Spad VII-N

[Spey_Phantom]

Its to dark here at the moment to make pictures of it so i will show them tommorow morning.

Back history:

In 1921 after Mitchell succesfully sank the german ship "Ost friesland" with a land based bomber, the world saw how aircraft can do things cruisers cant. (you know the rest of the story, but not the following)

After its blow to impress the US Navy, Mitchel decided to go to europe to show his new ideas for the first real aircraft carrier. He resumed his experiments and plans in RNS Culdrose in the UK. In 1923, he managed to fully rebuild an old Royal navy battleship with a flattop and the main control building on the starbord side of the ship. this became the royal navy's first opperational aircraft carrier, the "HMS Seagonechap". the ship carried 20 Sopwith cammels, 14 avro 504 bombers. and had a 500 man crew.

After the RN was verry pleased with the ship, Various other countries showed intrest in this new attack weapon. In 1926, the french and Belgian navy's ordered 6 and 1 ships respectibly. But there was 1 problem, either side didnt have any aircraft to equip them with, but a Belgian Army pilot, came up with the idea to use surplus aircraft from the army, and tranfered them to the navy.

In august 1926, the Belgian Aircraft Works in Zeebrugge, presented an rebuild and adjusted version off the Spad VII fighter, witch was by now bieng phased out.
The aircraft had a rebuild airframe, A more powerfull 75HP engine, A landing hook and strenthend landinggear. The french were excited with the idea and converted 150 of the old Spad VII and XIII fighter, The Belgians converted 60 Spad VII's and designated them Spad VII-N (N for Navale). 26 aircraft were based on the carrier "BNS Koning Leopold" allong with 12 ex-RN Avro 504's, The other Spads were stationed at airfields in Oostende, Zeebrugge and 16 additional Ex-french airframes were converted into 2-seaters (Spad VII-D, D for Deux) and were used for training at Antwerp. They stayed in service until 1935.

[Spey_Phantom]

Ok, i promised pics, here they are, the model is an airfix Spad VII, painted as it was on delivery to the belgian navy in 1926  B)

[cthulhu77]

Cool...love the arrest hook, looks great !!!

[Joe C-P]

Good story, good model!

However, Mitchell was an Army man through-and-through, and while his arguments were used to promote the aircraft carrier, he had no need for such vessels, since land-based bombers would always be superior to ship-based aircraft. Perhaps the RN decides to convert the ship despite Gen. Mitchell's objections, they having learned a different lesson than he taught.