The SPAD (Societe pour l'Aviation et ses Derives - Society for Aviation and its Derivatives) XIII was designed in 1916 as a French attempt to counter the twin gun German fighters, like the Halberstadt. The SPAD XIII doubled the firepower of the earlier SPAD VII by using two Vickers 303 machine guns with 400 rounds of ammunition for each gun. The enthusiasm of the French pilots who tested the aircraft between April and September 1917 encouraged the French government to order more than 2,000. The U.S. Air Service also began flying the SPAD XIII in March 1918 and by war's end in November 1918 the Air Service has acquired 893. Throughout 1917 and into 1918 the SPAD XIII held its own against German aircraft, but in the summer of 1918 it was outclassed by the newly arrived Fokker D.VII. The SPAD XIII had poor visibility and insufficient rate of climb, but it proved itself a rugged fighter with the ability to dive at high speed to escape enemy planes.

This airplane was built in November 1918 and after the war was shipped to the U.S. The late Cole Palen acquired the aircraft in 1951 and first flew it in 1956. It was one of Cole's favorite planes, housed at his famous Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome, New York. It was rebuilt in 1988 for static display and given the 95th Pursuit Squadron markings it bore when flown by Lt. Strickland in 1921. As a result of a bequest by Mr. Palen the USAF Museum was given a choice of one of his airplanes at the Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome. Upon Mr. Palen's death in 1993 the Museum chose the SPAD XIII. It arrived here in April 1996 and will be restored to its WWI appearance in the near future.

SPECIFICATIONS
Span: 26 ft. 6 in.
Length: 20 ft. 6 in.
Height: 8 ft. 6 in.
Weight: 1,888 lbs.
Armament: Two Vickers .30 cal. machine guns. It could also carry four 25 lb. bombs.
Engine: 200 hp. or 220 hp. Hispano-Suiza water-cooled engine.
Crew: One

PERFORMANCE
Max. speed: 135 mph/117 knots
Range: 250 statute miles/217 nautical miles
Service ceiling: 20,000 ft.

This information from the U.S. Air Force Museum Early Years website gallery.