Nieuport 12

From Wings of Linen
Nieuport 12
Role Reconnaissance
Manufacturer Nieuport
First flight summer 1915[1]
Introduction late 1915
Primary users France
U.K. (RFC/RAF)
U.K. (RNAS)
Russia
Number built French: hundreds
British: 194[2]
Variants Nieuport 12bis, 20
Wingspan 9.03 m (29 ft 7.5 in) [3][4][5][6]
Engine 110-130[7][1]hp Clerget 9Z rotary
Armament rear flexible MG [note 1]
Crew 2
Max Speed 126 km/h (78 mph)[6] to
146 km/h (91 mph) [8] to
155 km/h (96 mph)[9][5] to
158 km/h (98 mph)[3][4][1]
Climb 1,000 m (3,280 ft) in 5:40[8]
2,000 m (6,560 ft) in 14:00[6]-14:15[8]-15:00[3][4]
3,000 m (9,840 ft) in 22:00[1]
Ceiling 4,000 m (13,000 ft)[6] to
4,000 m (13,100 ft) [8] to
4,700 m (15,400 ft)[9][5]
Range 500 km (310 mi) [8][3]
Endurance 2:45[9][5] to 3:00[8][1][6]

The underpowered Nieuport 10 two-seater was succeeded in 1915 by the Nieuport 12, with a 110hp Clerget 9Z rotary. Later, the 130hp Clerget 9B was fitted (for the Nieuport 12bis), and Beardmore built 50 for use by the UK. Roughly 7200 Nieuport 10s and 12s were built, and they formed the bulk of some French units until they were phased out at the end of 1916. They served with at least 26 French Nieuport escadrilles, serving alongside Nieuport 11 and 17's, and they were handed out in small numbers to non-Nieuport units as well. 194 Nieuport 12s were used by the RNAS as well as No.46 Squadron RFC. Small numbers were also used by Russia. They were not well-liked, but they gave good service until replaced by better machines.

Sometimes a Lewis machine gun was fitted for the pilot's use, firing over the top wing at an angle to avoid the propeller. Since the pilot was seated too far forward to service the top-wing, it was up to the observer to stand lean forward to access that Lewis -- surely a precarious proposition! Like the Nieuport 10, some Nieuport 12s were modified to be single-seat fighters with only the top-wing Lewis fitted.[2]

For more information, see Wikipedia:Nieuport 12.

Timeline [note 2] [note 3]

Game Data

Wings of Glory

Unofficial Stats
Availability Maneuver Damage Dmg Points Max Alt. Climb
16Q4-17Q2 Y B/B or -/B 10 9 6

Plane and Crew Cards

Card Links

Blue Max/Canvas Eagles

Aircraft Chart

Miniatures and Models

1:144 Scale

1:285/6mm/1:288 Scale

Resources

Orthographic Drawings

  • Beardmore version

    Beardmore version

References

Notes
  1. ↑ Eventually a synchronized forward-firing gun was fitted to some aircraft.[7] Others used a top-wing Lewis tilted at an angle.[2]
  2. ↑ Plane counts are approximate and based of escadrille usage in Davilla'97.
  3. ↑ British usage numbers are approximate, derived from the squadron histories.[10]
Citations
  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Ferry'14, p.63.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Davilla, p.365.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Lamberton'62, p.218-220.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Lamberton'60, pp.216-217.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Angelucci, p.42.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 Argus Vol. 3, p.46.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Lamberton'62, p.105.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 Davilla, p.369.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 Munson, p.59.
  10. ↑ 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 3. Great Britain: Argus Books, 1989. ISBN 0-85242-998-3
  • Dr. James J. Davilla and Arthur M. Soltan. French Aircraft of the First World War. Flying Machines Press, 1997. ISBN 0-9637110-4-0.
  • Vital Ferry. French Aviation During the First World War. Paris: Histoire and Collections, 2014. ISBN 978-2-35250-370-5
  • W.M. Lamberton and E.F. Cheesman, Fighter Aircraft of the 1914-1918 War. Great Britain: Harleyford Publications Limited, 1960.
  • W.M. Lamberton and E.F. Cheesman, Reconnaissance & Bomber Aircraft of the 1914-1918 War. Great Britain: Harleyford Publications Ltd., 1962. ISBN 9780900435027
  • 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
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