The Spad fighter, the prototype of which first flew in 1916, was the product of France's outstanding aeronautical industry.  The project was directed by Louis Bleriot of cross-channel fame who purchased the old Deperdussin company which he promptly re-named Societe Pour l'Aviation est ses Derives.  The Spad was designed by Louis Bechereau, creator of several successful pre-World War I aircraft and the Swiss-born Hispano engineer, Marc Birkigt who created the brilliant v-8 engine, which was much more efficient than the earlier radial engines.  The Spad with its high speed and structural strength arrived in the skies of Western Europe just in time to confront the formidable German Albatros scouts coming into service in 1916.  The first Spads equipped the famous French "Stork" group and were flown by such pilots as Dorme, Fonck and Guyenmer.  Concurrent with the French equipping their squadrons with the Spad, they were farsighted enough to divert some production to the British Royal Flying Corps and by 1917 the Spad VII was being manufactured in England, as well as, France.  Subsequent Spad variants included the XII, which was equipped with a 37 mm cannon and the XIII, which was equipped with a larger Hispano-Suiza engine and twin fuselage mounted machine guns.  The earliest Spad VII's were powered by a 140 horsepower (later increased to 150 horsepower) Hispano-Suiza 8A engine, which gave the Spad a top speed of 110 mph and service ceiling of 16,400 feet.  The Spad VII carried a single Vickers machine gun synchronized to fire through the propeller.  This older, Spad VII scaled model includes the following features: 1) Authentic markings for a Spad VII as flown by the French ace Guynemer who had 54 confirmed victories before his death on September 11th, 1917; 2) Clear plastic display base; 3) Molded in tan colored plastic; 4) Seated pilot figure; 5) Simulated fabric covering; 6) Spinning propeller and 7) Illustrated assembly instructions.  The package is in very good condition.  Never started and factory sealed.