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Spad fighter aircraft: books - history and technology
A book on Spad aircraft? Explore here our selection of illustrated books on the history, models and technology of Spad fighter aircraft.
Spad Fighters - The Spad A.2 to XVI in World War I (Legends of Warfare)
This book presents the evolution of one of the most famous French-made fighter aircraft of WWI-the fast, rugged Spad. From humble beginnings this airplane became the mount for such famous WWI aces as Frenchmen Georges Guynemer and Rene Fonck, American Eddie Rickenbacker, Italian Francesco Baracca, and many others. Illustrated with rare WWI-era photographs, this book examines how the Spad was conceived, built, and flown. Examples of surviving Spad aircraft are highlighted, as well as where they may be seen today all over the world.
The book also profiles several still-existing aerodromes in the US where visitors can see a Spad being built, such as the Golden Age Air Museum in Pennsylvania. Or pay a visit to the Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome in New York and see the only flying Spad VII replica in the world! Part of the Legends of Warfare series.
Author:
Mark C. Wilkins
Specs:
112 pages, 23 x 23 cm / 9.1 x 9.1 in, hardback
Illustrations:
147 b&w and colour photographs
Publisher:
Schiffer Publishing Ltd (USA, 2019)
Series:
Legends of Warfare
Spad Fighters - The Spad A.2 to XVI in World War I
When originally conceived, the French SPAD VII and German Albatros D II represented steps away from an emphasis on manoeuvre in aerial combat in favour of speed and durability. At the end of 1916, however, Albatros tried to have the best of both worlds. The result combined the better downward view and manoeuvrability of the Nieuport with the power and twin machine guns of the Albatros D II. At the same time, the French worked to improve the SPAD VII with more power and a more reliable cooling system before moving on to the twin-gunned SPAD XIII. While all that was going on, the Albatros D III became a mainstay of the German and Austro-Hungarian air services in frequent encounters with SPAD VIIs flown by French, Belgian, British, Italian and American airmen.
This book examines the technology and strategy that defined the outcome of the battles between the Spad VII and the Albatros D III.
Author:
Jon Guttman
Specs:
80 pages, 24.5 x 18 x 0.7 cm / 9.7 x 7.1 x 0.28 in, paperback
Built by the 'Société Anonyme pour l'Aviation et ses Dérivés', the SPAD VII was the first successful fighting scout design to emerge from the company that had traded as Duperdussin pre-war. Flown 'from the off' by aces Paul Sauvage and Georges Guynemer, the scouts made an immediate impression. Indeed, the latter pilot was so impressed that he dubbed the Type VII the 'flying machine gun'.
The first of two volumes on SPAD aces, this book tells the whole story from the ace perspective. By the time production of the SPAD VII ended in the final months of 1918, around 6000 examples had been built, and Allied aces on every front had enjoyed success with the type.
Author:
Jon Guttman
Specs:
96 pages, 25 x 18.5 x 0.7 cm / 9.8 x 7.3 x 0.28 in, paperback
Spad XIII vs Fokker D VII - Western Front 1916-18 (Osprey)
The Fokker D VII earned a reputation as the most formidable fighter of the war, yet the SPAD XIII's greater speed, especially in a dive, and its outstanding durability proved a fearsome rival. Never before published artwork, including fascinating cockpit illustrations, reveal several dramatic clashes from the two foes, whilst diary entries and first hand accounts from the pilots bring this classic World War I duel to life with intimate detail.
Contents: Introduction - Chronology - Design and Development - The Strategic Situation - Technical Specifications - The combatants - Combat - Statistics and analysis - Aftermath conclusion - Bibliography - Further Reading - Glossary.
Author:
Jim Laurier, Mark Postlethwaite
Specs:
80 pages, 24.5 x 18.5 x 0.7 cm / 9.7 x 7.3 x 0.28 in, paperback
