SPAD S.VII

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SPAD S.VII
British-built SPAD S.VII of the RFC
General information
Type	Biplane fighter
National origin	France
Manufacturer	SPAD
Designer	Louis Béchereau
Primary users	Aéronautique Militaire Royal Flying Corps - Corpo Aeronautico Militare - Aviation Militaire Belge
Number built	~6000[1]
History
Introduction date	August 1916
First flight	May 1916
Developed from	SPAD S.A.

The SPAD S.VII C.1 was the first in a series of single-seat biplane fighter aircraft produced by Société Pour L'Aviation et ses Dérivés (SPAD) during the First World War. Like its successors, the S.VII was renowned as a sturdy and rugged aircraft with good diving characteristics. It was also a stable gun platform, although pilots used to the more maneuverable Nieuport fighters found it heavy on the controls. It was flown by a number of the famous aces, such as France's Georges Guynemer, Italy's Francesco Baracca and Australia's Alexander Pentland.