Spad

SPAD VII.C1 by Pegasus Models, short run injection molded.

The SPAD VII was a very neat conventional single-seat tractor biplane. It was designed around the new 150 hp Hispano-Suiza 8A; a water-cooled V-8 designed by Swiss engineer Marc Birkigt. The initial order for the SPAD VII was on May 10, 1916 and was for 268 aircraft. Radiator manufacturing slowed production and by the end of 1916, only 200 planes had been delivered. By the end of August 1917, only 495 SPAD VIIs were in service, being used by 50 Escadrilles de Chasse. Eventually production totaled about 3,500, and the SPAD VII had to serve on long after the arrival of the twin-gun SPAD XIII, which suffered grievously from the mechanical shortcomings of its geared 200 hp Hispano-Suiza engine.

The model depicted is SPAD VII # S245 flown by George Guynemer, Escadrille SPA 3.

The kit is built out of the box using Gunze Sanyo paints and Blue Rider decals. Estimated building time was 10 to 12 hours.

SPAD XI by Planet Models, 1/72 resin

The first two-seater to be designed by Louis Bechereau, creator of the Spad fighters, was the Spad VIII, although this did not proceed beyond the design stage. Its subsequent development, however, led to the Spad XI, which appeared in September 1916. Externally it resembled the Spad VII single-seater, except that the two-bay wings had slight stagger and sweepback to balance the longer fuselage with its additional cockpit.

The Spad XIA.2 went into service in 1917, but its early production was affected by teething troubles with the reduction gear of its 235 h.p. Hispano-Suiza engine. It was armed with a single forward-firing synchronised Vickers gun, offset to starboard, in front of the pilot, while one or two Lewis guns could be installed on the ring mounting in the rear cockpit. A light bomb load of about 70kg. (154 lb) could be carried under the lower wings. Although sensitive on the controls, the Spad XI could have been a useful aircraft under the right conditions; unfortunately it was easily affected by uneven distribution of loads such as ammunition, cameras, photograpic flares or bombs, and acquired a reputation for poor controllability. The same factor also affected its climbing powers, for in anything but a shallow climb the engine readily stalled. In 'clean' condition the Spad XI could climb to 4,000m (13,123 ft) in 17 1/2 minutes. At least one machine was fitted with a 220 h.p. direct-drive Renault engine, but the Hispano remained standard. Despite its shortcomings, the Spad XI served with at least fifteen escadrilles of the French Aviation Militaire and three Belgian escadrilles during 1917 and early 1918; the Belgian Spads remained in service until the armistice.

A Build article for this model can be found in Internet Modeler October 2000.

Spad XII Ca.1 (Cannon armed) by PEGASUS MODELS 1/72 scale, short run injection mold.

Instigated by Georges Guynemer, the SPAD XII carried a Hotchkiss 37mm short barrelled cannon between its engine's cyclinder banks, firing through the propeller shaft. Despite the huge recoil that this formidable weapon possessed, its colossal destructive power meant that rarely was more than one shell needed for a kill. Guynemer, Fonck, Maddon all used the Ca.1. The SPAD 12 Ca.1 was probably the most exclusive aircraft of the entire First World War, it was delivered in limited quantities to the French Escadrilles de Chasse with the explicit instructions that it was only to be flown by the finest pilots. The model depicted here was used by the fourth ranking French Air Ace, Georges Maddon.

This is the easiest Pegasus kit that I have built. The single piece lower wing made wing alignment simple and fast. The machine gun was replaced by an cutdown Aeroclub part. The rest of the kit is OOB. There is a review of the kit in Internet Modeler, June 2001.

SPAD XIII by Eduard, 1/72 injection mold

The SPAD XIII was designed around the new 200 hp geared Hispano-Suiza engine. It was larger and heavier than the SPAD VII and was armed with two Vickers machine guns with 400 rounds per gun. After a successful test in April 1917, the XIII went into large-scale production. From an initial order of 250, manufacture of the XIII was intended to expand to 2230 by March 31, 1918. Nine contractors were to be used to produce this number. However, deliveries were slow and by the intended date, only 764 deliveries had been made.

A more serious problem was the geared engine. By mid November 1917, it was reported that two-thirds of all aircraft powered by the 200 hp Hispano-Suiza were grounded due to engine problems.

The SPAD XIII did great things in its time, and those who flew it in combat had nothing to ashamed of. The plane remained in French service until 1923.

The aircraft depicted was the personal aircraft of Captain Robert Soubiran of the 103rd Aero Squadron. The 103rd inherited the pilots, aircraft and title of the Escadrille Lafayette. Captain Soubiran had flown as a pilot in Escadrille Spa.124.

The kit is built out of the box and painted with Gunze Sanyo paints. I estimate 10 to 12 hours in the building.

Reference material is Datafile No. 32.