One of many common design feature between the new SPAD V and the S.A-2 was the use of a single-bay biplane wing with additional light struts mounted mid-bay at the point of junction of the flying and landing wires.
This design simplified rigging and reduced flying wire vibration, reducing drag.
The fuselage was of the standard construction for the time, consisting of a wooden frame covered with fabric, while the forward part was covered with metal sheeting.
A .303 Vickers machine gun was installed above the engine, synchronized to fire through the propeller arc.
The prototype was also fitted with a large spinner, to be abandoned later.
Another common design feature of both the "pulpit fighters" and the S.VII - also shared with the S.XIII - was an all-pushrod aileron control linkage, which used a pair of exposed, 90º bellcranks protruding from the lower wing panels to operate vertical pushrods, going up to forward-projecting aileron control horns.

SPAD test pilot Bequet flew the SPAD V for the first time in April 1916.
Flight testing revealed excellent maximum speed (192 km/h, 119 mph) and climb rate (4.5 min to 2,000 m or 6,500 ft).
The airframe's sound construction also enabled remarkable diving performance.
In comparison, the Nieuport sesquiplane fighters that equipped a large part of the fighter units could occasionally shed their lower wings in a steep power-on dive, a result of the single-spar lower wing design.
The combination of high speed and good diving ability promised to give Allied pilots the initiative to engage or leave combat.
If the new fighter was a rugged and stable shooting platform, some pilots regretted its lack of maneuverability, especially when compared to lighter types such as the Nieuport 17.

In the face of such performance, an initial production contract was made on 10 May 1916, calling for 268 machines, to be designated SPAD VII C.1 (C.1, from avion de chasse in French, indicating the aircraft was a fighter, while the 1 indicated it was a single seater).

Early production aircraft suffered from a number of defects which took some time to solve and limited the delivery rate to units.
While a few SPADs arrived to frontline units as early as August 1916, large numbers only began to appear in the first months of 1917.
In hot weather, the engine was prone to overheating.
In cold weather, the engine would not warm up.
Various field modifications were used to counter the problem, including cutting extra holes in the metal sheeting to provide more air flow over the engine.
On the production lines, the cowling opening was first enlarged and eventually redesigned with vertical shutters to solve both problems.
The engine mount also proved too weak and reinforcements were designed to counter that.
Early production aircraft also had two ammunition drums: one for the loaded canvas cartridge belt, one to hold the empty belt after the rounds were stripped from it and fired (dealing with the loose fabric belt as it worked out of the gun was a significant problem on early fighter aircraft, until the disintegrating belt link was invented) This system was prone to jamming and was only solved when Prideaux disintegrating ammo links were introduced.

With the initial teething problems solved, several subcontractors began producing the SPAD VII under license in order to supply frontline units with the fighter.
The subcontractors were the firms Grémont, Janoir, Kellner et Fils, de Marçay, Société d'Etudes Aéronautiques, Régy and Sommer.
It was not, however, until February 1917 that the initial batch of 268 aircraft was delivered.
In early 1917, an improved version of the engine developing 180 hp, the Hispano-Suiza 8Ab, was made available.
This new powerplant provided the SPAD VII with even better performance, the top speed increasing from 192 km/h (119 mph) to 208 km/h (129 mph).
The new engine gradually became the standard powerplant for the SPAD VII and by April 1917, all newly produced aircraft were equipped with it.
One of many common design feature between the new SPAD V and the S.A-2 was the use of a single-bay biplane wing with additional light struts mounted mid-bay at the point of junction of the flying and landing wires. This design simplified rigging and reduced flying wire vibration, reducing drag. The fuselage was of the standard construction for the time, consisting of a wooden frame covered with fabric, while the forward part was covered with metal sheeting. A .303 Vickers machine gun was installed above the engine, synchronized to fire through the propeller arc. The prototype was also fitted with a large spinner, to be abandoned later. Another common design feature of both the "pulpit fighters" and the S.VII - also shared with the S.XIII - was an all-pushrod aileron control linkage, which used a pair of exposed, 90º bellcranks protruding from the lower wing panels to operate vertical pushrods, going up to forward-projecting aileron control horns.
SPAD test pilot Bequet flew the SPAD V for the first time in April 1916. Flight testing revealed excellent maximum speed (192 km/h, 119 mph) and climb rate (4.5 min to 2,000 m or 6,500 ft). The airframe's sound construction also enabled remarkable diving performance. In comparison, the Nieuport sesquiplane fighters that equipped a large part of the fighter units could occasionally shed their lower wings in a steep power-on dive, a result of the single-spar lower wing design. The combination of high speed and good diving ability promised to give Allied pilots the initiative to engage or leave combat. If the new fighter was a rugged and stable shooting platform, some pilots regretted its lack of maneuverability, especially when compared to lighter types such as the Nieuport 17.
In the face of such performance, an initial production contract was made on 10 May 1916, calling for 268 machines, to be designated SPAD VII C.1 (C.1, from avion de chasse in French, indicating the aircraft was a fighter, while the 1 indicated it was a single seater).
Early production aircraft suffered from a number of defects which took some time to solve and limited the delivery rate to units. While a few SPADs arrived to frontline units as early as August 1916, large numbers only began to appear in the first months of 1917. In hot weather, the engine was prone to overheating. In cold weather, the engine would not warm up. Various field modifications were used to counter the problem, including cutting extra holes in the metal sheeting to provide more air flow over the engine. On the production lines, the cowling opening was first enlarged and eventually redesigned with vertical shutters to solve both problems. The engine mount also proved too weak and reinforcements were designed to counter that. Early production aircraft also had two ammunition drums: one for the loaded canvas cartridge belt, one to hold the empty belt after the rounds were stripped from it and fired (dealing with the loose fabric belt as it worked out of the gun was a significant problem on early fighter aircraft, until the disintegrating belt link was invented) This system was prone to jamming and was only solved when Prideaux disintegrating ammo links were introduced.
With the initial teething problems solved, several subcontractors began producing the SPAD VII under license in order to supply frontline units with the fighter. The subcontractors were the firms Grémont, Janoir, Kellner et Fils, de Marçay, Société d'Etudes Aéronautiques, Régy and Sommer. It was not, however, until February 1917 that the initial batch of 268 aircraft was delivered. In early 1917, an improved version of the engine developing 180 hp, the Hispano-Suiza 8Ab, was made available. This new powerplant provided the SPAD VII with even better performance, the top speed increasing from 192 km/h (119 mph) to 208 km/h (129 mph). The new engine gradually became the standard powerplant for the SPAD VII and by April 1917, all newly produced aircraft were equipped with it.
SPAD S.VII