Nieuport XI (1916) The Nieuport XI model was built in 1916 and used by the British and French forces to combat the German Fokker. It was used on the Western Front through 1916 and in Italy through mid1917. This plane was light, fast, and very maneuverable, and pilots gave it the nickname Bébé (Baby). Despite its speed and maneuverability, it could not carry dual machine guns, making it more challenging when facing a Fokker. Still, the Nieuport IX is credited as one of the aircraft instrumental in ending the Fokker Scourge in 1916. The Military Aviation Museum obtained its Nieuport XI replica aircraft in July 2010, from an enthusiast who handcrafted it in Dayton, Ohio.
Nieuport XI Specifications Manufacturer: Nieuport Role: Fighter Wing Span: 24 feet, 9 inches Height: 7 feet, 10½ inches Length: 19 feet Engine: 80 hp Gnome or LeRhône Maximum Speed: 97 mph Armament: One Machine Gun Years of Operation:1916-1917 Primary Users: French, British, Belgian, Russian & Italian Forces
Nieuport 17 (1916) The Nieuport Company introduced the Nieuport 17 model to improve upon many of the inadequacies of the Model XI. It was originally equipped with a more powerful 110hp Le Rhone 9J engine, and later versions used the 130hp engine. While it was very maneuverable and had an excellent rate of climb, the sesquiplane design of a narrow lower wing (literally “one-and-a-half wings”) was weak and could break apart in sustained dives. By March 1916, the Nieuport 17 was on the Front with both French and British forces and was superior to any British fighter at that time. Its superiority was short lived, and by early 1917, it was outclassed by the German fighters, and new models of the Nieuport and SPAD were equipping Allied forces. The Military Aviation Museum acquired its Nieuport 17 in 2012. It was built in Norfolk by US Navy Commander Robert Garcia and has a Rotec 2800 engine.
Nieuport 17 Specifications Manufacturer: Nieuport Role: Fighter Wing Span: 26 feet, 9 inches Height: 7 feet, 10 inches Length: 19 feet Engine: 110 hp Le Rhone 9Ja Maximum Speed: 110 mph Armament: One Machine Gun Years of Operation: 1916-1917 Primary Users: French, British
10