SPAD S.XIII

Single-Seat, Single-Engine Biplane Fighter Aircraft

France | 1917

"The SPAD S.XIII proved an excellent development of the successful SPAD S.VII design."

Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 04/29/2019 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site; No A.I. was used in the generation of this content.

Image from the National Museum of the United States Air Force, Dayton, Ohio.

The SPAD S.XIII (S.13) was a further development of the successful SPAD S.VII (S.7) design, the latter eventually becoming outclassed by the newer and better German aircraft designs of World War 1. The S.XIII would prove a success for SPAD (Societe Pour l'Aviation et ses Derives), adding yet another fine fighter aircraft to its resume and a formidable platform to the conflict. The S.XIII featured an increased wingspan, more powerful engines and dual machine gun systems along with more subtle changes in design over the S.VII. In the end, over 8,400 examples would roll off the assembly lines.

Configuration of the S.XIII was similar in most respects to the S.VII before it. The pilot, wings, landing gear and engine were all mounted to the forward end of the fuselage. Construction was of an internal wood structure with a fabric covering along with light alloy used near the engine area. The biplane wings were of equal span, with the lower component aligned directly with the upper. The pilot sat to the rear of the upper wing assembly in an open-air cockpit with a forward view overlooking the twin 7.7mm Vickers machine guns - these synchronized to fire through the spinning propeller via an interrupter gear. The S.XIII achieved first flight on April 4th, 1917 and was in operational service along the frontlines by May of that year.

In combat, the S.XIII proved its worth (and pedigree for that matter). The aircraft was able to out-fly the German D.VII types well enough and compared favorably to even the fabled Sopwith Camel. Structurally, the S.XIII was sound enough to withstand a good deal of punishment before inevitably giving in. This structural integrity generally made diving a supreme tactic for S.XIII users. If the design sported any major flaw it was in its reduced maneuverability at slower speeds - this alone led to dangers in both combat and in bringing the aircraft in for a landing.

Nevertheless, the S.XIII proved a popular mount for allied aces including American Eddie Rickenbacker and Frenchmen Rene Fonck and Georges Guynemer (Guynemer personally making a case for an improved S.VII, eventually leading to the development of the S.XIII). The type served with air forces across the globe even in the post-war years.

Like the S.VII before it, the S.XIII was designed by Louis Bechereau.

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Power & Performance
Those special qualities that separate one aircraft design from another. Performance specifications presented assume optimal operating conditions for the SPAD S.XIII Single-Seat, Single-Engine Biplane Fighter Aircraft.

1 x Hispano-Suiza 8BEc water-cooled inline engine developing 235 horsepower and driving a two-bladed propeller at the nose.
Propulsion

138 mph
222 kph | 120 kts
Max Speed

21,818 ft
6,650 m | 4 miles
Service Ceiling

1,312 ft/min
400 m/min
Rate-of-Climb

Structure
The nose-to-tail, wingtip-to-wingtip physical qualities of the SPAD S.XIII Single-Seat, Single-Engine Biplane Fighter Aircraft.

1
(MANNED)
Crew

20.3 ft
6.19 m
O/A Length

26.2 ft
(8.00 m)
O/A Width

6.9 ft
(2.10 m)
O/A Height

1,243 lb
(564 kg)
Empty Weight

1,806 lb
(819 kg)
MTOW

Armament
Available supported armament and special-mission equipment featured in the design of the SPAD S.XIII Single-Seat, Single-Engine Biplane Fighter Aircraft .

STANDARD:
2 x 7.7mm Vickers machine guns in fixed, forward-firing mountings synchronized to fire through the spinning propeller blades.

Variants
Notable series variants as part of the SPAD S.XIII family line.

A.2

S.VII - Fitted with either Hispano-Suiza 150hp 8Aa or the 180hp 8Ac powerplants; 6,000 produced.

S.XI

S.XII - Fitted with Hispano-Suiza HS 8Bc (200hp) / HS 8Bec (220hp) engines; 300 examples produced.

S.XIII - Increased wingpan; improved powerplant; 2 x 7.7 machine guns; 8,500 produced.

Operators
Global customers who have evaluated and/or operated the SPAD S.XIII. Nations are displayed by flag, each linked to their respective national aircraft listing.

Total Production: 8,472 Units
Contractor(s): Societe Pour l'Avions et ses Derives (SPAD) - France

[ Argentina; Belgium; Brazil; Czechoslovakia; France; Greece; Kingdom of Italy; Imperial Japan; Imperial Russia; Poland; Siam (Thailand); Spain; Turkey; Uruguay; United Kingdom; United States ]

Relative Max Speed

Hi: 150mph

Lo: 75mph

Aircraft Max Listed Speed (138mph).

Graph Average of 113 MPH.

Era Crossover

Showcasing Aircraft Era Crossover (if any)

Max Alt Visualization

Production Comparison

8472

36183

44000

Entry compared against Ilyushin IL-2 (military) and Cessna 172 (civilian) total production.

MACH Regime (Sonic)

Sub

Trans

Super

Hyper

HiHyper

ReEntry

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Aviation Timeline

EarlyYrs

WWI

Interwar

WWII

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Postwar

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