Blériot-SPAD S.71
Blériot-SPAD · France · first flew 1923 · fighter
The Blériot-SPAD S.71 was a French single-seat fighter of the early 1920s. It did not progress beyond the prototype stage.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 7.3 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Single-seat biplane with a straight lower wing and a swept upper wing
- Water-cooled Hispano-Suiza 8Fb V-8 engine in the nose
- Redesigned tail unit compared with the S.XX family
It combines a straight lower wing with a swept upper wing on a single-seat fighter powered by a 300 hp Hispano-Suiza 8Fb in the nose. It is of all-wood construction with fabric covering.
Specifications
- The Blériot-SPAD S.71 has a length of 7.3 m (24 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 8.72 m (29 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 237 km/h (147 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
It was a single-seat variant of the S.XX, distinguished mainly by a completely redesigned tail. It first flew on 14 January 1923 and was sent to Spain for the military competition held in March 1923.
Variants
The S.71 was related to the Blériot-SPAD S.72, a scaled-down advanced trainer that first flew on 15 April 1923.
Where you'll see it
The Spanish authorities preferred the Nieuport 29 in the competition. The S.71 prototype was nevertheless bought by the Spanish government to evaluate pilots seeking non-commissioned officer rank.
Related aircraft
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