[citation needed] The new engine was presented to the French Ministry of War in February 1915, and tested for 15 hours at full power.

[citation needed] French officials ordered production of the 8A to be started as soon as possible and issued a requirement for a new single-seat high-performance fighter aircraft using the new engine.

The Louis Béchereau-designed SPAD VII was the result of this requirement and allowed the Allies to regain air superiority over the Germans.

[citation needed] The Hispano-Suiza 8 was the most produced aero engine series of World War I with 49,893 units manufactured during the conflict.

[3] Peugeot were the single largest manufacturer of the 200 hp (150 kW) Hispano Suiza 8 with 5,506 engines built.

[5] In 1915 representatives from the Wright Company approached the French government to negotiate a license for the Hispano-Suiza 8 engine which was then under test.

Production in the United Kingdom was handled by Wolseley Motors who produced modified versions as the Viper.

The Swiss engines were initially unlicensed copies however after World War I Sauer negotiated a license with Hispano-Suiza.

Other aero engines added retrospectively to the Soviet's designation system included the RBVZ-6 (M-1), the Rhône 9J (M-2) and the Renault 12F (M-3).

The 8B, 8Ba and 8Bb were used (a) to power the earliest versions of the S.E.5a, (b) along with the 8Bd, the SPAD S.XIII, (c) front-line active versions of the Sopwith Dolphin, and (d) several other Allied aircraft types, with its gear reduction easily identifiable in vintage World War I photos, from its use of a clockwise (viewed from in front, otherwise known as a left hand tractor) rotation propeller.