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Two stories encountered years ago have always fascinated me: One was that there was an American acceptance/test pilot around Orly and Issodun by the name of Frank Austin who couldn't be bested in the mock aerial combat seen around those centers. Anyone have a reference on him? Secondly, a report had it that the SPAD people were quick to offer extra-legal inducements to the American Purchasing Commission for a favorable decision to acquire the SPAD pursuits and as a consequence the moral indignation of the Americans caused them to initially reject SPAD a/c and as an alternative select the Type 28s as offered by Nieuport. Any help with either of the above assertions? Thanks and VBR. LEB

[leo]

I don't know anything about Mr. Austin, but I understood that the 28 was all that was available because of a shortage of the Hispano-Suiza engines for the SPADs. When the engines became available the Us took the SPAD because it wa superior to the 28.

According to Hartney in "UP and At Em" both the 27th and 147th Aeros went to Issoudon for Advanced training, only to be told that there were no aircraft for them. He says they discovered a 'secret' hangar that had miscellaneous parts salvaged from wrecked French aircraft, which the pilots and EM kludged together to come out with enough Nieuports (17s & 28s) + one Morane Parasol...These were nnnnot the planes used by these squadrons at Saints, where they were issued N28s turned over by 94/95 Aeros, when they converted to Spad XIIIs. Hartney said that his people liked the 28s but were dissappointed when they were forced to take them. The main drawback woos that the gearbox got out of alignment because the gears were sloppy and would disintegrate when run fullout. It was a sturdy plane but 'handled like a brick' . THe mechanics said that it took 4 days to overhaul the Hispanos vs four hours for the rotary. Hartney said that this reduced his A/C availability from 90% to 50% (of 26 aircraft allowed by the TO. I do not understand what extra-legal means with respect to A/C procurement. Does that mean the French wanted something sub rosa? In September Rampage, I give tables showing what Uncle Sam payed for Spads. Prices included a 5% commission payed to the French government. Austin's name is not in any of the 1st Pursuit rosters that are in the book. Perhaps since they used enlisted mechanics to test some of these planes, it could have been an enlisted man with lots of logbook hours, who could fly rings around the Issoudon boys. Kindest regards, Billy H.02/12/00.

[leo]

Wasn't there something about the N28 shedding fabric from wing that had to be fixed with some moving of the seams. I seem to recall Americans thought the N28 was OK, but they found the SPAD to have a much more comfortable and roomy cockpit.