The SPAD XIII was one of the best fighter aircraft used during the First World War. Produced by the French company Societe Pour l'Aviation et ses Derives it was developed on the basis of its predecessor, the SPAD VII, and it adopted several modifications to improve aerodynamics. The size of wings and tail rudder have been increased and a new and more powerful 8 cylinders Hispano-Suiza engine able to deliver 220 HP have been adopted. The sum of these improvements was a notable augmentation in flight and combat performance. The SPAD XIII was able to reach a top speed of 215 Km/h and it was armed with two 7.7 mm. Vickers machine guns. The SPAD XIII was flown by famous aces as the French Rene Fonck and Georges Guynemer and also by the Italian ace Francesco Baracca.