SPAD S.VII (new project) and concluding the Me 262 and SPAD S.XIII - July 23, 2025
Hello everyone. It's me Antony, back with another Blog in 2025.
We are now on July 22. The year is going by fast. The following days will be pretty long due to work and this month will have a single holiday in the middle of the week. At least, things are still looking good.
And, again, new Nightwave chapter is still on. As usual. (: /)
Let's go for what it's important than Warframe. For this Blog, I'm going to share you the recent images of the SPAD S.VII - a new project that I started these days; the Messerschmitt Me 262 and the SPAD S.XIII.
Yeah, I'll never get tired of starting new projects in the middle of the others that are still waiting conclusion. And yet, I had plans of starting the Albatros D.III or D.V, but I decided to add the SPAD S.VII due to similarities with the S.XIII - with minor differences being the rudder, elevator, the single Vickers machine gun and the forward windshield.
Without further things to add, let me share you its history.
The SPAD S.VII is a French biplane, one of the first of the series of single-seat biplanes built by the Société Pour L'Aviation et ses Dérivés (SPAD) during WWI. It was one of the few planes built with an in-line V8 engine, making it one of the fastests and having good diving characteristics, not to mention its rugged and sturdy construction. Development started in 1915 when Swiss designer Marc Birkigt had created an overhead cam aviation powerplant based on his Hispano-Suiza V8 automobile engine, resulting in the Hispano-Suiza V8A - capable of providing 100 kW (140 hp) at 1,400 rpm. With this new engine, Louis Béchereau, chief designer of the SPAD company, quickly produced a prototype fighter: the SPAD S.V - based on the previous SPAD S.A two-seat biplane. The new plane had a wooden with fabric-covering construction and a metal sheeting construction for the engine hub and additional struts mounted on the wings. The main armament was a .303 (7.7mm) Vickers machine gun, installed above the engine, synchronized to fire through the propeller arc. The first flight occurred in April 1916, presenting excellent results for maximum speed and diving performance, despite the Nieuport 17 sesquiplane that equipped a large part of the fighter units presented good maneuverability characters that could outperform the SPAD biplane. Still, an initial production contract for 268 machines was made on May 10th, 1916, to be designated SPAD VII C.1 (C.1, from avion de chasse in French, indicating the aircraft was a fighter, while the 1 indicated it was a single seater). However, many engine and design problems led to a series of refinements and field modifications to solve it. The first combat debut occurred in August 1916 along the Nieuport 17 to replace the Nieuport 11 after the end of the infamous Fokker Scourge and the arrival of a new generation of German and Austrian planes. Many pilots found the SPAD S.VII less maneuverable in combat, with some of them moving to the Nieuport planes. Despite that, some pilots enjoyed the new plane due to its roughness and good diving performance to disengage combat. By mid-1917, more than 500 units were delivered to the frontline, replacing the Nieuport 11 and 17. With the arrival of the German Albatros D.III - armed with two machine guns, the SPAD S.VII was outmatched in firepower and it was gradually replaced by its successor: the SPAD S.XIII, but it remained in service as a training plane until 1928. Aside from France, the British Empire, the United States of America, the Kingdom of Italy, the Russian Empire, Japan, Belgium and Portugal also operated the SPAD S.VII during the Great War, with aces like Francesco Baracca (Italy), Alexander Pentland (Australia), Georges Guynemer (France), Edmond Thieffry (Belgium) and others that scored while commanding the French biplane. With the war ending in 1918, the SPAD S.VII was operated by other countries like Brazil, Czechoslovakia, Chile, Argentina, Finland, Estonia, Greece, Poland, Pure, Netherlands, Serbia, Siam (now Thailand and other Indochina countries), Yugoslavia, the Soviet Union and Ukrainian People's Republic. Around 6,000 units were built, with seven planes being preserved nowadays across the world (1 in Czech Republic, 1 in France, 2 in Italy and 3 in the United States).
And now, the first images of the SPAD S.VII.
As you can see, the SPAD S.VII and the S.XIII share some design similarities - which I can work with the two planes. The minor differences being the elevator, rudder (minor), the single .303 Vickers machine gun, the fuel port on the wings, the forward section of the fuselage and the engine. Despite that, the French biplane looks good.
I'm still working on the Bump texture - initially being created for the S.XIII; although some changes will be necessary according to the blueprints.
After these renders, I added an orange aspect for the Diffuse textures. I'll share it in a future Blog.
Messerschmitt ME 262 A-1a:
Alright. The German Messerschmitt Me 262 'Schwalbe' (swallow). I finally concluded this iconic German jet fighter.
I had to remake the wings UV Mapping and texture after reattaching some pieces from the flaps and cutting out some others for the wings. I did my best to make what I did previously, even knowing it would be a bit tiresome. Still, the results were promising.
I concluded the Bump textures, along the Metal and Specular. The automatic slats has been rigged to its proper Bones - like in the Bf 109, Bf 110, Lavochkin La-5 and La-7. Now it is ready, unless I plan to rework some components or add more things to the Me 262. The Me 262 A-1a/U-4 variant (the one with a 30 mm or 50 mm BK cannon) will be concluded as well.
With the Me 262 A-1a complete, the model has been updated to Sketchfab.
Me 262 A-1a:
SPAD S.XIII:
After the SPAD S.VII, I made some adjustments to the S.XIII biplane - like concluding the Bump textures and adding the Weathering effect to the wings and fuselage. Minor changes to the Diffuse texture were made, like the metal or fabric around the cockpit and engine cowling. So far, it's looking good.
I'm not sure I plan to add the air intakes on the lower section of the cowling, even though some units didn't include it. Still, this would be for another time. For now, until I add the Metal and Specular textures, I'll consider this another completed project. The textures for Francesco Baracca's and Eddie Rickenbacker's SPAD S.XIII will be made, as well for René Fonck's, Georges Guynemer's and Frank Luke's.
Link to the SPAD S.XIII 3D model at Sketchfab:
For the upcoming WWI planes, the ones in mind are:
* Albatros D.III and D.V;
* Sopwith Pup,
* Sopwith Triplane,
* Nieuport 17 and 28;
* Fokker E.III and D.VII;
* Gotha G.V; and
* Zeppelin-Staaken R.VI.
Well, that's it for now my friends. I hope you like this Blog. Let us hope this year bring us new content and something different from the usual. In case I have some spare time to enjoy, I'll be working on other things aside from Blender projects and my personal things. Until the time comes, you will be surprised to see them. See you next time.
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