SPAD S.XIII
 SPAD S.XIII. Photo: U.S. Air Force photo, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
| |
| Make | SPAD |
|---|---|
| Model | SPAD S.XIII |
| Type | Biplane fighter |
| Country |  France
|
| First flight | 4 April 1917
|
| Number built | 8,472 |
| Seats | 1 |
| Engine | Hispano-Suiza 8Ba, Bb or Bd, 200 hp
|
| More aircraft · For sale | |
The SPAD S.XIII is a French biplane fighter of World War I and one of the most capable and most-produced fighters of that war: 8,472 were built, and orders for about 10,000 more were cancelled at the Armistice.[1] None are on the U.S. civil register.[2]
History
In early 1917 the designer Louis Béchereau began two new fighters to replace the successful SPAD S.VII, both using a powerful new geared Hispano-Suiza 8A engine.[1] The S.XII carried a cannon that pilots disliked, but the S.XIII was a success. It first flew on April 4, 1917.[1]
By the end of the war the S.XIII equipped almost every French fighter squadron. The U.S. Army Air Service also bought it in large numbers, and the Royal Flying Corps used some until Sopwith Dolphins arrived.[1] Pilots liked it, and many aces from several countries flew it.[1] After the Armistice, surplus S.XIIIs were sold to civil and military owners around the world.[1]
Specifications (SPAD S.XIII)
| Item | SPAD S.XIII |
|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
| Length | 6.25 m |
| Wingspan | 8.25 m |
| Height | 2.60 m |
| Engine | Hispano-Suiza 8Ba, Bb or Bd, 200 hp (Water cooled 8-cylinder vee-type) |
| Maximum speed | 211 km/h |
Figures as given in the Wikipedia article and its sources.[1]
Photos
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103rd Aero Squadron - SPAD Spad XIII C.1 of of Capt. Photo: United States Army, Public domain -
SPAD S.XIII at Air Service Production Center No. Photo: Air Service, United States Army, Public domain -
SPAD S.XIII. Photo: Tony the Marine (talk), CC BY-SA 3.0 -
SPAD XIII n°2782 of Louis Prosper Gros in La Ferté-Gaucher on June 26, 1918. Photo: AnonymousUnknown author, Public domain
All photos are from Wikimedia Commons; click a photo for its full credit and license.
Buying a SPAD S.XIII
Sources
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 Wikipedia, "SPAD S.XIII", read November 1, 2026. Airplane Wiki's text is written in its own words; facts are checked against this article and its sources.
- ↑ Federal Aviation Administration, Releasable Aircraft Database, file dated October 30, 2026. Valid registrations of fixed-wing airplanes whose FAA maker and model names belong to this family. Airplane Wiki uses only counts from this file, never owner names or addresses.