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| STANDARD DATA: Seats 1. Gross wt. 1,862. Engine 220-hp Hispano 8B. PERFORMANCE: Top mph 139. Initial climb rate 1,500. Range 185. Ceiling 21,800. |
This famous World War I French fighter was designed and built by the Societes des Productions Armand Deperdussin and thus received the abbreviated nickname SPAD. The model S13 became available to French, British, American, and Italian squadrons in May 1917. It had considerable power and range for its time and carried two 7.65mm Vickers machine guns. The SPAD achieved numerous victories in the competent hands of such Allied aces as Eddie Rickenbacker, Guynemer, Rene Fonck, and Frank Luke. The total production of the SPAD XIII reached 8,440 before armistice.
