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"That ain't a SPAD, son! THIS is a SPAD."...and all these years, I thought that was a Spad. People used to say he flew a Spad.
EDIT: I knew he did! But you're right, the other pic is a Nieuport.
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LOL! I think those "SPAD's" were named in honour of THe ORIGINAL SPAD's that flew in the first war."That ain't a SPAD, son! THIS is a SPAD."
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"Societie pour Production des Avions Douglas"
Ol' Eddie and the Hat in the Ring boys were ready before the SPADs were, so had to settle for second best initially.
"These American kids aren't ready yet to operate and maintain a modern fighter, and what if one gets shot down "over there" and les Boches get to see our latest technology?"
So it had nothing to do with "second rate" aircraft, but rather a suitable replacement due to a shortage of the chosen aircraft.Wikipedia said:By the time the Nieuport 28 was available, the SPAD XIII had been chosen to equip the escadrilles de chasse of the Aéronautique Militaire for 1918, and this fighter was also the first choice for the projected American "pursuit" squadrons.[2] In the event, a shortage of SPADs led to Nieuport 28s being issued to four American squadrons between March and August 1918, becoming the first aircraft to see operational service with an American fighter squadron.
A personal view was that the Nieuport 28 was a second rate aircraft with if I remember correctly, a nasty habit of losing the upper wing.So it had nothing to do with "second rate" aircraft, but rather a suitable replacement due to a shortage of the chosen aircraft.
Actually, IIRC, it was a tendency of the fabric to peel itself off the upper wing in a dive.A personal view was that the Nieuport 28 was a second rate aircraft with if I remember correctly, a nasty habit of losing the upper wing.
Wurger yes just the dragon motif I thought was quite interesting and unusual ~