Bleriot-SPAD S.XX • wp.archivoaereo.com

The Bleriot-SPAD (Societe pour L’ Aviation et Ses Derivees) S.XX aircraft, developed from the not entirely successful Bleriot-SPAD S.XVIII model designed by André Herbemont and armed with a cannon, featured an unusual concept. It was a fighter in which a second crew member operated a Lewis machine gun mounted on a turret in the rear cockpit.

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Design of the Bleriot-SPAD S.XVIII (S.XX Base)

The S.XVIII was a biplane with wings of different spans, featuring a single streamlined I-shaped strut on each side. Its upper wing had significant sweep, while the lower wing, where the ailerons were installed, was straight. The wooden fuselage had a monocoque construction.

Successful Trials and Records Set

The famous test pilot Sadi Lecointe first flew the prototype from Buc airfield on August 7, 1918. Operational tests were so successful that an order for 300 such aircraft was immediately placed, but due to the end of the war, only 100 were built.

Between 1918 and 1922, S.XX aircraft set numerous records. These included a world speed record of 230 km/h with a passenger in 1918, and a world altitude record of 8900 m in July of the following year.

S.XX Variants and Subsequent Developments

One of two modified S.XX aircraft featured an increased wing and fin area, along with an unbalanced rudder; the second modified example was built and sold to Japan. Additionally, an experimental single-seater seaplane fighter, armed with twin synchronized machine guns, incorporated a wing similar to the S.XX and was equipped with new Tellier floats.

Technical Specifications

Modification	S.XX
Wingspan, m	9.72
Length, m	7.30
Height, m	2.80
Wing area, m2	30.00
Empty weight	867
Normal takeoff weight	1306
Engine type	1 Piston engine Hispano-Suiza 8Fb
Power, hp	1 x 300
Maximum speed, km/h	229
Cruising speed, km/h	217
Practical range, km	400
Service ceiling, m	8000
Crew, crew members	1-2
Armament	2 forward-firing synchronized 7.7-mm Vickers machine guns and one or two 7.7-mm Lewis machine guns on a ring mount in the rear cockpit.