Bleriot-SPAD S.34

S.34

Manufacturer: Blériot
Designed by: André Herbémont
First flight: 16 July 1920
Introduced: 1920
Retired: 1936
Primary users: French Air Force Finnish Air Force
Number built: 150

The Blériot-SPAD S.34 was a French twin-seat, single-engine biplane aircraft designed in 1920. The side-by-side seating arrangement was unique for its time. 150 aircraft were built, 125 for the French Air Force, who used them until 1936.

The Finnish Air Force purchased two S.34s in 1921. Due to inadequate maintenance they did not last long and were withdrawn from service by 1925.

Variants

Bleriot-SPAD S.34-1
First Bleriot-SPAD S.34 prototype.
Bleriot-SPAD S.34-2
Second Bleriot-SPAD S.34 prototype.
Bleriot-SPAD S.34-3
Third Bleriot-SPAD S.34 prototype.
Bleriot-SPAD S.34
Two-seat primary trainer biplane.
Bleriot-SPAD S.34 bis
Improved variant, powered by a 130-hp (97-kW) Clerget rotary piston engine. Three were built for the Aéronavale.

Operators

France

Aéronautique Militaire - (119 aircraft)
Aéronavale - (6 S.34-bis aircraft)
Blériot flying school - (16 aircraft)

Argentina

(6 aircraft)

Finland

Finnish Air Force - (2 aircraft)

Bolivia

(1 aircraft)

Specifications (S.34)

Data from Suomen Ilmavoimat I 1918-27

General characteristics

Crew: 2
Length: 6.5 m (21 ft 4 in)
Wingspan: 8.2 m (26 ft 11 in)
Height: 2.3 m (7 ft 7 in)
Wing area: m² (ft²)
Empty weight: kg (lb)
Useful load: kg (kg)
Max takeoff weight: 700 kg (1540 lb)
Powerplant: 1x— Le Rhone C, 60 kW (80 hp)

Performance

Never exceed speed: km/h (knots, mph)
Maximum speed: 130 km/h (70 knots, 81 mph)
Cruise speed: km/h (knots, mph)
Stall speed: km/h (knots, mph)
Range: km (nm, mi)
Service ceiling: 4,000 m (13100 ft)
Rate of climb: m/min ()
Wing loading: kg/m² (lb/ft²)
Power/mass: W/kg (hp/lb)

Taylor, Michael J. H. (1989). Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. London: Studio Editions.
Keskinen, Kalevi; Partonen, Kyx¶sti and Stenman, Kari: Suomen Ilmavoimat I 1918-27, 2005. ISBN 952-99432-2-9.
Keskinen, Kalevi; Stenman, Kari and Niska, Klaus: Suomen ilmavoimien lentokoneet 1918-1939, Tietoteos, 1976.

Bleriot-SPAD S.34 Pictures

Living Warbirds: The best warbirds DVD series.

Source: WikiPedia