SPAD VII
by: RLindsey
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Word Count: 186
SPAD VII, XII, XIII
Made in France by the S.P.A.D. company. Used in World War I by French, English, Italian and American flyers. A fast plane with a high ceiling that does stunts and dives without losing its wings, the SPAD became very popular with Allied pilots. Many of the top Allied aces flew the SPAD VII or SPAD XIII. The early SPADs had only one gun, a distinct disadvantage. A few SPAD XIIs had a cannon that fired through the propeller hub. The cannon came out through the cockpit to between the pilot’s legs. Not a comfortable situation and the cannon was exceedingly difficult to aim. The SPAD XIII had two guns and greatly improved the situation for many aces. Probably the plane that will be used by the Allies in the new movie "Flyboys."
Length: 20 feet 4 inches (6.2 meters)
Wingspan: 26 feet 4 inches (8 meters)
Speed: 133 mph (191 km/h)
Ceiling: 22,300 feet (5,334 meters)
Range: 250 miles (402 km)
Engines: 1 Hispano-Suiza 8BA water-cooled 8-cylinder inline 220hp
Crew: 1
Armament: 1x 7.7 mm (.303 caliber) Vickers machine gun (VII) 2x 7.7 mm (.303 caliber) Vickers machine guns
About the Author
Robert M. Lindsey -- http://www.geocities.com/rlindsey58/
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