WWI was the first armed conflict in which the use of airplanes became a significant part of the fighting. Although the technology was barely more than a decade old, it became crucial to the war effort on both sides. The bi-plane was the most common airframe used in this conflict, and one of France’s superior models was the Spad XIII.
By 1918 and the war’s end, France had built 8,472 copies of this plane. Powered by a Hispano-Suiza water-cooled V8 engine with up to 235 horsepower, the Spad XIII was a powerful craft used to great effect by many brave pilots and helped to establish the role of aviation in armed conflict. It came armed with two Vickers .303 machine guns and had a top speed of 135 mph, which was fast for the day. Its service ceiling of 21,185 feet was also an advantage, and this plane is the model that turned many pilots into what are called “Aces,” including American Ace Eddie Rickenbacker, who scored 26 hits in a Spad during the war.
This was France’s principal fighter plane and was used not only by the Allies during the war. When the U.S. entered, it had no fighter plane of its own ready, and this one became the primary choice of the Army Air Service. While planes have changed drastically over the last century, all of them have a direct lineage back to this.
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