Bleriot-SPAD 41

The SPAD (Societe pour l'Aviation et ses Derives) concern, although headed by Louis Bleriot, operated as a separate organisation from the Societe Bleriot-Aeronautique until 1921, when SPAD was absorbed and the subsequent progeny of its design team became officially known by the title of Bleriot SPAD. The first fighter in the SPAD line to receive the Bleriot SPAD appellation was the Bleriot SPAD 41, designed by Andre Herbemont and essentially a single-seat derivative of the SPAD S.XX two-seater of 1918. Powered by a 300hp Hispano-Suiza HS 8Fb eight-cylinder water-cooled engine with two individual Lamblin radiators in place of the familiar circular frontal radiator, the Bleriot SPAD 41 was a staggered single-bay biplane with a sweptback upper wing and unswept lower wing. It featured a wooden monocoque fuselage. The prototype was flown for the first time at Buc on 17 July 1922, but official evaluation revealed an inadequate service ceiling and no production was ordered, the aircraft subsequently being modified for racing.

3-View

A three-view drawing (1685 x 1230)