, which was known in the squadron as. the ““elipped-wing. experimental Spa” ‘Spads XIII. were also supplied t lialy and felgium, ‘The 91+ squadrigiia of the Aeronautica del Regio Exerono was re-equipped with Speds XII in Ocwober 1910, Ae noted above, this was Francesco Baracca’s unity and he flew the Spad 117 until his death. ‘Belgian use of the Spad XILI began in March 1918, when the new type began 10 replace the ‘Space Vii of the 10° escadrile The Spad XIII remained on squadron Service in Belgium for several years ace the sor But second ‘only to. France in terms of numbers of aircraft used was the U.S. Air Service, which bought a total of 893 Speds ‘XILi, Deliveries of these stare ia March 1918, and it seems that all had the modifed ase and either the 220-h.p. Hispano-Suiza 8Be of the 236, hp, SBEc engine. ‘The aircraft were issued to the Lath, Ith, 22nd, 27th, 28th, 49th, 93rd, One 98th 10a L3oth, 11st, 147th, 185th and. 213th Agro Scuadrons during 1918" In all, 328 Spads XIII were in US AS service in France oti lith November, 1918 ‘The Spad was well-liked by the American squadrons, and was flown with considerable success by sich Pion, as Rickenbacker and Luke. It featured Gh the, ache ambitious aircraft’ manufacturing’ programme ‘that was just getting under way in the U.S.A. when the Armistice was ‘signed. “AL that time” three contract for G3000 American-builtSpads XII were cancelled, Had. these ‘American Spads been completed they would most prose ably have been armed with two Marlin machine-gubs fo Place of the standard pair of Vickers, A few Spade i American serviee were in fact armed ‘with ‘Marion ‘An interesting “member of the | Becherencesgined family of Spad fighters wes the Spad XIV of 1917, This was a single-seat fighter seaplane wath ntwineont tinder’ carriage. Tt had the fuselage, ‘Hispano-Suiza, 8C. engine and 37-mm shell-gun armament of the Sped iT wih, Of ‘course, the single’ Vickers machine-gun’ but ia_crery other respect the “Spad XLV was a completely diferent aircraft. {ts wing span was 98m, compard ike ae 80m. of the Spad MIT and the B08 tof the Shed IME thing tea of the Sped XIV was 22 9, m. ‘The mainplthe: weft brs 2 wholly covetfona two-bay stetore with crovebrcing’ tr cach Ban ead the forward centre-setion support th each ade sed invertd-V strut. Although of typical ‘Bécherea’Sped Appearance, thei aries wer ktger fae hee the Spud SUL The undercarrage consated of wena lice-bulle ain floats only: there was no tl float ‘Ths Were relatively ‘broad in he beam, Bae had apa ed ae doula bet "The proatypeSpad XIV wae built by Pierre Levis- scar and made is fst fig on 15th Novena ai vas demonstrated bility’ by Begwee tad tot at Proved to have a muninumy speed of 385 ays ph), which wan camed to'be'a fecor! (or feos a thn? dime, Forty production icc were ede Tet the' Aghter inks of the’ dutrion marine ane es that dome, tay’ fave’ bien used operons ‘Bie Kergue and ‘Coc Teac in 1918 landplane version of the Spad XIV was but "The designation Spud SOC fay been atsouned 9 this ‘ype, which muy have beeg iuendechsn Sante Fate comparable with the Sopwitt DET Canela Spat CCV Gi such iss) did no ly unl Ss Nowe Bes DIB comugenty me me devaped “ihe Sped MV was he Bis Spad tye designed by Herbemont and) wih i monocoeae ficBegst woe sae Petey dient in cmcapon Ion the Bese design. Spad XVI was a slightly modified Spad XI, and the nest Becherena desi was the Spad AVEC Tae ea tledmate development of the bade: Beseron cova = Te embodied the final wartime version of the Hitpano- Suiza"the 30Dp. BF, 8 ccee-drive waging tha ae pleted fs bench test in Februngy 1915 Ore al a Ried io syecaly sucapherel fad br aera oe Th genera the’ Spad SVT looked lke a boler wes: sion of the Spad Xf; is overal dimensions wers ier: teal wih those of the eanler ype: The sade of she Spad XVI was spprecably large, whe feat fee mois ctl aed win mule seg and ‘he Fdder profile was agin ‘ltered, Tae leaded weight wen Up 10 Sas kg Cal7? Ib) bus deapte tne more Souetea gin, the fiscratve pevlorance’ was vanoely Sema ith tha of the fal orm of the Spud UE we a 2BScnpe Hinpano-Suiea RBBS enplae "hc ‘Spade Ehs opestional ls were fowa Sp? Caplate ser sia es June 1918 and twenty examples of the type were built before’ the war ended: Ir has bees repeted that tome a these were allocated to leading pilots of the Groupe de Combats Cipognes, TWh the deparize of Louls Bécherens from she SPAD. to join the SAB, doogn bureaus tespoonbie ioe “design lay. with Hietbemn,. who ’prodce?” Aranced Type XVIL/AGR/SEAT lighter. ee es tet tae of Bechet Yntucnce sas to fe sec inthe suns Shad SOKiL. ‘Ths consisted of a slighty mpdiedSpad XVI fuselige fied wih completely seeder wens of which Ue upper ‘was somewiae sipist Sei st Hlebemon’s Spad Xx" On he AU bowen, he ‘hae fad the blunt coatoue favoured by Bede aoe the ailerons were on the upper wings (on the Herbemont types they were on the loner wings Die Coe eet RE Smad MIT bad thee spars kod promoted wee back; ie lower ind appreciable Seep forana ae ei om the: Spad VII, wat braced to tad uodtearie? cables The tplane as, tried bys Vea oe Stacy were toca lees ‘The Spad XXII vas powered by the 300chp. Hispano- Sule’ engine Its cxtbrdionry ping conigteasen ney Adopted tn a tadical endenvour fo lmpfove Ie lags See el view, but fs doubul whether sey improvensen ee ie might have achieved would have used he neon turing and’ maintenance "robles tt i se hoes reate, Pethaps fortune te end ofthe war tated any devalopmeat of the Spad SOIL © J. M. Bruce, 1969,tate, Spas of unknown uni (Photo! & C. Arméos). ‘Above: Spad Vil S.7139 in camouflage int scheme, (Photo: Jean Nob»), Below: Spad Vil weeting the handsome insignia of SPA 31. This siccraft had tha generous windcroonfitled to many French built Spade." (Photo: Musée Royal ce "Aumée et 'Histoite Milter, Brussels).‘Above: Another Spad Vl of SPA 81. This one was captured intact on th Api 1917 by Jost SB. (Photo: Peter M. Bower) fal SAH S708 da a, uray itd stove a oe town, (Pate: Masi ove ft eHistio Mila, BrusselLES AVIONS DE LA GUE RRE Chute de « Spad» ‘Above: This crashed Spad Vil displays one Df te standard French eamautlsgesehemes 4nd the elegant shape of ts taplena and Fight: On ths damaged Spzd Vi tho close. fet mam spars of ive upper wing end the hoe poh of full chord ribs canbe seen, (Photo: leen Nod. Blow Spud Vi with rota nunching ison the mid:boy iar Musson 0.87935,—< sa es es ee Left: Nose det of Spad Vil with cowing panel removed. Right: Cockpit of | Spad Vil. (Photo: Musto Royal de TArmoe ot dMistove Milter, Brussels),had a modified radiator cowling with re-antrant leading edge that must have ‘Above: Mona, Egerion Spag Vil. probably NB210. Tis Museum Q.07971). ‘duced the elciency ofthe radiator. (Photo: Impensl Bolow: The second Spad built by Mano, Eoeton & Co. Lid. was mmetted ina diforontsivie Iwas epparenty used by taining squadron bruni (Photo: Fight intermsdonal 18299), ‘Above: Renurbered AVTOO, tha fst Mann, Egercn Spad Vil is here Seon wi ts Lows gun in postion, (Photo. Moyal Aeronauteal Sede)Avove: AB794. the fest Spod bul at Addlestone by Blot & Spad, I is here seen at Farnborough, withthe clumey hooded windshield ‘Mroni et the cockpit (Photo Imperial War Museum M3500), i ter ee ‘Ahove & below: These two photographs of ABG01ilusate more cles Bloiot & Sped at Addlestone,” (Photos: Imperial War Museum 0559alow: Lieutena ron 01 7 by Gotair Brttl of Sagasttii 0.1 Photo" Epon Kivegen. Below: A706, one of tho Fi inne sping of 1917. (PMfight: This photonraph i of unusual nt ck 2 ort depicts Spade Vil-of to 103d Foo Squadron, USAS. after tat unit {the former Eecadille Laayeta)wansfrred (ha Saks: in Fauary 1818, and shows thar the 10atd was st fving Speds Vil Sint sine: (Photo Petor M. Bowers), fight: French-bult pad Vil at MeCook FidS for exoecmentat purses. (Photo Peter M. Bowars}, Below: Among the Brish-bult Spads Vi fiat wont tothe USA. wag B1987. hero Aether Rockwoll Feld, (Photo: Warren N"zouie) Let: Also photographed in the U.S.A. was this Mone, Egerton. Spa 69873. 10 is buleved thot ths ie the Spud that was 16 bull by Jim "Petty'aed novi. weaning putous markings, ie, in the" Canadian Hotonel Aviston Museum. (Photo: Pater NM. Bower). Fight: The fist §pad 10 ontor Belgian ser view bore tho Belgian ieanity Sp? on the fudgen iti here. sean at Los. Mowe, (Photo: Joan Noo)ESCADRILLE SPAD INSIGNIAESCADRILLE SPAD INSIGNIA @ & ew, oN *ESCADRILLE SPAD INSIGNIAESCADRILLE SPAD INSIGNIAESCADRILLE SPAD INSIGNIA‘Above: A Spd Vil in Italian service. (Photo: Inpeiel War Mutoum 0.67831), Below: A Spad Vi ofthe U.S. Marne Corps at Rockwell Fel. The markings cannotbe confimod as an officiel scheme. (Photo: Warren M. Bode)XIN lustre coal ho fully unde wing tps ofthe ict of te inCWC BREAIRCAM AVIATION SERIES Each publication illustrates one type or major sub-types Of @ famous aircraft in the colour schemes and markings Of the Air Forces of the World. Each issue will contain eight pages of colour side view illustrations, supporting black ‘and white plan view drawings showing where necessary No. 6 Curtiss (P-40) Kittyhawk Mk. I-IV. In RAF; RAAF: RNZAF: SAAF; RCAF: Nether lands East Indies; Russian and Finnish Air Forces. The Curtiss P-40 Warhawk will be covered in a future issue. Both upper and under surfaces, one hundred and twenty- | No, 7 Curtiss P40 Warhawk five hall-tone photographs, each issue will also contain Th USAAE-French and Forsiga servi. One ull colour plate lusting twenty examples of Unit | yy lo. 8. Supermarine Spitfire—Griffon Engine insignia of the World's Air Forces. entarcere na rapa No. 1 North American P-51D Mustang. Supermarine Saati Mic 1247 In USAAF—USAF service. Nos, 8 asSpad, Seance, ‘Spad Scouts S.VIl and S.XIl No. 2. Republic P-47 Thunderbolt. No. 10 Lockheed P-38 Lightning In USAAF-USAF: RAF: Foo Fonch: French Air te USAF: French; lain: Chine Nationatt Force: Mexican, Grazian and other Alt Forces. ice. 5 No. 11 Consolidated 8-24 Liberator No. 3 North American Mustang Mk. IV. No. 12 Avro Lancaster In RAF; RAAF: SAAF: RNZAF: RCAF service | No, 13 snd the North American P-51B and D Mus- | No, 14 Republic F/RF-84F Thunderflash/Thunder- tang in French; italian: Swedish. Royal Nether- ieoak lands: Netherlands East Indies; Indonesian: Israel: Philippine: Dominican. Somali: South Korean: Chinese Nanas Chinese Conmurit RIRGARAE SHEGIATS# No. 4 Supermarine Spitfire Mk. ILXVI, Merlin ; Engine. No.1 Battle of Bri in RAF: RAAF: SAAF: RCAF: USAAF: Belgian: The Suara Si, oy ane Polish, Czachosiovakian, Free French; French: de Messsachmit 1.1086, Sheen pages of R. Norwegian; A, Netherlands; R. Danish: Israali eles: OGRbin-F08 S18 emey. sae: italian Greek: Turkish. Portuguese: Egyptian: ow Burmese, ec, Al Forces No.2 Finnish Air Force x A conolate history ofthe Finish At Foren No. § North American P-51B/C Mustang. fem Tommign oe weve cy. in USAAF service. Similar content to No. 1 but Fibllorton abe 2aih NPAROS 32, duth brief coverage of the P-B1 end A-$6, SPECIFICATION ‘area Spee vi Speax Sped soa | sone ‘sone | eon |200ne | ao-nm | 200% | 220-00] aero | Hone | sone Viaomo | Veeome | Mapane | eoano | Hspero | Hspana | Figoano’ | Hisoano- | Hupano Engine sou” | “sas” |"Sten° | "Size | Suan” | "Suee ‘Sir’ | "sues ast | wae | ae | coe | “ae Sa tte oF Seen eove BRI Densn [onioem) zerem |senitn | zone iter Bt Bian, = S im Bisa Brien [ronan 2 20K. di Kost Tray in Ried” eteesn. isk hing be 0 e578 are Pie 2 ‘woah emmy (1) a0? 1285 BS 1388 ais Weant nee) 185 tee | = = ais ion ‘Maman specs mp at we |e fae | — |w | ws 18 135 stiog0e i | i | 8 | ies | = | te | ie 2 iB st 3.000 je | ie | ie | & = |e | iso = 1H stasoott S| eae = [aie | as = 1 Sino males leslie |= = lwelwel ee lone S00 Sal rae (es[tt [ts | oa) Pal te [ra 1029091 oSl eels 2]2—]/S= | os] so |-= | be 18000 BETES (RAIL o l/l = |e Ss) ea jas lee 7e00 eee ee R/O = |S = |e | we |- = [hs Servee cena ee) | v8000 | 21800 | 22.800 =| —_[e2soo | 2asco | ies00 | 25800 Eraurance in mn [fm [neon ih 15m 5 fn. aon[ tm, som [1m 48m LE LC ARMAMENT: Spad Yl. Ono 7.85 mm. or 020: ‘oan: Lewis mochino-gun en ‘Soad Xl One 37 mm canon Pateaux: one Vieke's gun ‘Spad Xi, Two 1-88 mm, Viekors machine gun Shed Xv. AS Spag ‘Shad XVI As Spud Xl in. Vickers machine-gun with Bikigteyretreniing mechanism: afew Bush Spads had a ve upoes wing, Two 25-10 Cooper bombs. Le Prigurockets on some French aera ©1.M,Buce 1968,AIRCAM AVIATION SER' AVIATION MILITAIRE FRANCAISEERRATA—SPAD SVII—SxiIi Note: Colour page G1. Spad XII, 13th Aero Squadron US Air Service should be in camouflage scheme, see photo on page 33. Plan view G1. This aircraft in camouflage scheme. Plan view F4. Under surface schome of Spad VII A9142, under surface of tail plane should be clear varnish. Plan view F4. Upper surface scheme of Spad VII A9142. Note overall colour is Khaki-brown, Plan view G5. US Army Air Service scheme post-war. Plan view G3. As used by USAS during the war. Note. Certain plan views of the Spad SVII are not accurate so far as the trailing edge of the upper wing is concemed, the markings and camouflage schemes are accurate, the extended trailing edge in these ‘cases should be ignored,AIRCAM AVIATION SERIES No. 9 [ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Illustrated by Grateful thanks are extended to all who assisted with photographs i tnd information making possible the publication of this pitoral Milcheel RriRotfe Survey of he Spad Scouts 8.VIl and S.XIl. Thanks to all those who and Richard Ward assisted whose names are listed below in slphabetical order. Warren M. Bodie, Peter M. Bowers, J. B. Cynk, Fred C. Dickey Jr. Peter M, Grose, Egon Kruoger,P. R. Lite, Jean Noel, 2dendk Tite Text and Compiled by Imperial War Museum, Royal Aeronautical Society. Ministy of J. M. Bruce Defence, Flight International, Musée Royal de I'Armée et d'Histoire Militaire Brussels, EC. Armée “a — “XN Spod XI, Jap 1e Army Air Fores in standard French camouflage. Front Cover: Top: Spad Xl, French Naval Air Service, Dunkirk 1918. Bottom: Spad Vil, $p.22, Sth Escadrille ‘Comet’, Bs jan Air Force. Published by : Osprey Publications Limited, England Evitorial Office: P.O. Box 8, Canterbury, Kent, England Subscription & Business Office: P.O. Box 25, 707 Oxford Road, Reading. Berkshire. England ‘Tho Bertsive Printing Co, Lid, © Osprey Publications Lid, SBN 8505 009 8