Blériot-SPAD S.56

S.56
Role	Airliner
Manufacturer	Blériot
First flight	February 3 1923
Number built	20

The Blériot-SPAD S.56 was a family of prototype French airliners developed in the 1920s as various refinements of the S.33 design. All S.56 versions shared two new features: the first was a newly-designed, all-metal wing, replacing the wooden wing of earlier related designs and the second was a redesigned passenger cabin, replacing the S.33's four single seats in a row with two rows of double seats. A second access door was also added.

Variants

• S.56/1 - basic version with 194 kW (260 hp) Salmson CM.9 radial engine (1 built)

• S.56/2 - similar to S.56/1 with Gnome et Rhône-built Bristol Jupiter engine of 298 kW (400 hp) (1 built)

• S.56/3 - similar to S.56/2 with improved landing gear. (8 built)

• S.56/4 - major fuselage revision; cockpit relocated between engine and passenger cabin (in all previous S.33 derivatives, it had been aft of the cabin) and an extra double seat added to the cabin, increasing internal passenger capacity to six. (8 built, plus 2 modified from S.56/3s)

• S.56/5 - revised passenger cabin with four seats located in one compartment, and two in a second compartment that could be quickly converted to a freight hold (3 modified from S.56/3s)

• S.56/6 - similar to S.56/3 but customised for banner towing for the Air Publicité company

Operators

 Spain

• Spanish Republican Air Force

Specifications (S.56/4)

General characteristics

• Crew: one pilot
• Capacity: 7 passengers
• Length: 9.00 m (29 ft 6 in)
• Wingspan: 13.13 m (43 ft 1 in)
• Height: 4.10 m (13 ft 5 in)
• Wing area: 48.6 m² (523 ft²)
• Empty weight: 1,453 kg (3,203 lb)
• Gross weight: 2,712 kg (5,979 lb)
• Powerplant: 1 × Gnome et Rhône-built Bristol Jupiter 9Ady, 313 kW (420 hp)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 181 km/h (113 mph)
• Range: 620 km (387 miles)

References

• Taylor, Michael J. H. (1989). Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. London: Studio Editions. pp. 163–64. 
• World Aircraft Information Files. London: Bright Star Publishing. pp. File 890 Sheet 42. 
• aviafrance.com

See also

Related development

S.33 - S.46 - S.50 - S.66 - S.86 - S.116 - S.126

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