Spad Fighters in Action

One of the most illustrious names in French aviation during the years just prior lo the First World War was that of Armand Deperdussin. a wealthy French industrialist who had realized that aviation had great potential for business. During 1910 he formed the Societe Provisoire des Aeroplanes Deperdussin. According to customary French business practice, the aircraft produced by this firm could have been referred to as SPADS. an acronym composed of the initials of the company. During the company's early years, however, aircraft built by the firm were called simply. Deperdussins. These included the Deperdussin monoplane racers which exhibited very advanced streamlining for their day and won the Gordon Bennet Trophy for France during 1913. During that race a Deperdussin. flown by Maurice Prevost, attained a speed of 125 mph. Unfortunately, during 1914. Armand Depcrdussin became involved in a number of questionable financial dealings which became so serious that the financial stability of France itself was threatened. On 5 August 1914. he was arrested on a charge of embezzle­ment, however, final judgment in his case was not handed down until 30 March 1917. at which time he was convicted and sentenced to five years imprisonment. He was imme­diately released under France's First Offenders Act. but never again became involved in aviation. Deperdussin's legal problems caused great concern for those involved with his air­craft company which was completely legitimate and at the peak of its success. The board of directors decided that the best course of action was to name a new director. They chose Louis Bleriot, a French national hero who. on 25 July 1909. had made the first flight across the English Channel. More importantly — Bleriot's reputation was impeccable. A group of French industrialists, headed by Bleriot. acquired the assets of the Deper­dussin works and set up a new company in August of 1914. The name of the company was changed to Societe Anonyme pour lAviaton el ses Derives (Society for Aviation and its Derivitivcs). in a seemingly deliberate effort to keep the initials S.P.A.D. (although the reason for this is unknown). From that point forward all the company's products were called by the acronym Spad. Bleriot wisely decided to keep as much of Deperdussin's talented staff as possible, especially Louis Bechereau. the chief engineer responsible for the Deperdussin racers. During the first few months of the First World War. the S.P.A.D. works produced no air­craft for the French Aviation Militaire. although Bechereau had drawn up a number of designs.

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