SPAD S.XX

Lore & Background

The S.XX was a refinement of the earlier S.XVIII, retaining a conventional two-seat biplane layout with a pilot and tail gunner. Its most distinctive feature was an upper wing with pronounced sweep-back, joined to the lower wing by large I-struts. Like its predecessor, the aircraft became colloquially known as the 'Herbemont' after its designer. The French government originally issued an open-ended contract for 300 aircraft per month, but this was cancelled at the Armistice before any deliveries. The order was later revived for a modern post-war fighter, resulting in 95 aircraft purchased. Three examples were bought by the Japanese Mitsubishi company, and one by the government of Bolivia.

In 1918, an S.XX set the world airspeed record for a two-seat aircraft at 230 km/h (143 mph). The following July, Joseph Sadi-Lecointe reached an altitude of 8,900 m (29,200 ft) in one. This began a series of records set by refined S.20s with increasingly shorter wingspans. Later in 1919, Sadi-Lecointe set two new speed records for the class: 249 km/h (155 mph) in September and 252 km/h (157 mph) in October, also winning the Prix Henri Deutsch de la Meurthe competition five days earlier. In 1920, S.20s broke the world absolute airspeed record three times: Jean Casale reached 283 km/h (176 mph) on February 28, then Bernard de Romanet achieved 292 km/h (182 mph) on October 9 and 309 km/h (193 mph) on November 4. Two S.20bis-5 racers competed in the Gordon Bennett Cup that year; one was disqualified, the other placed second.

Reader's Guide

The Blériot-SPAD S.20 holds a unique place in aviation history as a transitional design that bridged the end of World War I and the golden age of air racing. Though conceived as a fighter, its service with the French Air Force was brief and limited to the immediate post-war years, with only 95 production aircraft built. The type's true legacy lies in its extraordinary record-breaking career. Between 1918 and 1920, a series of progressively modified S.20 racers—distinguished by shortened wingspans and, in the case of the S.20bis-5, a gull-wing upper wing—captured multiple world speed records, including the absolute airspeed record three times in a single year. These achievements were driven by pilots such as Joseph Sadi-Lecointe, Jean Casale, and Bernard de Romanet, who pushed the aircraft to speeds exceeding 300 km/h. The S.20 also demonstrated international reach: three were sold to Mitsubishi in Japan, one to Bolivia, and a single example saw operational use in Paraguay during the Revolution of 1922, later serving as a fighter trainer until 1925. The aircraft's design, particularly the swept upper wing and I-strut bracing, was conventional for its era, but its racing variants showcased the potential of aerodynamic refinement and engine tuning. The S.20 thus remains a notable example of a military design that found its greatest success in the competitive and record-setting arena of early aviation.