SPAD S.VII

what is it?

The SPAD S.VII C.1 was the first in a series of single-seat biplane fighter aircraft produced by Société Pour L'Aviation et ses Dérivés (SPAD) during the First World War. Like its successors, the S.VII was renowned as a sturdy and rugged aircraft with good diving characteristics. It was also a stable gun platform, although pilots used to the more manoeuvrable Nieuport fighters found it heavy on the controls.

🔎How to recognise it: 1 piston engine with propeller · 7.8 m wingspan

base stats

• speed 193 km/htop speed
• range 400 kmwithout refuelling
• size 705 kgmax take-off weight
• built 5,600made in total

Bars compare against all aircraft: 3,500 km/h, 20,000 km, 850 seats; size and number built on a log scale up to 640 t (An-225) and 45,000 built (Cessna 172).

fun facts

• 🎂First flew 110 years ago, in 1916.

piston: A car-like piston engine turning a propeller: simple and cheap, the classic small plane.

spec sheet

first flight

1916-05

introduced

1916

number built

5,600

role

biplane fighter

origin

🇫🇷 France

makers

Société Pour L'Aviation et ses Dérivés

engines

1× Hispano-Suiza 8Aa / Hispano-Suiza 8Ac

crew

1

length

6.1 m

wingspan

7.8 m

height

2.2 m

max take-off weight

705 kg

top speed

193 km/h

range

400 km

ceiling

5,500 m

Specs are for the version in the Wikipedia article's specification section. Blank means the sources don't say.