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weight and performance calculations for the SPAD S.XVI
S.XVI flown by Billy Mitchell s/n 9392 on display in the Smithsonian National Air and Space museum
SPAD S.XVI
role : multi role combat aircraft
importance : ****
first flight : operational : January 1918
country : France
design :
production : 1000 aircraft
general information :
The SPAD S.XVI (S-16) is a variant of the SPAD S.XI with a 250 hp (186 kW) Lorraine-Dietrich 8Bb engine instead of the 220 hp (164 kW) Hispano-Suiza 8Bc engine of the S-11. The new engine, while more powerful, resulted in a heavier aircraft and performance was slightly inferior to the SPAD 11. The original handling problems were largely unresolved. The SPAD 16 arrived at the front line around the end of 1917. It equipped 27 French squadrons and 305 two-seater SPADs, mainly SPAD 16s, were in service with French reconnaissance squadrons at the armistice, as opposed to 530 Salmson and 645 Breguet reconnaissance aircraft. The SPAD 16 served with five post-war French squadrons. Six SPAD 16s were bought by the United States. One of these, flown by Billy Mitchell, is preserved at the National Air and Space Museum. He personally flew reconnaissance missions in it when the Second Battle of the Marne started in the Château-Thierry sector, in July 1918.
The exact number of SPAD 16s built is uncertain but was probably around 1,000.
users : France, USAF
crew : 2
armament : 1 synchronized 7.70 [mm] (0.303 in) Vickers machine-gun
and 2 movable 7.70 [mm] (0.303 in) Lewis machine-guns
engine : 1 Lorraine-Dietrich 8Bb liquid-cooled 8 -cylinder V-engine 250 [hp](183.9 KW)
dimensions :
wingspan : 11.2 [m], length : 7.7 [m], height : 2.85[m]
wing area : 28.2 [m^2]
weights :
max.take-off weight : 1290 [kg]
empty weight operational : 906 [kg] bombload : 0 [kg]
Colonel William Mitchell with his observer/gunner and their SPAD S.XVI A.2, France, 1918. (U.S. Air Force)
performance :
maximum speed : 185 [km/hr] at sea-level
service ceiling : 4694 [m]
estimated action radius : 232 [km]
description :
2-bay biplane with fixed landing gear and tail strut
two spar upper and lower wing
engines, landing gear, fuel and bombs in or attached to the fuselage
airscrew :
fixed pitch 2 -bladed tractor airscrew with max. efficiency :0.64 [ ]
estimated diameter airscrew 2.64 [m]
angle of attack prop : 15.40 [ ]
reduction : 1.00 [ ]
airscrew revs : 1800 [r.p.m.]
pitch at Max speed 1.71 [m]
blade-tip speed at Vmax and max revs. : 254 [m/s]
calculation : *1* (dimensions)
mean wing chord : 1.26 [m]
calculated wing chord (rounded tips): 1.39 [m]
wing aspect ratio : 8.90 []
estimated gap : 1.19 [m]
gap/chord : 0.95 [ ]
seize (span*length*height) : 246 [m^3]
calculation : *2* (fuel consumption)
oil consumption : 3.3 [kg/hr]
fuel consumption(cruise speed) : 40.5 [kg/hr] (55.2 [litre/hr]) at 63 [%] power
distance flown for 1 kg fuel : 4.11 [km/kg]
estimated total fuel capacity : 174 [litre] (128 [kg])
The observer had two Lewis Mk.II machine guns for defence
calculation : *3* (weight)
weight engine(s) dry : 422.9 [kg] = 2.30 [kg/KW]
weight 17 litre oil tank : 2.1 [kg]
oil tank filled with 1.4 litre oil : 1.2 [kg]
oil in engine 10 litre oil : 9.2 [kg]
fuel in engine 1 litre fuel : 0.9 [kg]
weight 23 litre gravity patrol tank(s) : 2.3 [kg]
weight radiator : 26.3 [kg]
weight exhaust pipes & fuel lines 22.3 [kg]
weight self-starter : 4.5 [kg]
weight cowling 7.4 [kg]
weight airscrew(s) (wood) incl. boss & bolts : 27.6 [kg]
total weight propulsion system : 525 [kg](40.7 [%])
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fuselage skeleton (wood gauge : 5.57 [cm]): 61 [kg]
bracing : 3.3 [kg]
fuselage covering ( 11.2 [m2] doped linen fabric) : 3.6 [kg]
weight controls + indicators: 6.1 [kg]
weight seats : 6.0 [kg]
weight other details, lighting set, etc. : 5.1 [kg]
weight 151 [litre] main fuel tank empty : 14.5 [kg]
weight engine mounts & firewalls : 9 [kg]
total weight fuselage : 109 [kg](8.4 [%])
***************************************************************
weight wing covering (doped linen fabric) : 18 [kg]
total weight ribs (84 ribs) : 77 [kg]
load on front upper spar (clmax) per running metre : 559.7 [N]
load on rear upper spar (vmax) per running metre : 339.7 [N]
total weight 8 spars : 40 [kg]
weight wings : 135 [kg]
weight wing/square meter : 4.79 [kg]
weight 8 interplane struts & cabane : 6.6 [kg]
weight cables (61 [m]) : 3.9 [kg] (= 63 [gram] per metre)
diameter cable : 3.2 [mm]
weight fin & rudder (1.5 [m2]) : 7.2 [kg]
weight stabilizer & elevator (3.2 [m2]): 15.4 [kg]
total weight wing surfaces & bracing : 168 [kg] (13.0 [%])
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weight machine-gun(s) : 41.9 [kg]
weight pivot mounting mg :6.0 [kg]
weight ammunition magazine(s) :1.8 [kg]
weight Birkigt synchronization gear : 1.0 [kg]
weight armament : 51 [kg]
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wheel pressure : 645.0 [kg]
weight 2 wheels (760 [mm] by 95 [mm]) : 28.7 [kg]
weight tailskid : 1.8 [kg]
weight undercarriage with axle 18.0 [kg]
total weight landing gear : 48.6 [kg] (3.8 [%]
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calculated empty weight : 901 [kg](69.8 [%])
weight oil for 3.3 hours flying : 11.0 [kg]
weight cooling fluids : 37.9 [kg]
weight 7 drums empty : 2.9 [kg]
weight ammunition (1058 rounds) : 31.9 [kg]
weight signal pistol with cartridges : 3.6 [kg]
weight automatic pistol with spare magazines : 1.2 [kg]
*******************************************************************
calculated operational weight empty : 986 [kg] (76.5 [%])
published operational weight empty : 906 [kg] (70.2 [%])
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weight crew : 162 [kg]
weight fuel for 2.0 hours flying : 81 [kg]
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operational weight : 1229 [kg](95.3 [%])
estimated bomb load : 50 [kg]
operational weight bombing mission : 1279 [kg]
weight transceiver : 27 [kg]
operational weight FAC RT mission : 1256 [kg]
fuel reserve : 34 [kg] enough for 0.83 [hours] flying
operational weight fully loaded : 1290 [kg] with fuel tank filled for 90 [%]
published maximum take-off weight : 1290 [kg] (100.0 [%])
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calculation : * 4 * (engine power)
power loading (operational without bombload) : 6.69 [kg/kW]
total power : 183.9 [kW] at 1800 [r.p.m]
calculation : *5* (loads)
manoeuvre load : 2.4 [g] at 1000 [m]
limit load : 3.75 [g] ultimate load : 5.6 [g] load factor : 1.2 [g]
design flight time : 2.22 [hours]
design cycles : 124 sorties, design hours : 275 [hours]
operational wing loading : 437 [N/m^2]
wing stress (3 g) during operation : 274 [N/kg] at 3g emergency manoeuvre
calculation : *6* (angles of attack)
angle of attack zero lift : -1.14 ["]
max. angle of attack (stalling angle) : 11.86 ["]
angle of attack at max. speed : 1.90 ["]
calculation : *7* (lift & drag ratios
lift coefficient at angle of attack 0° :0.10 [ ]
lift coefficient at max. angle of attack : 1.14 [ ]
lift coefficient at max. speed : 0.27 [ ]
induced drag coefficient at max. speed : 0.0045 [ ]
drag coefficient at max. speed : 0.0498 [ ]
drag coefficient (zero lift) : 0.0453 [ ]
calculation : *8* (speeds
stalling speed at sea-level (OW): 89 [km/u]
landing speed at sea-level (OW without bombload): 107 [km/hr]
min. drag speed (max endurance) : 116 [km/hr] at 2347 [m](power :40 [%])
min. power speed (max range) : 131 [km/hr] at 2347 [m] (power:44 [%])
max. rate of climb speed : 112.4 [km/hr] at sea-level
cruising speed : 166 [km/hr] op 2347 [m] (power:65 [%])
design speed prop : 176 [km/hr]
maximum speed : 185 [km/hr] op 100 [m] (power:99 [%])
climbing speed at sea-level (without bombload) : 305 [m/min]
calculation : *9* (regarding various performances)
take-off distance at sea-level : 164 [m]
lift/drag ratio : 9.32 [ ]
max. practical ceiling : 5275 [m] with flying weight :1051 [kg]
practical ceiling (operational weight) : 4525 [m] with flying weight :1229 [kg] line 3385
practical ceiling fully loaded (mtow- 1 hour fuel) : 4425 [m] with flying weight :1250 [kg]
published ceiling (4694 [m]
climb to 1500m (without bombload) : 5.56 [min]
climb to 3000m (without bombload) : 14.24 [min]
max. dive speed : 433.2 [km/hr] at 3425 [m] height
load factor at max. angle turn 2.03 ["g"]
turn radius at 500m: 77 [m]
time needed for 360* turn 13.2 [seconds] at 500m
calculation *10* (action radius & endurance)
operational endurance : 3.00 [hours] with 2 crew and 20 [kg] useful load and 95.2 [%] fuel
published endurance : 2.78 [hours] with 2 crew and possible useful (bomb) load : 29 [kg] and 88.1 [%] fuel
action radius : 250 [km] with 2 crew and 20[kg] photo camera or bombload
max range theoretically with additional fuel tanks for total 372 [litre] fuel : 1120 [km]
useful load with action-radius 250km : 151 [kg]
production : 25.10 [tonkm/hour]
oil and fuel consumption per tonkm : 1.75 [kg]
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Literature :
DISCLAIMER Above calculations are based on published data, they must be
regarded as indication not as facts.
Calculated performance and weight may not correspond with actual weights
and performances and are assumptions for which no responsibility can be taken.
Calculations are as accurate as possible, they can be fine-tuned when more data
is available, you are welcome to give suggestions and additional information
so we can improve our program. For copyright on drawings/photographs/
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(c) B van der Zalm 25 April 2020 contact : info.aircraftinvestigation@gmail.com python 3.7.4