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French Aviation 1916
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 This was one of the aircraft flown by Sous Lieutenant Willy Coppens of the 9e Escadrille circa May 1918. The aircraft is finished in a French five-color camouflage pattern. The upper surface of the tailplane was in dark blue and white stripes. All undersurfaces were aluminum doped. The thistle emblem of the 9e Escadrille was in white. |
Hanriot H.D.1
Type: Fighter First Introduced: 1916 Engine: 1 x Rhone 9J 110 hp. Wingspan: 8.70 m Length: 5.84 m Weight: 395 kg/600 kg Max. speed: 185 km/h Ceiling: 6250 Crew: 1 Armament: 1 x machinegun |
 Many of the French and British aces began their careers flying the Nieuport 17. The highly maneuverable "Superbébé" was a larger, improved version of the Nieuport 11. Like its predecessor, it was initially equipped with a Lewis gun but was upgraded to a synchronized Vickers machine gun. Helping end Germany's domination of the air war, the Nieuport 17 easily outclimbed and outperformed the Fokker E.III. The superior design was so successful that German high command ordered it copied. |
Nieuport 17 Type: Fighter First Introduced: March 1916 Engine: Le Rhône 9J, 9 cylinder, rotary 110 hp Wing Span: 26 ft 11 in 8.22 m Length: 18 ft 10 in 5.74 m Height: 7 ft 10 in Empty Weight: 827 lb Gross Weight: 1246 lb 565 kg Max Speed: 110 mph 177 kmh Ceiling: 17,388 ft 5,300 m Endurance: 2 hours Crew: 1 Armament: 1 Lewis and/or 1 Vickers gun |
 The French Air Service replaced the Nieuport 17 with the SPAD S.VII. Although disadvantaged by poor forward and downward views from the cockpit, the SPAD S.VII was fast, durable and difficult to shoot down. A good performer, it was flown by nearly all the French aces. It proved less successful in the hands of the British, possibly due to the combat tactics employed by the pilots of the Royal Flying Corps. With 18 victories, Irish ace William Cochran-Patrick scored more victories with the SPAD S.VII and SPAD S.XIII than any other ace. |
SPAD S VII Type: Fighter First Introduced: September 1916 Number Built: 3,825 Engine: Hispano-Suiza 8A, V-8, 150 hp Wing Span: 25 ft 7¾ in 7.82 m Length: 20 ft 2 in 6.15 m Height: 7 ft 6.5 in Empty Weight: 1,102 lb Gross Weight: 1632 lb 740 kg Max Speed: 119 mph 191.5 kmh Ceiling: 17,500 ft Endurance: 1.5 hours Crew: 1 Armament: 1 Vickers .303 machine gun |
 The SPAD XII was identifiable from the outside by it's forward wing stagger, rounded ends on the mainplanes. The aircraft was not popular with the less skilled pilots due to it's demanding handling chararistics. The 37 mm cannon was also not suited for pilots that were not exceptional marksmen, it was a one shot weapon that filled the cabin with smoke, needed to be reloaded after each shot while in flight. Georges Guynemer and René Fonck both scored several victories while piloting the SPAD XII. |
SPAD S XII Type: Fighter First Introduced: 1916 Engine: 1 x "Hispano-Suiza"8C , 200 hp. Wingspan: 8.00 m Length: 6.40 m Weight: 587 kg/883 kg Max. speed: 203 km/h Ceiling: 6850 m Crew: 1 Armament: 1 x 37mm gun 1 Vickers .303 machine gun on some versions |
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Original material copyright © 7/8/99 W. Ira Boucher. All Rights Reserved. |
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