Sources:
(1) Vintage Warbirds No.10 - Nieuport Aircraft of World War One
(2) Nieuport Fighter Datafile Specials part 1
(3) Nieuport Fighter Datafile Specials part 2
(4) Over the Front, French and American Aces (the book)
(5) Air Aces of the 1914-1918 War - the Harleyford book
(6) Aces and Aircraft of World War I - by Cristopher Cambell
>> Now it's my turn. I'm making my first two WWI planes (both 1/72):
>> Collishaw's Triplane (N5492) (Revell) and Nungesser's Nieuport 17
>> (with the top wing stripes--I'd say N.1895, but that covers them
>> all) (Revell with Roseparts resin fuselage). My questions concern
>> the latter.
> On reflection, wasn't the N.1895 you mention (with the Red & Blue
> id stripes) a Nie.23? I seem to remember something about the this
> in an old Over the Front. A photo or painting of Nungesser's
> Nie.23 with the stripes.
Okay. First, you need to get photographs of the machine being
used. Nungessor added the serial number "N 1895" to almost ALL
machines he flew. There are photo's of his Nie 17bis' with "N
1895" on it, as well as a Nieuport 25 (reference (3)).
Nungessor's Nie.25 was *probably* the only one made, since the
engine that was going to be used in it wasn't as good as was
hoped.
>> Thanks for the reply. My knowledge is pretty hazy here, limited
>> to a very nice Arco book on WWI planes (photo of striped N.1895
>> labelled N.17 with a top wing Lewis gun mount) and a magazine
>> article given by a friend (photo of later N.1895 with "rounded"
>> fuselage labelled N.24, with stripes that wrap completely around
>> both wings--thick on top, thinner on bottom--and stripes on the
>> fuselage deck).
> Hmmm, this is interesting. I thought that the last Nieuport
> fighters to have over the wing mounted guns were the Nie.11s. I
> guess that there may have been some exceptions, but one of the
> improvements in the Nie.17 was supposed to be a synchronized gun
> (at least, that is what I thought).
The Nieuport that your friend is referring to is actually a
Nie.17bis, and not a 24. The earlier reference confusion was
that Nungessor's Nie.17bis had Nie.24 ailerons retrofitted.
According to (3) it's doubtful he flew the 24.
There were plenty of examples of Nie.17s that had overwing
Lewis'. There were even some examples of 17's that had two
centrally mounted guns on the fuselage, as well as one overwing.
> There were (are?) Nie.7, Nie.11, Nie.17, Nie.23, Nie.24 & Nie.27
> models. All roughly similar (actually, the Nie.27 was quite a bit
> different). I am pretty confident that Nungesser flew at least
> the 11,17,23 & 24 (he was in the hospital again at the end of the
> war, and may not have had the opportunity to fly the Nie.27.
(Don't forget the 16, plus all bis'.)
I haven't seen any pictures of Nungessor with a Nie.23. However,
(6) has a color plate of a Nie.23, with no supporting photo's.
(5) does have a photo that is stated as a 23, but it doesn't
appear to be, since (as far as is known) all 23's had a starboard
canted gun. My guess is that this is one of his 17bis'.
As stated above, the Nie.24 was a "myth", perpetuated because
_one_ of his 17bis' had 24 ailerons.
There are pictures in (2) - as well as a color plate - of
Nungessor's Nie.17's (non-bis). These are camouflaged. The text
for these pictures state that although the pictures show "real"
serial numbers, at a later point he probably added "N 1895" to
them.
I also doubt he flew 27's. There is a picture in (6) with him
"mounting" a SPAD 7.
> At any rate, one thing that I do know about the Nieuports is that
> they had three equally spaced white bands around the outer-wing
> struts (this is pretty clear in all of my photos). I'm not sure
> if this was painted, or some kind of reinforcement bracing, but it
> is a small detail that you will want to remember.
The "white bands" are actually cloth reinforcement strips,
usually painted the same color as the rest of the aircraft.
Modeling notes:
It's good that the Rosemont fuselage was bought (it's great to
keep them in business); however, be aware that you still have to
add the exhaust channel under the fuselage, right behind the
cowel.
I can't tell you anything about the Nie.25. I haven't really
studied it. Maybe a conversion from a 24? However, I'm
uncertain on who makes a Nie.24 model. Rosemont puts out a
Nie.27, if interested.
Hope this helps.
Matt
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Matthew Bittner WW1 Modeler, ecto subscriber, semi-new dad,
meba@cso.com PowerBuilder developer; Omaha, Nebraska
Disclaimer: opinions expressed by me are my responsibility only.
"We devour those who would subdue us." - Morticia Addams,
Addams Family Values
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