Warringah
Radio Control
Society Incorporated (Incorporated under the Association Incorporation Act 1984) HISTORY -THE SPAD S.XIII |
| Warringah
Radio Control
Society Incorporated (Incorporated under the Association Incorporation Act 1984) HISTORY -THE SPAD S.XIII |
 In
1916 the French designer, Louis Bechereau, and the Swiss engineer, Marc
Birkigt, produced the fighter aircraft, Spad S.VII. The 175 hp Hispano-Suiza
engine was both reliable and fast. The French military officials who watched
its maiden flight were so impressed that they ordered 268 straight away.
An improved version equipped with twin machine guns and a larger engine, the Spad S.XIII appeared in 1917. It was perhaps the most famous French pursuit aircraft flown in combat during World War I. Not surprisingly, it was a superb air combat platform and well liked by its pilots.
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The
S.P.A.D. XIII began replacing its predecessor, the S.P.A.D. VII in frontline
service during the summer and fall of 1917. It quickly became the standard
French pursuit and concurrently, became quite popular with U.S. pilots
of the American Expeditionary Forces.
The
most famous U.S. pilot of the war, Capt. Edward Rickenbacker, much preferred
the Spad S.XIII over other available pursuits and used one for most of
his 26 aerial victories.
It
has been argued that the Spad S.XIII was the main reason why the Allies
gained control over the skies on the Western Front during 1918. A total
of 8,472 of these aircraft were used during the World War I.