J.Davilla, A.Soltan French Aircraft of the First World War (Flying Machines)

SPAD 14

  The Aviation Maritime depended on land-based aircraft to provide protection for seaplanes on anti-submarine patrol. However, land-based fighters had too limited a range to permit them to accompany the seaplanes during these patrols. An attempt was made to use Voisin, Farman, and Letord long-range reconnaissance aircraft for this duty, but the performance of these planes was not adequate.
  To remedy this situation, Andre Herbemont designed a floatplane version of the SPAD 12. Built by Pierre Levasseur, it featured a fuselage from a SPAD 12 fitted with two floats and larger wings and tail surfaces. The larger wings provided more lift to compensate for the weight and drag of the floats, while the enlarged tail surfaces improved lateral stability. Because of the larger wings, it was rigged as a true two-bay aircraft. The floats were designed by Maurice Payonne (who would become the head of F.B.A. in 1926). Those on the prototype were built by the Tellier firm. The engine was the same 220-hp Hispano-Suiza 8Cb used on the SPAD 13. Armament consisted of a 0.303-inch Vickers machine gun and the 12-round, 37-mm S.A.M.C. cannon.
  The prototype first flew in November 1917. It was tested at Saint Raphael by a pilot named Bequet. Apparently these trials were successful enough to warrant the Aviation Maritime to place an order for 39 aircraft. They were built by the SPAD firm and the floats by Levasseur.
  These aircraft were assigned to the French naval air station at Dunkerque under the command of Lieutenant La Burthe. The SPAD 14 remained in service until 1919. Postwar, one was entered in the 1920 Monaco seaplane race. A landplane version was developed as the SPAD 24. (See SPAD 24 section.)


SPAD 14 Single-Seat Floatplane Fighter with 220-hp Hispano-Suiza 8Cb (Some Sources State 8Bc)
   Span 9.80 m; length 7.40 m; height 4.00 m; wing area 26.20 sq. m
   Empty weight 770 kg; loaded weight 1,060 kg
   Maximum speed: 205 km/h at sea level; climb to 2,000 m in 7 minutes and 18 seconds; ceiling 5,000 m
   Armament: one 0.303 Vickers machine gun and a 12-round, 37-mm S.A.M.C.
   Forty were built (including the prototype)



SPAD 24

  As the war neared its end the Aviation Maritime began to evaluate the possibility of flying aircraft from battleships by using platforms mounted on the gun turrets. Several aircraft were tested in this role and the SPAD firm was asked to develop a version of the SPAD 14 floatplane with a conventional undercarriage for platform takeoff. This aircraft became the SPAD 24.
  It flew on 5 November 1918, just six days before the war ended. It has been reported that the SPAD 24 was 5 km/h slower then the same airframe equipped with the huge floats and the same 220-hp Hispano-Suiza 8Bc engine, although this seems unlikely. In any event, it appears that the navy preferred the Hanriot HD.1 and HD.2, both of which were test-flown from ships' turrets postwar. However, there is no evidence that the SPAD 24 was ever tested in this fashion and only the single example was built.


SPAD 24 Single-Seat Fighter with 220-hp Hispano-Suiza 8Cb (Some Sources State 8Bc)
   Span 9.80 m; length 6.48 m; height 2.56 m; wing area 26.20 sq. m
   Empty weight 650 kg, loaded weight 1,000 kg (approximately)
   Maximum speed: 200 km/h; ceiling 5,000 meters
   Armament: a 0.303 Vickers machine gun and a 12-round, 37-mm S.A.M.C. cannon
   One built

W.Green, G.Swanborough The Complete Book of Fighters

SPAD S.XIV France

   Based on the fuselage and engine/armament combination of the S.XII, with the 37-mm Puteaux cannon firing through the hollow propeller shaft, the S.XIV was a single-seat twin-float fighter designed by Andre Herbemont, Bechereau’s assistant. Powered by the 220 hp Hispano-Suiza 8Bc engine and armed with a single 7,7-mm Vickers machine gun in addition to the cannon, the S.XIV had long-span wings with true two-bay bracing, and the prototype was flown for the first time on 15 November 1917. SPAD built a further 39 S.XIVs for the Aviation Maritime, their floats being manufactured by Levasseur. The recorded maximum level speed of this fighter was claimed as a record for float-equipped aircraft at that time.

Max speed, 127 mph (205 km/h) at sea level.
Time to 6,560 ft (2 000 m), 7.3 min.
Empty weight, 1,696 lb (770 kg).
Loaded weight, 2,337 lb (1060 kg).
Span, 32 ft 2 in (9,80 m).
Length, 24 ft 3 in (7,40 m).
Height, 13ft 1 1/2 in (4,00m).
Wing area, 282 sqft (26,20 m2).


SPAD S.XXIV France

   Last in the line of wartime SPAD single-seat fighters of Bechereau origin, the S.XXIV was developed as a carrier-based fighter for France’s Aviation Maritime. Flown for the first time on 5 November 1918, the S.XXIV was a wheel undercarriage-equipped version of the S.XIV twin-float fighter seaplane that had flown almost a year earlier. The tardiness in developing the S.XXIV apparently resulted in the discontinuation of further development at an early stage in flight testing. Like the S.XIV, the S.XXIV was powered by a 220 hp Hispano-Suiza 8Bc engine and was intended to be fitted with a similar armament. No performance data are available.

Empty weight, 1,433 lb (650 kg).
Span, 32 ft 2 in (9,80 m).
Length, 21 ft 3 1/8 in (6,48 m).
Height, 8 ft 4 4/5 in (2,56 m).
Wing area, 282 sq ft (26,20 m2).