Spad XII Canon for Flying Circus - An Update

[No.23_Starling]

All, many of you might have followed the thread I nursed over on the old forum: https://forum.il2sturmovik.com/topic/79873-spad-xii-canon-collector-plane/

In the years after starting that discussion, for some reason I thought it would be a good idea to spend months in the French, British, American, Italian, and Spanish archives, then write a book on the subject. This has just been published by Aeronaut Books and is available on Amazon: https://a.co/d/0dbtdW4K

Thanks to the test data, photography, unit / pilot information, paint schemes, and archive materials uncovered, there's more than enough reliable information to create a collector plane if the devs so wished - it even includes detail on the ammo types. As part of the project, 3D artist Tomasz Sadzinica built a high-poly model, complete with cockpit realised through a combination of surviving photography and aspects borrowed from surviving original Spad XIIIs. This could potentially be repurposed. Old forum favourite, Anders F Jonsson, also provided C++ models on performance to give some data beyond the speed/climb numbers I found in Paris.

To mark the publishing of the book I teamed up with historian David Méchin to create English and French language videos on YouTube using a cunningly disguised Spad VII in Il2: Flying Circus. If anyone here is interested in an overview on the Spad Canon series then check out the documentary below.

Devs - over to you! Would be happy to post a copy of BOUM!.

 

 

 

 

 

[FuriousMeow]

Flying Circus was a joint development with Ugra Media. Ugra did the models, they're the ones that would need convincing. 

There are a lot more planes, though, that should have a higher priority - early war 2 seaters like The BE2 Quirk or an Albatros C.I

[Lufberyjaa]

I very much enjoyed your video. Well done! As I posted over at The Aerodromes forum, I look forward to picking up your book.

I would love to have this plane in the game, but I realize it's a long shot. 

Interestingly Charles Biddle also had a Spad 12, but did not have any victories with it.

I also found it interesting that the engine issues with the Spad 12 presaged the same issues with the Spad 13.

 

Edited May 8 by Lufberyjaa

[Avimimus]

On 5/3/2026 at 3:09 AM, FuriousMeow said:

Flying Circus was a joint development with Ugra Media. Ugra did the models, they're the ones that would need convincing. 

There are a lot more planes, though, that should have a higher priority - early war 2 seaters like The BE2 Quirk or an Albatros C.I

Perhaps, but if the contract isn't exclusive - there might still be a possibility for another 3rd party to get involved - especially if a new WWI sim isn't planned soon, it might actually make sense.

I'd also consider pitching an F.E.2 pack with an earlier engine variant (easier for the Fokker Eindecker to catch), a fixed forward firing machine gun, or a flexibly mounted forward firing cannon... all could be done re-using much of the existing flight model and code for the F.E.2, but would add quite a bit to the gameplay.

On 5/2/2026 at 8:35 PM, No.23_Starling said:

Devs - over to you! Would be happy to post a copy of BOUM!.

I'd recommend contacting the developers directly (although I expect they'll be a bit busy with the Korea release).

[Catch]

Of course it goes without saying but who in their right mind wouldn't want a Spad XII with cannon! People would shout for joy and look to the heavens with tears of gratitude streaming asunder amidst maniacal laughter and euphoric dancing, if it were so. But alas, I think the odds of it happening is remote. As cool as it is, there are other more pressing requirements to fill out the desolate early war era.

On 5/10/2026 at 2:02 AM, Avimimus said:

I'd also consider pitching an F.E.2 pack with an earlier engine variant (easier for the Fokker Eindecker to catch), a fixed forward firing machine gun, or a flexibly mounted forward firing cannon... all could be done re-using much of the existing flight model and code for the F.E.2, but would add quite a bit to the gameplay.

Interesting. But now that we have a zeppelin, who was the guy, flying in what crate, destroyed what flying machine in June 1915 by dropping bombs on it?

Spoiler

Spoiler:> The crate is the Morane Saulnier Parasol Type L. I want it.

This guy

Flying in this crate

Did this. That's what!

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Avimimus]

I mirror your enthusiasm for the Morane Saulnier L - However, we should let this thread about about the Spad s.XII !

[Catch]

5 hours ago, Avimimus said:

I mirror your enthusiasm for the Morane Saulnier L - However, we should let this thread about about the Spad s.XII !

Sure. So you worked out who the mystery pilot was? 🙂