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First Lieutenant Edward V. Rickenbacker with his SPAD XIII C.1, 94th Aero Squadron,”Hat in the Ring” France 1918
SPAD S.XIII
role : fighter
first flight : 04 April 1917 operational : June 1917
country : France
design : Louis Bechereau
production : 8472 aircraft
general information :
The S.XIII was bigger than the S.VII, had double the armament and had improved ailerons and tailplanes. End of May 1917 the first S.XIII arrived at the front. Famous aces like Fonck, Nungesser and Guynemer flew the type. The S.XIII was a excellent gun-platform but was more difficult to fly especially at low speeds
gap : 1.18 m chord : 1.40m fuel : 114 litre (30 gallon)
reduction : 0.75 : 1
The wings each had a chord of 4 feet, 7-1/8 inches (1.400 meters) with 0° dihedral and 1¼° stagger. The vertical gap between the upper and lower wings was 3 feet, 10½ inches (1.181 meters). The upper wing had a 1½° angle of incidence; the lower wing had 1° angle of incidence. The airplane had fixed wheeled landing gear which used rubber cords (bungie cords) for shock absorption. The wheel track was 4 feet, 10¾ inches (1.492 meters).
The SPAD’s main fuel tank was behind the engine, with a gravity feed supply tank in the upper wing. The total fuel total capacity was about 30 gallons (114 liters). This was sufficient for two hours endurance at full throttle at 10,000 feet (3,048 meters), including climb.
The SPAD XIII had a maximum speed at Sea Level of 131.5 mph (211.6 kilometers per hour) at 2,300 rpm; and 105 mph (169 kilometers per hour) at its service ceiling of 18,400 feet (5,608 meters), at 2,060 r.p.m. The airplane’s absolute ceiling was 20,000 feet (6,096 meters).
The France ace René Fonck shoot down multiple enemy planes flying the SPAD S.XIII
users : France, Belgium, United Kingdom, Italy
crew : 1
armament : 2 synchronized 7.70 [mm] (0.303 in) Vickers machine-guns
engine : 1 Hispano Suiza 8Be liquid-cooled 8 -cylinder V-engine 220 [hp](161.8 KW)
dimensions :
wingspan : 8.2 [m], length : 6.25 [m], height : 2.42[m]
wing area : 21.15 [m^2]
weights :
max.take-off weight : 845 [kg]
empty weight operational : 663 [kg] bombload : 0 [kg]
performance :
maximum speed : 218 [km/u] op 2000 [m]
climbing speed : 329 [m/min]
service ceiling : 6650 [m]
endurance : 1.93 [hours]
estimated action radius : 189 [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 2.50 [m]
angle of attack prop : 19.68 [ ]
reduction : 0.75 [ ]
airscrew revs : 1725 [r.p.m.]
pitch at Max speed 2.11 [m]
blade-tip speed at Vmax and max revs. : 234 [m/s]
calculation : *1* (dimensions)
mean wing chord : 1.29 [m]
calculated wing chord (rounded tips): 1.47 [m]
wing aspect ratio : 6.36 []
gap : 1.18 [m]
gap/chord : 0.91 [ ]
seize (span*length*height) : 124 [m^3]
2nd lt.Frank Luke Jr 27 Aero Squadron
calculation : *2* (fuel consumption)
oil consumption : 2.3 [kg/hr]
fuel consumption(cruise speed) : 38.0 [kg/hr] (51.9 [litre/hr]) at 66 [%] power
distance flown for 1 kg fuel : 5.16 [km/kg]
estimated total fuel capacity : 114 [litre] (83 [kg])
calculation : *3* (weight)
weight engine(s) dry : 236.0 [kg] = 1.46 [kg/KW]
weight reduction gear : 12.0 [kg]
weight 10 litre oil tank : 0.8 [kg]
oil tank filled with 1.2 litre oil : 1.1 [kg]
oil in engine 9 litre oil : 8.1 [kg]
fuel in engine 1 litre fuel : 0.8 [kg]
weight 22 litre gravity patrol tank(s) : 3.3 [kg]
weight radiator : 29.9 [kg]
weight exhaust pipes & fuel lines 18.6 [kg]
weight self-starter : 4.0 [kg]
weight cowling 6.5 [kg]
weight airscrew(s) (wood) incl. boss & bolts : 24.3 [kg]
total weight propulsion system : 357 [kg](42.2 [%])
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fuselage skeleton (wood gauge : 5.19 [cm]): 43 [kg]
bracing : 1.9 [kg]
fuselage covering ( 7.4 [m2] doped linen fabric) : 2.4 [kg]
weight controls + indicators: 5.3 [kg]
weight seats : 3.0 [kg]
weight other details, lighting set, etc. : 5.1 [kg]
weight 92 [litre] main fuel tank empty : 7.3 [kg]
weight engine mounts & firewalls : 8 [kg]
total weight fuselage : 76 [kg](9.0 [%])
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weight wing covering (doped linen fabric) : 14 [kg]
total weight ribs (54 ribs) : 50 [kg]
load on front upper spar (clmax) per running metre : 657.1 [N]
load on rear upper spar (vmax) per running metre : 300.7 [N]
total weight 8 spars : 25 [kg]
weight wings : 89 [kg]
weight wing/square meter : 4.21 [kg]
weight 8 interplane struts & cabane : 6.0 [kg]
weight cables (50 [m]) : 2.0 [kg] (= 40 [gram] per metre)
diameter cable : 2.6 [mm]
weight fin & rudder (0.8 [m2]) : 3.4 [kg]
weight stabilizer & elevator (2.4 [m2]): 10.2 [kg]
total weight wing surfaces & bracing : 111 [kg] (13.1 [%])
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weight machine-gun(s) : 31.8 [kg]
weight ammunition magazine(s) :2.7 [kg]
weight synchronizing system : 2.0 [kg]
weight armament : 37 [kg]
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wheel pressure : 422.5 [kg]
weight 2 wheels (700 [mm] by 82 [mm]) : 20.7 [kg]
weight tailskid : 1.6 [kg]
weight undercarriage with axle 12.7 [kg]
total weight landing gear : 35.0 [kg] (4.1 [%]
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calculated empty weight : 615 [kg](72.8 [%])
weight oil for 2.3 hours flying : 5.2 [kg]
weight cooling fluids : 35.0 [kg]
weight ammunition (800 rounds) : 27.2 [kg]
weight signal pistol with cartridges : 3.6 [kg]
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calculated operational weight empty : 686 [kg] (81.2 [%])
published operational weight empty : 663 [kg] (78.5 [%])
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weight crew : 81 [kg]
weight fuel for 1.5 hours flying : 57 [kg]
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operational weight : 824 [kg](97.5 [%])
bombload could not be carried with fuel for 2 hours flying time
fuel reserve : 21 [kg] enough for 0.55 [hours] flying
operational weight fully loaded : 845 [kg] with fuel tank filled for 94 [%]
published maximum take-off weight : 845 [kg] (100.0 [%])
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calculation : * 4 * (engine power)
power loading (operational without bombload) : 5.09 [kg/kW]
total power : 161.8 [kW] at 2300 [r.p.m]
calculation : *5* (loads)
manoeuvre load : 3.8 [g] at 1000 [m]
limit load : 4.5 [g] ultimate load : 6.8 [g] load factor : 1.6 [g]
design flight time : 1.54 [hours]
design cycles : 181 sorties, design hours : 280 [hours]
operational wing loading : 382 [N/m^2]
wing stress (3 g) during operation : 272 [N/kg] at 3g emergency manoeuvre
calculation : *6* (angles of attack)
angle of attack zero lift : -1.24 ["]
max.angle of attack (stalling angle) : 12.90 ["]
angle of attack at max.speed : 1.33 ["]
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 : 0.21 [ ]
induced drag coefficient at max.speed : 0.0038 [ ]
drag coefficient at max.speed : 0.0385 [ ]
drag coefficient (zero lift) : 0.0347 [ ]
calculation : *8* (speeds
stalling speed at sea-level (OW): 84 [km/u]
landing speed at sea-level (OW without bombload): 101 [km/hr]
min.drag speed (max endurance) : 134 [km/hr] at 3325 [m](power :38 [%])
min. power speed (max range) : 143 [km/hr] at 3325 [m] (power:39 [%])
max.rate of climb speed : 128.6 [km/hr] at sea-level
cruising speed : 196 [km/hr] op 3325 [m] (power:62 [%])
design speed prop : 211 [km/hr]
maximum speed : 218 [km/hr] op 2000 [m] (power:88 [%])
climbing speed at sea-level (without bombload) : 401 [m/min]
calculation : *9* (regarding various performances)
take-off distance at sea-level : 137 [m]
lift/drag ratio : 9.00 [ ]
max. practical ceiling : 7025 [m] with flying weight :755 [kg]
practical ceiling (operational weight): 6525 [m] with flying weight :824 [kg]
practical ceiling fully loaded (mtow- 1 hour fuel) : 6650 [m] with flying weight :807 [kg]
published ceiling (6650 [m]
climb to 1500m (without bombload) : 3.71 [min]
climb to 3000m (without bombload) : 8.22 [min]
max.dive speed : 502.5 [km/hr] at 5650 [m] height
load factor at max.angle turn 2.29 ["g"]
turn radius at 500m: 65 [m]
time needed for 360* turn 11.3 [seconds] at 500m
calculation *10* (action radius & endurance)
operational endurance : 1.53 [hours] with 1 crew and 20 [kg] useful load and 69.7 [%] fuel
published endurance : 1.93 [hours] with 1 crew and possible useful (bomb) load : 5 [kg] and 88.1 [%] fuel
action radius : 150 [km] with 1 crew and 20[kg] photo camera/radio transmitter or bombload
max range theoretically with additional fuel tanks for total 149 [litre] fuel : 562 [km]
useful load with action-radius 250km : 12 [kg]
production : 2.35 [tonkm/hour]
oil and fuel consumption per tonkm : 17.16 [kg]
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Literature :
Warplanes WW1 page 140t/141d, 154f
prakt. handb. vliegt. I page 156,157
Jane's FAWOI page 123
Jagdflugzeuge WO I page 56,57
Internet SPAD S.XIII archives
Fighters 1914-19 page 47
De Groten van het luchtruim page 54,55
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.
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(c) B van der Zalm 04 January 2019 contact : info.aircraftinvestigation@gmail.com python 3.7.2(32-bit)
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