Blériot-SPAD S.61


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 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.

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, 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 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.

Variants

;S.61/1:prototype for French evaluation, powered by a Lorraine-Dietrich 12E W-12 engine with supplementary supercharger.
;S.61/2:production version for Poland and Romania, powered by a Lorraine-Dietrich 12E W-12 engine with supplementary supercharger.
;S.61bis:converted S.61/2, powered by a Lorraine-Dietrich 12E W-12 engine with supplementary supercharger.
;S.61/3:single machine with reduced wingspan, powered by a Lorraine-Dietrich 12E W-12 engine with supplementary supercharger.
;S.61/4:single machine with a Lorraine-Dietrich 12Ee W-12 engine.
;S.61/5:three machines with a Hispano-Suiza 12Gb W-12 engine.
;S.61/6:racer prototype converted from the S.61bis, powered by a Lorraine-Dietrich 12E W-12 engine with supplementary supercharger.
;S.61/7:Powered by a Lorraine-Dietrich 12Eb W-12 engine, with Rateau supercharger for world altitude record attempt.
;S.61/8:A single S.61/5 refitted with a Hispano-Suiza 12Hb V-12 engine.
;S.61/9:single S.61/6d modified for 1929 Coupe Michelin race, powered by a Lorraine 7Ma Mizar radial engine.
;S.61Ses: This was the final version of the Bleriot S.61, fitted with seaquiplane wings, powered by a Lorraine-Dietrich 12Eb W-12 engine..

Operators