Nieuport 11

From Wings of Linen
Nieuport 11
Role Fighter
Manufacturer Nieuport
Designer Gustave Delage [1]
Introduction summer 1915[1][2] to 5 Jan 1916[3]
Primary users France
Italy
U.K. (RNAS)
Belgium
Russia
Number built ≥7200[2] [note 1]
Wingspan 7.49 m (24 ft 7 in)[2] - 7.54 m (24 ft 9 in)[4][5][6]
Engine 80hp Le Rhône 9C rotary
or 80hp Gnome Monosoupape rotary
Armament top-wing Lewis
Ammo 1-4 drums of 47 or 97 rounds[7]
Crew 1
Max Speed 152 km/h (94 mph)[8] to
156 km/h (97 mph)[9][5][6] to
162 km/h (101 mph)[10] to
166 km/h (103 mph)[11]
Climb 1,000 m (3,280 ft) in 4:00[8]-5:00[4]
2,000 m (6,560 ft) in 8:30[10][11]-10:00[8]-11:00[4]
3,000 m (9,840 ft) in 15:00[10]-18:00[4]-19:00[8]
Ceiling 4,500 m (14,800 ft)[8]
to 4,600 m (15,100 ft)[9][5][11][6]
to 5,000 m (16,400 ft)[10]
to 5,500 m (18,000 ft)[4]
Range 250 km (160 mi)[10]
Endurance 2:00[8] to 2:30[10][9][4][5][11][6]

The Nieuport 11 Bébé was a small, nimble fighter that helped turn the "Fokker Scourge" of 1915. Arriving at the front in January 1916, it eventually was supplied to 21 French Escadrilles, including N124, which would later become the Lafayette Escadrille. The N11 outclassed the Fokker Eindeckers in maneuverability, but it was limited in firepower by the top-wing mounted Lewis gun. In mid-1916, it began be replaced by the re-engined Nieuport 16, to which it was very similar. Most N11's were phased out of combat duty by the end of 1916. But it was the N11 that turned the tide and many of France's most famous aces started their career in the Bébé.

The Nieuport 11 was also used in large numbers by Italy, where they were license-built by Macchi; and Russia by Dux. Small numbers were also used by Belgium, Serbia, and the RNAS.

For more information, see Wikipedia:Nieuport 11.

Timeline [note 2]

Game Data

Wings of Glory

Official Stats
Maneuver Damage Dmg Points Max Alt. Climb Points
E B 10 11 4 50

Plane and Crew Cards

Card Links

Blue Max/Canvas Eagles

Miniatures and Models

1:100 Scale

1:144 Scale

1:285/6mm/1:288 Scale

1:350 Scale

Resources

Orthographic Drawings

References

Notes
  1. Overall unknown, but in Italy Macchi built 646 under license.[1]
  2. British usage numbers are approximate, derived from the squadron histories.[12]
Citations
  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 Angelucci, p.53.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 Ferry'14, p.62.
  3. Davilla, p.360.
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 Lamberton, pp.216-217.
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Angelucci, p.42.
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 Argus Vol. 2, p.42.
  7. Kelly, p.230.
  8. 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 Durkota, p.358.
  9. 9.0 9.1 9.2 Munson, p.60.
  10. 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 10.5 Davilla, p.364.
  11. 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 Ferry'14, p.63.
  12. Philpott'13, pp.379-444.
Bibliography
  • Enzo Angelucci, ed. The Rand McNally Encyclopedia of Military Aircraft, 1914-1980. New York: The Military Press, 1983 edition. ISBN 0-517-41021-4.
  • Argus Books, Airplane Archive: Aircraft of World War One, Volume 2. Great Britain: Argus Books, 1989. ISBN 0-85242-984-3
  • Dr. James J. Davilla and Arthur M. Soltan. French Aircraft of the First World War. Flying Machines Press, 1997. ISBN 0-9637110-4-0.
  • Alan Durkota, Thomas Darcey, and Victor Kulikov. The Imperial Russian Air Service. Flying Machines Press, 1995. ISBN 0-9637110-2-4
  • Vital Ferry. French Aviation During the First World War. Paris: Histoire and Collections, 2014. ISBN 978-2-35250-370-5
  • Kevin Kelly, "Belts and Drums: A Survey of First World War Aircraft Ammunition Totals". Over the Front, Vol. 5, No. 3, Autumn 1990. Walsworth Publishing Co, Inc. and The League of World War I Aviation Historians.
  • W.M. Lamberton and E.F. Cheesman, Fighter Aircraft of the 1914-1918 War. Great Britain: Harleyford Publications Limited, 1960.
  • Kenneth Munson, Fighters 1914-19, Attack and Training Aircraft. New York: MacMillan Publishing Co., Inc., 1976. ISBN 0713707607
  • Ian Philpott, The Birth of the Royal Air Force. Great Britain: Pen & Sword Books Limited, 2013. ISBN 978-1-78159-333-2