Blériot-SPAD S.61

{{Infobox aircraft

|name=S.61

|image=Bleriot-SPAD S.61.jpg

|caption=

|type=Fighter

|manufacturer=Blériot, and CWL/PZL under licence

|designer=André Herbemont

|first_flight=6 November 1923

|introduction=

|retired=

|status=

|primary_user=Polish Air Force

|more_users=Romanian Air Force

|produced=

|number_built= ca. 350, plus 30 built under licence in Poland

|variants=

}}

The Blériot-SPAD S.61 was a French fighter aircraft developed in 1923. Designed by André Herbemont, the S.61 was a conventional biplane, abandoning the swept upper wing used by Herbemont in several previous designs. The prototype S.61 was evaluated by the French Air Force alongside the S.51 as a potential new fighter, but like its stablemate, was rejected. The Polish Air Force (which had also purchased the S.51) was impressed enough to order 250, as well as purchase licences for local production. The Romanian Air Force also ordered 100 aircraft. About 30 were built in Poland, by the CWL (Centralne Warszaty Lotnicze - Central Aviation Workshops, a predecessor of PZL).

Operational history

Apart from their military service, S.61s were used in France for racing and record-setting attempts. On 25 June 1925, Pelletier d'Oisy won the cross-country Coupe Michelin in an S.61,{{cite journal|journal=l'Aérophile|url=http://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k6553816b/f203.image|title=Raids, Records et Performances|page=197|date=1 July 1925}} and another of the type won the 1927 competition and was placed second in 1929. An S.61 was also used by Jean Callizo in his fraudulent attempt on the world altitude record that saw him stripped of his Légion d'Honneur. A Polish S.61 placed second in the Capitaine Echard race at the Zürich aerial meeting in 1927.

The S.61 (known in Poland simply as Spad S.61) had a poor reputation in Poland due to numerous crashes, many attributed to a weak wing mounting. During the period from 1926 to 1931, 26 pilots were killed while flying the S.61.Wojciech Sankowski, Intrygujące Spady in: Lotnictwo z szachownicą nr 6

Variants

;S.61/1:prototype for French evaluation, powered by a {{convert|430|hp|kW|abbr=on|disp=flip}} Lorraine-Dietrich 12E W-12 engine with supplementary supercharger.{{cite web |last1=Parmentier |first1=Bruno |title=SPAD S-61/1 |url=https://www.aviafrance.com/aviafrance1.php?ID=9385&ID_CONSTRUCTEUR=1231&ANNEE=0&ID_MISSION=0&MOTCLEF= |website=Aviafrance|access-date=2 March 2018 |location=Paris |language=fr |date=26 November 2001}}

;S.61/2:production version for Poland and Romania, powered by a {{convert|450|hp|kW|abbr=on|disp=flip}} Lorraine-Dietrich 12E W-12 engine with supplementary supercharger.{{cite web |last1=Parmentier |first1=Bruno |title=SPAD S-61/2 |url=https://www.aviafrance.com/aviafrance1.php?ID=127&ID_CONSTRUCTEUR=1231&ANNEE=0&ID_MISSION=0&MOTCLEF= |website=Aviafrance|access-date=2 March 2018 |location=Paris |language=fr |date=4 December 2001}}

;S.61bis:converted S.61/2, powered by a {{convert|430|hp|kW|abbr=on|disp=flip}} Lorraine-Dietrich 12E W-12 engine with supplementary supercharger.{{cite web |last1=Parmentier |first1=Bruno |title=SPAD S-61bis |url=https://www.aviafrance.com/aviafrance1.php?ID=9414ebsite=Aviafrance|access-date=2 March 2018 |location=Paris |language=fr }}

;S.61/3:single machine with reduced wingspan, powered by a {{convert|430|hp|kW|abbr=on|disp=flip}} Lorraine-Dietrich 12E W-12 engine with supplementary supercharger.{{cite web |last1=Parmentier |first1=Bruno |title=SPAD S-61/3 |url=https://www.aviafrance.com/aviafrance1.php?ID=9415&ID_CONSTRUCTEUR=1231&ANNEE=0&ID_MISSION=0&MOTCLEF= |website=Aviafrance|access-date=2 March 2018 |location=Paris |language=fr |date=3 December 2001}}

;S.61/4:single machine with a {{convert|480|hp|kW|abbr=on|disp=flip}} Lorraine-Dietrich 12Ee W-12 engine.{{cite web |last1=Parmentier |first1=Bruno |title=SPAD S-61/4 |url=https://www.aviafrance.com/aviafrance1.php?ID=9416&ID_CONSTRUCTEUR=1231&ANNEE=0&ID_MISSION=0&MOTCLEF= |website=Aviafrance|access-date=2 March 2018 |location=Paris |language=fr |date=3 December 2001}}

;S.61/5:three machines with a {{convert|450|hp|kW|abbr=on|disp=flip}} Hispano-Suiza 12Gb W-12 engine.{{cite web |last1=Parmentier |first1=Bruno |title=SPAD S-61/5 |url=https://www.aviafrance.com/aviafrance1.php?ID=9417&ID_CONSTRUCTEUR=1231&ANNEE=0&ID_MISSION=0&MOTCLEF= |website=Aviafrance|access-date=2 March 2018 |location=Paris |language=fr |date=4 December 2001}}

;S.61/6:racer prototype converted from the S.61bis, powered by a {{convert|430|hp|kW|abbr=on|disp=flip}} Lorraine-Dietrich 12E W-12 engine with supplementary supercharger.{{cite web |last1=Parmentier |first1=Bruno |title=SPAD S-61/6 |url=https://www.aviafrance.com/aviafrance1.php?ID=9418&ID_CONSTRUCTEUR=1231&ANNEE=0&ID_MISSION=0&MOTCLEF= |website=Aviafrance|access-date=2 March 2018 |location=Paris |language=fr |date=3 December 2001}}

::S.61/6a:single racer

::S.61/6b:The S.61/6a converted with extra fuel tankage for the 1924 Coupe Michelin race

::S.61/6c:single aircraft built to contest world airspeed record; destroyed in the attempt

::S.61/6d:single aircraft built for unsuccessful attempt on world airspeed record.{{cite web |last1=Parmentier |first1=Bruno |title=SPAD S-61Ses |url=https://www.aviafrance.com/aviafrance1.php?ID=9422&ID_CONSTRUCTEUR=1231&ANNEE=0&ID_MISSION=0&MOTCLEF= |website=Aviafrance|access-date=2 March 2018 |location=Paris |language=fr |date=4 December 2001}}

;S.61/7:Powered by a {{convert|450|hp|kW|abbr=on|disp=flip}} Lorraine-Dietrich 12Eb W-12 engine, with Rateau supercharger for world altitude record attempt.{{cite web |last1=Parmentier |first1=Bruno |title=SPAD S-61/7 |url=https://www.aviafrance.com/aviafrance1.php?ID=9419&ID_CONSTRUCTEUR=1231&ANNEE=0&ID_MISSION=0&MOTCLEF= |website=Aviafrance|access-date=2 March 2018 |location=Paris |language=fr |date=4 December 2001}}

;S.61/8:A single S.61/5 refitted with a {{convert|500|hp|kW|abbr=on|disp=flip}} Hispano-Suiza 12Hb V-12 engine.{{cite web |last1=Parmentier |first1=Bruno |title=SPAD S-61/8 |url=https://www.aviafrance.com/aviafrance1.php?ID=9420&ID_CONSTRUCTEUR=1231&ANNEE=0&ID_MISSION=0&MOTCLEF= |website=Aviafrance|access-date=2 March 2018 |location=Paris |language=fr |date=4 December 2001}}

;S.61/9:File:Blériot-SPAD_S.61-9_L'Aérophile_July,1929.jpgsingle S.61/6d modified for 1929 Coupe Michelin race, powered by a {{convert|230|hp|kW|abbr=on|disp=flip}} Lorraine 7Ma Mizar radial engine.{{cite web |last1=Parmentier |first1=Bruno |title=SPAD S-61/9 |url=https://www.aviafrance.com/aviafrance1.php?ID=9421&ID_CONSTRUCTEUR=1231&ANNEE=0&ID_MISSION=0&MOTCLEF= |website=Aviafrance|access-date=2 March 2018 |location=Paris |language=fr |date=4 December 2001}}

;S.61Ses: (Ses for Sesquiplane) This was the final version of the Bleriot S.61, fitted with sesquiplane wings, powered by a {{convert|450|hp|kW|abbr=on|disp=flip}} Lorraine-Dietrich 12Eb W-12 engine. (1 built).

Operators

;{{POL}}

Polish Air Force
2nd Fighter Regiment
3rd Fighter Regiment
4th Fighter Regiment
11th Fighter Regiment

;{{flag|Romania|1867}}

Royal Romanian Air Force - 100 purchasedPassingham & Noël 1989, p. 17

;{{USSR}}

Soviet Air Force - One aircraft, used for tests and trials.

Specifications (S.61/2)

File:Bleriot-SPAD_S.61_3-view_Aero_Digest_August,1930.png

{{Aircraft specs

|ref=Jane's all the World's Aircraft 1928,{{cite book |title=Jane's all the World's Aircraft 1928 |editor1-last=Grey |editor1-first=C.G. |year=1928 |publisher=Sampson Low, Marston & company, ltd |location=London |page=87c}} Aviafrance:S.61/2

|prime units?=met

|crew=1

|length m=6.6

|upper span m=9.62

|lower span m=8.96

|height m=3.1

|wing area sqm=30

|airfoil=

|empty weight kg=1012

|gross weight kg=1522

|eng1 number=1

|eng1 name=Lorraine-Dietrich 12E

|eng1 type=W-12 water-cooled piston engine

|eng1 hp=450

|prop blade number=2

|prop name=fixed pitch propeller

|prop dia m=

|max speed kmh=260

|range km=400

|endurance=

|ceiling m=8500

|time to altitude={{cvt|4000|m}} in 9 minutes 29 seconds

|wing loading kg/m2=50.7

|power/mass={{cvt|0.1282|hp/lb|kW/kg|order=flip}}

|more performance=

|armament=2 × fixed, forward-firing {{cvt|7.7|mm|3}} Vickers machine-guns

}}

References

Bibliography

{{cite journal |last1=Kotelnikov|first1=V.|last2=Kulikov|first2=V.|last3=Cony|first3=C.|name-list-style=amp |title=Les avions français en URSS, 1921–1941 |journal=Avions: Toute l'Aéronautique et son histoire |date=November 2001 |issue=104 |pages=37–43 |trans-title=French Aircraft in the USSR, 1921–1941 |language=fr |issn=1243-8650}}
{{cite magazine |last1=Passingham |first1=Malcolm |last2=Noël |title=Les avions militaires roumains de 1910 à 1945 |magazine=Le Fana de l'Aviation |date=October 1989 |issue=239 |pages=14–15, 17–21 |language=fr}}