History

Windsock Datafiles has probably become the premier publisher of detailed studies of specific World War I vintage aircraft, and they have recently branched out into aircraft subjects about which little has been published before. This publication is no exception, as the Spad VII and XIII, while famous in French, American, and other services, was also used by the Italians, although not in great numbers, and many were kept in postwar use until the mid twenties. Although the first French Spads were sent to Italy in 1917, the Italians declined to produce the plane in Italy and imported limited numbers from France, some without engines, rather than relying on Italian production which was often inadequate. As a result, other fighter types provided the majority of combat aircraft for Italian fighter units although the type was used until 1924, and many civilian examples were flown well into the thirties. One survivor has been faithfully restored and is on display in the Italian air Force Museum.

The Book

The book follows what has become the standard format of Windsock-Datafiles, with color drawings on the covers, some color photos throughout the issue, and several pages of excellent three-view drawings in two scales. The text is well written, following the technical development of the aircraft along with an account of the Spad’s Italian service. The photos are very well reproduced, including many of the “Me and my Airplane” type so common during that period. In addition, the Spad’s civilian career is described, and registrations of all known civil aircraft are provided. In short, this publication contains about everything that a reader, modeler, or historian would ever want to know about Italian Spads.

Recommendation

This book follows the excellent standards established by the Datafiles series, and is certainly worth getting if you have any interest in this most fascinating time period of aviation history. Get your copy while they are still available. Highly recommended.

Thanks to Albatros Publications for the review copy and to IPMS/USA for the chance to get in some quality reading.