Engineering:Blériot-SPAD S.81
S.81 | |
---|---|
Role | Fighter |
Manufacturer | Blériot |
Designer | André Herbemont |
First flight | 13 March 1923 |
Primary user | French Air Force |
Number built | ca. 85 |
The Blériot-SPAD S.81 (S.81 C.1) was a French fighter aircraft developed in 1923 to a requirement by the French Air Force . It was flown competitively against the Dewoitine D.1 and was selected over that aircraft due to the Dewoitine's more radical design, leading to an order for 80 aircraft. The S.81 was a single-bay biplane of conventional configuration with I-shaped interplane struts and lacking Herbemont's usual swept upper wing. It featured a wooden fuselage of monocoque construction and metal wings skinned in fabric. Production versions differed from the prototypes in having a lengthened fuselage and larger tail fin.
Variants
- S.81.01
- two prototypes, powered by a 220 kW (300 hp) Hispano-Suiza 8Fb V-8 engine. The second aircraft was used for static tests only
- S.81/1
- production version, powered by a 220 kW (300 hp) Hispano-Suiza 8Fb V-8 engines, designated S.81 C.1 (S.81 Chasseur - single-seater) in air force service.[1]
- S.81bis
- single example of racer version developed for the Coupe Michelin race. Performance poor.[2]
- S.81/2
- single machine to evaluate alternative radiator design.
- S.81/3
- single machine to evaluate alternative radiator design
- S.81/4
- single machine to evaluate wooden wing design
- S.81/6
- racer converted from the S.81-bis
Operators
- France
- French Air Force
- 2ème Fighter Regiment
Specifications (S.81/1)
Data from Jane's all the World's Aircraft 1924,[3] Aviafrance:SPAD S-81[1]
General characteristics
- Crew: 1
- Length: 6.4 m (21 ft 0 in)
- Upper wingspan: 9.62 m (31 ft 7 in)
- Lower wingspan: 8.96 m (29 ft 5 in)
- Height: 2.8 m (9 ft 2 in)
- Wing area: 30 m2 (320 sq ft)
- Empty weight: 800 kg (1,764 lb)
- Gross weight: 1,250 kg (2,756 lb)
- Powerplant: 1 × Hispano-Suiza 8Fb V-8 water-cooled piston engine, 220 kW (300 hp)
- Propellers: 2-bladed fixed pitch wooden propeller
Performance
- Maximum speed: 250 km/h (160 mph, 130 kn) at sea level
- Range: 750 km (470 mi, 400 nmi)
- Service ceiling: 8,000 m (26,000 ft)
- Rate of climb: 6 m/s (1,200 ft/min)
- Wing loading: 41.6 kg/m2 (8.5 lb/sq ft)
- Power/mass: 0.1787 kW/kg (0.1087 hp/lb)
Armament
- Guns: 2 × fixed, forward-firing 7.7 mm (0.303 in) Vickers machine-guns
See also
Related lists
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Parmentier, Bruno (12 April 2003). "SPAD S-81" (in fr). Paris. https://www.aviafrance.com/aviafrance1.php?ID=128&ID_CONSTRUCTEUR=1231&ANNEE=0&ID_MISSION=0&MOTCLEF=. Retrieved 10 March 2018.
- ↑ Parmentier, Bruno (4 October 2012). "SPAD S-81bis" (in fr). Paris. https://www.aviafrance.com/aviafrance1.php?ID=128&ID_CONSTRUCTEUR=10264&ANNEE=0&ID_MISSION=0&MOTCLEF=. Retrieved 10 March 2018.
- ↑ Grey, C.G., ed (1924). Jane's all the World's Aircraft 1924. London: Sampson Low, Marston & company, ltd. pp. 99b–100b.
Bibliography
- Bruner, Georges (1977). "Fighters a la Francaise, Part One". Air Enthusiast (3): 85–95. ISSN 0143-5450.
Further reading
- Taylor, John W. R., and Jean Alexander. "Combat Aircraft of the World" New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1969 Library of Congress Catalog Card Number 68-25459 (Pg.130-131)
- Taylor, Michael J. H. (1989). Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. London: Studio Editions. pp. 164.
- World Aircraft Information Files. London: Bright Star Publishing. pp. File 890 Sheet 42–43.
Original source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blériot-SPAD S.81.
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