The SPAD S.XIII Biplane History
Designed by Louis Béchéreau and built
by Société pour l'aviation et ses dérivés (SPAD), the French biplane
fighter SPAD S.XIII was developed from the earlier SPAD S.VII
alongside the SPAD S.XII, which was quickly overshadowed by it. It’s
structure was mainly wood, with a covering of fabric, and it was
fitted with a single Hispano-Suiza 8Be 8-cylinder vee-type
engine. Although it’s manoeuvrability was inferior, it’s speed was
good, allowing it to outpace both the German
Fokker D.VII and
Britain’s Sopwith Camel. The SPAD S.XIII made it’s first flight on
April 4, 1917, and became one of the most produced aircraft in World
War I, with a total of 8,472 being built.
This popular aircraft was favoured
by many pilots and used by almost all of the Squadrons of the French
Air Force. It was also used by both the Royal Flying Corps and the
United States Army Air Force.
The SPAD S.XIII Biplane
Operational History
The French Air Force planned to replace their SPAD S.VIIs and
Nieuports with the S.XIII, however deliveries, which began in
May 1917, were slow with only a third of the planned aircraft being
produced by March 1918. They remained in service as a
fighter with the French until 1923.
The United States, who purchased a
total of 893 of these biplanes, still had more than half of them in
service in 1920, however the British replaced theirs with Sopwith
Dolphins in April 1918. Other operators of this aircraft
included: The Argentine Air Force, Belgium’s Groupe de Chasse, the
Brazilian Air Force, the Czech Air Force, the Finnish Air Force, the
Hellenic Air Force, Italy’s Corpo Aeronautico Militaire, the
Imperial Japanese Army Air Service and several other forces.
Surviving SPAD S.XIII Biplanes
There are several surviving S.XIII biplanes currently on
display at museums including: The National Air and Space Museum in
Washington D.C., The National Museum of the United States Air Force
in Dayton, Ohio, and the Royal Museum of the Armed Forces and
Military History in Brussels.
An airworthy
example exists
with the Memorial Flight Association in La Ferté-Alais,
Île-de-France.
Various scale
models, model kits and plans of this aircraft have been available in
the market place.
SPAD S.XIII
Biplane Specifications:
SPAD S.XIII Crew: Pilot Only
SPAD S.XIII Length: 20ft 6in (6.25m)
SPAD S.XIII Wingspan: 27ft 1in (8.25m)
SPAD S.XIII Height: 8ft 6½in (2.60m)
SPAD S.XIII Wing area: 227ft² (21.1 m²)
SPAD S.XIII Empty weight: 1,245lb (566kg)
SPAD S.XIII Maximum takeoff weight: 1,863lb (845kg)
SPAD S.XIII Engine: Single Hispano-Suiza 8Be 8-cylinder vee-type, 220 hp
(164 kW)
SPAD S.XIII Maximum speed: 135mph (218 km/h)
SPAD S.XIII Range: 171 mi (276 km)
SPAD S.XIII Service Ceiling: 21,815ft (6,650m)
SPAD S.XIII Biplane Armament:
Guns:
2 x .303-cal. (7.7 mm) Vickers machine guns
or
2 x Marlin M1917 or M1918 machine guns
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