To meet the requirements of the French 1930 fighter
programme, Andre Herbemont evolved the Bleriot
SPAD 510. The Type 510, which was ordered as a single
prototype to participate in the programme, was of allmetal
construction with a duralumin monocoque rear
fuselage, and fabric-covered wings and tail assembly.
Powered by an Hispano-Suiza 12Xbrs 12-cylinder Vee liquid-cooled engine rated at 690hp 4000m, the Bleriot SPAD 510 was flown for the first
time on 6 January 1933. After protracted evaluation,
during which the centre fuselage was lengthened by
40cm to rectify a shortcoming in longitudinal
stability and the vertical tail surfaces were enlarged
to improve yaw characteristics, the type was ordered
into production in August 1935. The first of 60 production
examples were delivered early in the following
year, the final two aircraft being accepted with the HS
12Xcrs engine and a 20mm Hispano-Suiza motor
cannon. The standard armament comprised four wing-mounted
MAC 1934 7.5mm guns. The Type 510 proved
to be the last fighter biplane to be ordered for the
Armee de l'Air.
W.Green, D.Swanborough "The Complete Book of Fighters", 2000
