Nieuport 11 “Baby”

The Nieuport 11 is undoubtedly one of the Biplan S having more marked aviation lasting the First World War.

It was in fact Nieuport 10 in smaller, and more powerful. It was not a truth Biplan but a Sesquiplan (i.e. the higher wing has a surface twice higher than that of the lower wing). It is besides its small size which was responsible for its nickname of " Bébé".

This plane flew remarkably well and was very nimble. On the other hand, its weak points was its higher wing which had a tendency to break under the effort and the difficulty in changing the store of 27 cartridges of the Mitrailleuse Hotchkiss or Lewis assembled to the top of the higher wing.

It was motorized by an engine the Rhone of 80 ch. Il is to be noted that unquestionable Nieuport 11 were also armed with 8 rockets the Prior fixed on the masts of interplan.

It was delivered for the first time on January 5th, 1916 and quickly returned to the Alliés air supremacy vis-a-vis Fokker " Eindekker".

See too

List of the military aircrafts

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