Over 8,472 French SPAD S.XIII fighters were built and was a highly successful aircraft developed from Louis Béchereau earlier SPAD S.VII design and incorporated larger wings and rudder more power and twice the fire-power whilst retaining the ruggedness of the SPAD S.VII.
It is of note that SPAD S.XIII was flown by many famous allied fighter aces including Georges Guynemer, Rene Fonck, Francesco Baracca and last but not least Eddie Rickenbacker - The United States Army Air Service purchased 893 and operated them into the 1920's. SPAD S.XIII Specifications: - Crew: Pilot only
- Length: 6.25 m (20 ft 6 in)
- Wingspan: 8.25 m (27 ft 1 in)
- Height: 2.60 m (8 ft 6.5 in)
- Wing area: 21.1 m² (227 ft²)
- Empty weight: 566 kg (1,245 lb)
- Max takeoff weight: 845 kg (1,863 lb)
- Engine: Single 220 hp (164 kw) Hispano-Suiza 8Be 8 cylinder v8
- Maximum speed: 218 km/h (135 mph)
- Service ceiling 6,650 m (21,815 ft)
- Rate of climb: 2 m/s (384 ft/min)
Armament: - Twin .303-cal. (7.7-mm) Vickers machine guns
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