The SPAD line of biplane fighters witnessed during World War 1 (1914-1918) were some of the best fighters of the period. French aviation pioneer Louis Bechereau was instrumental in evolving the series and the last biplane to bear his signature design lines was the SPAD S.XXIV (he left the company in the spring of 1917). The S.XXIV was to become the wheeled undercarriage, carrier-based version of the dedicated S.XIV seaplane fighter which appeared in 1918 to the tune of forty examples. These served with the French Navy for their part in the war. The S.XXIV, however, would not encounter the same level of success for, after a first-flight on November 5th, 1918, the series saw an abrupt end coinciding with the end of the war on November 11th.
The major departure for the S.XXIV was in its new "tail-dragger" undercarriage which replaced the S.XIV's floatplane undercarriage arrangement. The single pilot sat in an open-air cockpit and, like other SPADS of the period, a Hispano-Suiza 8Bc series engine of 220 horsepower was used to drive a two-bladed propeller at the nose. The wing mainplanes, an upper and lower section, were joined by parallel struts and cabling, producing a double-bay arrangement for the wings. The tail unit was traditional with its single fin and low-mounted horizontal planes. The fuselage maintained the typical SPAD slab-sided approach and tapering towards the tail. Dimensions included a wingspan of 32.1 feet, a length of 21.3 feet and a height of 8.4 feet. Empty weight was 1,433lb.
Development of the S.XXIV was slow and this hampered its ability to come online any sooner. It was officially done in by the fact that the war was now officially over and a new breed of fighting biplane was no longer in demand. While there are no official performance figures for the S.XXIV, it can be assumed that they would have followed the numbers of the floatplane equipped S.XIV with some increases.
Note: The above text is EXCLUSIVE to the site www.MilitaryFactory.com. It is the product of many hours of research and work made possible with the help of contributors, veterans, insiders, and topic specialists. If you happen upon this text anywhere else on the internet or in print, please let us know at MilitaryFactory AT gmail DOT com so that we may take appropriate action against the offender / offending site and continue to protect this original work.
Specifications
Societe Pour l'Aviation et ses Derives (SPAD) - France Manufacturer(s)
AIR-TO-AIR COMBAT
General ability to actively engage other aircraft of similar form and function, typically through guns, missiles, and/or aerial rockets.
MARITIME / NAVY
Land-based or shipborne capability for operating over-water in various maritime-related roles while supported by allied naval surface elements.
X-PLANE
Aircraft developed for the role of prototyping, technology demonstration, or research / data collection.
21.3 ft (6.50 meters) Length
32.2 ft (9.80 meters) Width/Span
8.4 ft (2.55 meters) Height
1,653 lb (750 kilograms) Empty Weight
2,315 lb (1,050 kilograms) Maximum Take-Off Weight
+661 lb (+300 kg) Weight Difference
1 x Hispano-Suiza 8Bc engine developing 220 horsepower and driving a two-bladed propeller at the nose. Propulsion
The "Military Factory" name and MilitaryFactory.com logo are registered ® U.S. trademarks protected by all applicable domestic and international intellectual property laws. All written content, illustrations, and photography are unique to this website (unless where indicated) and not for reuse/reproduction in any form. Material presented throughout this website is for historical and entertainment value only and should not to be construed as usable for hardware restoration, maintenance, or general operation. We do not sell any of the items showcased on this site. Please direct all other inquiries to militaryfactory AT gmail.com. No A.I. was used in the generation of this content; site is 100% curated by humans.
