А.Шепс Самолеты Первой мировой войны. Страны Антанты

"Ньюпор-28 C1" 1918 г.

   Появление и широкое распространение истребителей SPAD S.VII C1 и S.XIII C1, имевших лучшие данные, чем полуторапланы "Ньюпор", привело к тому, что инженеры этой фирмы пришли к выводу о необходимости радикального улучшения уже отработанной конструкции. Двигательная установка должна была остаться прежней - моторы "Гном" (110-130 л. с.). были закуплены для предыдущих моделей. Новая машина "Ньюпор-28 C1" значительно отличалась от предшественников. Это касалось как схемы, так и конструкции. Фюзеляж имел монококовую конструкцию, овальное сечение и тщательно выполненное сопряжение с капотом двигателя. Нижнее крыло имело гораздо большую площадь и стало горизонтальным без поперечного V. Крылья имели эллиптические законцовки и более толстый профиль. Стойки бипланной коробки стали параллельными, а не V-образными. Исчезла небольшая стреловидность крыльев, характерная для всех машин типа "Бебе".
   Изменилась и конструкция оперения. Стабилизатор и рули получили новую форму. Стабилизатор регулировался на земле, вертикальное оперение имело небольшой киль, а руль поворота - роговую компенсацию.
   Меньшее изменение претерпело шасси. Вооружение было усилено и состояло из двух синхронных "Виккерсов", иногда ставились и три пулемета. Конструкционные материалы остались теми же: дерево, полотно, в меньшей степени металл. Качество исполнения возросло.
   Несмотря на почти вдвое менее мощный двигатель, "Ньюпоры-28" ненамного уступали в скорости истребителям SPAD, а по маневренности превосходили их. Машина пошла в серию и строилась до конца войны. Из 297 выпущенных машин 50 передали Американскому экспедиционному корпусу, и в 1918 году на них летали асы знаменитой 94-й эскадрильи.
   За годы войны фирма "Ньюпор" построила более 7200 машин от "Ньюпор-11" до "Ньюпор-28 C1". Более 700 машин, начиная с "Ньюпор-10" и кончая "Ньюпор-24", были построены в России. 850 самолетов "Ньюпор-10", "Ньюпор-12" и "Ньюпор-17" построены в Италии фирмой "Ньюпор-Макки".
   В 1917 году японская фирма "Токороса" приобрела лицензию на выпуск "Ньюпор-24", и до 1919 года он строился под маркой Ko.3.
   Кроме Франции и России эти машины закупали британские, бельгийские, итальянские вооруженные силы. После войны "ньюпоры" попали почти во все страны Европы и эксплуатировались до середины 1920-х годов. Именно эти машины составляли основу истребительной авиации Красной армии в годы Гражданской войны.
   В конце войны в воздух поднялся "Ньюпор-31 C1", но война закончилась, потребность в самолетах резко уменьшилась, и на вооружении остались более скоростные SPADы.

  
ЛЕТНО-ТЕХНИЧЕСКИЕ ХАРАКТЕРИСТИКИ
  
   Ньюпор-28 С1 Ньюпор-31 С1
   1918г. 1918г.
   Размах, м 8,20/7,76
   Длина, м 6,20 6,6
   Высота, м 2,35 2,4
   Площадь крыла, кв.м 20,0 17,62
   Сухой вес, кг 532
   Взлетный вес, кг 838 720
   Двигатель: "Гном" "Рон"
   мощность, л. с. 150 180
   Скорость максимальная, км/ч 196 196
   Скорость подъема на высоту
   2000 м, мин.сек 6,2
   Дальность полета, км 350
   Потолок, м 5200 5750
   Экипаж, чел. 1 1
   Вооружение 2 пулемета 2 пулемета

J.Davilla, A.Soltan French Aircraft of the First World War (Flying Machines)

Nieuport 28

  The Nieuport series of sesquiplane fighters had been superseded in French service by the SPAD series of fighters. Attempts to enhance the Nieuport designs by redesigning the airframe, fitting more powerful engines, or even changing to a new wing had proved unsuccessful and the SPAD firm's dominance had continued unabated. It was inevitable, then, that the Nieuport firm would at last switch to a conventional biplane with parallel interplane struts. The major deficiency of the sesquiplanes had been low speed and poor climbing ability. An increase in wing area and a more powerful engine was required to correct these defects. Furthermore, shortcomings in the design of the lower wing had resulted in those of the Nieuport 23 ripping off in flight. A new wing had been tried on a Nieuport 27 (possibly in preparation for a similar wing on the Nieuport 28) that had two spars and a wider chord.
  The prototype Nieuport 28 had a wire-braced four-longeron fuselage made of wood that was significantly longer than that of the Nieuport 27. The fuselage was also completely rounded; the flat cross section of the fuselage bottom that had been used on the earlier Nieuports was replaced by a completely circular layout. The area from behind the cockpit to the cowling was covered with tulip wood strips rather than metal as on earlier Nieuport designs. The area from the rear of the cowling to the rear of the fuselage was covered by plywood as, apparently, were the tail surfaces. The wings had a wooden framework and two spars, and were covered with fabric. The two pine spars were fitted with wire-braced wooden ribs. The leading edges were covered with plywood veneer. The interplane struts and center section struts were also of wood. The chord of both wings was almost equal; the lower wing was still slightly smaller than the upper. The wing tips were elliptical, and there was no dihedral on the bottom wing. Ailerons were fitted to the lower wing only. The top wing was fitted at the eye level of the pilot. The interplane struts formed a single box-like structure eliminating the need for incidence or stagger wires. The tail was also made of wood and covered with fabric. The undercarriage was of aluminum tube with streamlined fairings and rubber cord shock absorbers. As with the Nieuport 27, the tail skid was internally sprung. Armament consisted of one Vickers 0.303 machine gun mounted to port. The engine was a 160-hp Gnome Monosoupape 9Nc rotary.
  The prototype flew in June 1917. The upper wing (with dihedral) was not successful, possibly because the low-set wing inhibited fitting of a second machine gun, and two other configurations were tried. At least two aircraft with full dihedral (N4434 and N6125) were built and flown. Another version was built featuring an upper wing with a slight dihedral of 1.5 degrees. The latter version was to be the only one of the three types to be produced in series.
  Production aircraft were fitted with two Vickers 0.303 machine guns, one mounted offset to port on the top of the fuselage. The other was attached to a shelf below the port center-section struts. Aside from the reduced dihedral of the upper wing and the twin-gun armament, the production Nieuport 28 seems to have been identical to the prototype. The aircraft was maneuverable and had a rapid climb rate. However, production aircraft were not popular and have been described as tending to shed fabric from the wings when they were steeply dived. Perhaps lor these reasons the Nieuport 28 was not selected for production by the STAe. It is interesting to note that all the aircraft designed to fit the C1 specification that used the Gnome 9Nc rotary were also unsuccessful. Of these aircraft (SPAD 15, Morane-Saulnier 27 and 29, and Courtois-Suffit-Lescop), only the Morane-Saulnier designs entered production. These were quickly withdrawn from service, apparently because the Gnome engine was particularly prone to catch fire. In fact, it was reported that earlier versions ol the Nieuport 28 were also prone to catch fire because leakage of fuel fumes from the engine would result in fires. Modifications to the exhaust system and engine cowling corrected the problem.
  Fortunately for Nieuport, there was still a pressing need for new fighters and the SPAD firm was having difficulties meeting its production goals for the SPAD 13. Also, the entry of the Americans into the conflict meant they would need new aircraft. As the French wished to retain the SPAD 13s for their own escadrilles, it was decided that the Nieuport firm would produce the Nieuport 28 for use by the American air service. A total of 297 were ordered by the A.E.F. Air Service. As mentioned above, the Nieuport 28 was unpopular and was also clearly interior to the Fokker D.VII. It was retired from front-line service within four months and replaced in A.E.F. service by SPAD 13s.

Variants

   1. Nieuport 28 with 175-hp Le Rhone engine: This aircraft was built and tested in November 1917. No further details are available.
   2. Version of the Nieuport 28 powered by a 200-hp Clerget 11E engine. The aircraft featured a larger fuselage and increased wing area. The lower wing had dihedral, and there was a pronounced stagger to the wings. It was armed with two Vickers 7.7-mm machine guns. The aircraft had a large cutout into the top wing to facilitate the pilot's view. It underwent trials from November to December 1917. Its performance was comparable to the SPAD 7, which was already in production.
   3. The Nieuport firm produced what appears to be a development of the Nieuport 28 but powered by a 165-hp Gnome Monosoupape 9N rotary engine. The aircraft featured a wooden monocoque fuselage with tail surfaces similar to those of the later Nieuport 29. Armament consisted of a single 7.7-mm Vickers machine gun mounted to the port of the centerline struts, which were single-struts mounted in tandem. The wings had no dihedral. The aircraft was tested in December 1917 but development was abandoned by April 1918. Possibly it was rejected because of its rotary engine, which was now falling out of favor. In any event, it offered no significant improvement over the standard Nieuport 28.
   4. A second aircraft was tested with a 170-hp Le Rhone 9R engine. It also offered no improvement over the Nieuport 28 and was not selected for production.


Foreign Service

Argentina
  Two Nieuport 28s were obtained by Argentina in 1919. One crashed while trying to cross the Andes; the other was reportedly unable to fly because of a "warped" fuselage. Several more Nieuport 28s were obtained in 1919 and remained in service until 1922.

Greece
  A unknown number of Nieuport 28s were supplied to the Greek air service. They served alongside SPAD 7s in 531 Mira (Squadron) from 1919 to 1922.

Guatemala
  A French military mission took at least one Nieuport 28 to Guatemala in 1920. It was assigned to the Cuerpo de Aviacion Militar de Guatemala and used as a trainer at the Campo de La Aurora.

Switzerland
  In 1918 a single Nieuport 28 was interned when an American pilot landed in Switzerland due to engine trouble. Given the serial number 607, the aircraft remained service with the Swiss Fliegertruppe until 1925, when it was retired due to airframe fatigue. However, the aircraft proved impressive enough to lead the Fliegertruppe to purchase 14 Nieuport 28s in 1923. The unarmed planes were used for pilot training and were given serial numbers 685 to 698. Because of structural fatigue, the aircraft were retired in 1930.

United States
  The Air Service of the American Expeditionary Force was in desperate need of fighters and was willing to accept any aircraft, even the Nieuport 28, which had been rejected by the Aviation Militaire. A total of 297 aircraft were delivered to the Americans. Only four units used the Nieuport 28: the 27th, 94th, 95th, and 147th Aero Squadrons.
  The 27th Aero Squadron was based at Tours in March 1918. As part of the First Pursuit Group, it participated in the battles in the Toul and Aisne-Marne sectors.
  The 94th Aero Squadron received 22 Nieuport 28s between 15 and 21 March 1918. It provided air cover for the 8th C.A. from St. Mihiel to Pont-a-Mousson. By the end of June the 94th had given up its Nieuport 28s for SPAD 7s and 13s. The unit had 18 confirmed victories while flying Nieuport 28s.
  The 95th Aero Squadron was based at Issoudun on 16 November 1917. It was particularly active over the Toul sector. By July 1918 the unit had re-equipped with SPAD 13s.
  The 147th Aero Squadron was assigned to the 1st Pursuit Group and was based at Tours in March. It was active over the 6th and 8th C.A. sectors. In June the squadron supported the American 1st Army and was based at Toul.
  The Nieuport 28s were not well-liked by all the American, pilots, but some men achieved good results with the type. Although the aircraft was quite maneuverable, its engine was prone to catching fire due to leaks in the fuel system. These leaks appear to have been caused by vibration. It was also discovered that the Nieuport 28s had a tendency to shed the wing fabric covering the leading edge. There was also a shortage of machine guns which meant that many aircraft were armed with only a single weapon. Although attempts were made to rectify these problems, it was soon decided to replace the Nieuport 28s with other types of fighters. By July most of the Nieuport 28s were relegated to training units.
  Postwar, approximately 50 Nieuport 28s were returned to the United States. Most were used by the Army Air Service as trainers. Twelve aircraft went to the United States Navy and were given serial numbers A 5794-A 5805. These aircraft were reportedly flown off platforms fitted to the forward turrets of battleships and were also used to practice formation flying and combat techniques. These Nieuports constituted Combat Squadron Three, which in 1920 was the only fully-armed fighter squadron in the United States Navy. Some of these aircraft were later used as racers.


Nieuport 28 Single-Seat Fighter with 160-hp Gnome Monosoupape 9Nc
   Span 8.16 tn; length 6.40 m; height 2.50 m; wing area 16.00 sq. m
   Empty weight 456 kg; loaded weight 698 kg
   Maximum speed: 198 km/h at 2,000 m; climb to 2,000 m in 5.5 minutes; ceiling 5,180 m; range 400 km; endurance 1 hour 30 minutes
   Armament: two 0.303-inch Vickers machine guns Approximately 310 built

Nieuport 28 Experimental Fighter with 200-hp Clerget 11E
   Wing area 21.00 square meters; empty weight 530 kg
   Empty weight 530 kg; loaded weight 850 kg
   Maximum speed: 200 km/h at 4,000 m; climb to 4,000 m in 12 minutes; endurance 2.5 hours

Nieuport 28 Monocoque
   Loaded weight was 640 kg
   Maximum speed: 198 km/h at 2,000 m; climb to 3,000 m in 7.33 minutes; endurance 2.25 hours

W.Green, G.Swanborough The Complete Book of Fighters

NIEUPORT 28 France

   Marking the final abandonment by Gustave Delage of the Vee-strutted sesquiplane configuration, the Nie 28 was an elegant fighter of conventional biplane configuration with parallel interplane struts. Powered by a 150 hp Gnome Monosoupape 9N rotary, the Nie 28 was initially fitted with a single 7,7-mm Vickers gun. A prototype was flying in June 1917 with pronounced dihedral on the upper wing, an abbreviated cabane and no dihedral on the lower wing. At least one other aircraft was flown with this configuration. The upper wing arrangement proved unsuccessful, and, in mid-October, the aircraft was tested with a raised upper wing from which dihedral was eliminated. This
arrangement was, in turn, superseded a month later by a compromise which retained the wing position but adopted 1.5 deg dihedral for the upper wing, and this was standardised for production. The single-gun armament was deemed inadequate and a second Vickers gun was attached to the fuselage portside. The Nie 28 was not adopted by France’s Aviation Militaire, but it was acquired for the American Expeditionary Force, which received 297 from March 1918. Unpopular for its tendency to shed its wing fabric at high speeds or during high-g manoeuvres, the Nie 28 was found to be no match for the Fokker D VII and was withdrawn after four months of unsatisfactory service. Twelve were acquired by the US Navy, 15 by Switzerland and a few by Greece.

Max speed, 123 mph (198 km/h) at 6,560 ft (2 000 m).
Time to 6,560 ft (2 000 m), 5.5 min.
Range, 248 mis (400 km).
Empty weight, 961 lb (436 kg).
Loaded weight, 1,539 lb (698 kg).
Span, 26 ft 9 1/4 in (8,16 m).
Length, 21 ft 0 in (6,40 m).
Height, 8 ft 2 1/2 in (2,50 m).
Wing area, 172.23 sq ft (16,00 m2).


NIEUPORT (Clerget 11E) France

   By 1 December 1917, Nieuport was flying the prototype of an enlarged development of the Nie 28 powered by a 200 hp Clerget 11E 11-cylinder rotary and carrying an armament of twin 7,7-mm Vickers guns. Compared with the Nie 28, this prototype had larger dimensions overall - the wing area being increased by 53.82 sq ft (5,00 m2) - wings rigged with appreciable dihedral and a cut-back wing centre section to improve the pilot's upward view. To what extent the development problems suffered by the Clerget 11E engine affected this prototype is not known, but the aircraft had been abandoned by 1 May 1918.

Max speed, 124 mph (200 km/h) at 13,125 ft (4 000 m).
Time to 13,125 ft (4 000 m), 12 min.
Endurance, 2.5 hrs.
Empty weight, 1,168 lb (530 kg).
Loaded weight, 1,874 lb (850 kg).
Wing area, 226.5 sq ft (21,00 m2).


NIEUPORT Monocoque France

   In parallel with the Clerget 11E-engined prototype, Nieuport produced the company’s first monocoque fighter, this being reported to be ready for testing on 1 December 1917. With an appearance suggesting a close relationship with the Nie 28, this prototype was powered by a 165 hp Gnome Monosoupape 9N rotary engine enclosed by a bulbous cowling and carried an armament of a single 7,7-mm Vickers gun to port of the tandem faired centreline struts forming the cabane. The wooden monocoque fuselage was characterised by extremely clean lines and the tail surfaces were of basically similar geometry to that adopted for the later Nie 29. The monocoque prototype had apparently been abandoned by April 1918, by which time a second aircraft had been tested with a 170 hp Le Rhone 9R. Performance was only marginally better than that of the Nie 28 and neither Monosoupape 9N or Le Rhone 9R was satisfactory. It is probably for these reasons that further development of the first Nieuport monocoque fighter was not pursued.

Max speed (Le Rhone), 123 mph (198 km/h) at 6,560 ft (2 000 m).
Time to 9,840 ft (3 000 m), 7.33 min.
Endurance, 2.25 hrs.
Loaded weight (Monosoupape), 1,411 lb (640 kg).

G.Swanborough, P.Bowers United States Military Aircraft Since 1909 (Putnam)

NIEUPORT 28C-1

   The first fighter to see action with the A.E.F. was the two-gun Nieuport 28, powered by the 160-h.p. Gnome rotary engine. The A.E.F. obtained 298 Model 28s straight from the factory, and 94th and 95th pursuit squadrons were the first to be equipped. The first A.E.F. victories were scored in Nieuports on April 14, 1918, and Douglas Campbell became the first American ace while flying this type. Several Nieuports went to the U.S. after the war.
   Span, 26 ft. 3 in.; length, 20 ft. 4 in.; wing area, 215 sq. ft.; empty weight, 1,172 lb.; gross weight, 1,625 lb.; high speed, 122 m.p.h.

G.Swanborough, P.Bowers United States Navy Aircraft Since 1911 (Putnam)

NIEUPORT 28

Although a fighter of French manufacture and widely used by the AEF, the Nieuport 28 was not used by US Naval forces in France during World War 1. Twelve were obtained in August 1919, however, from the supply that the Army had brought back to the US, and assigned serials A5794-A5805. These were assigned to the fleet and flew from platforms built over the forward turrets of battleships, eight of which were so equipped. Flotation bags were fitted, along with hydrovanes to prevent nosing over in case of a landing at sea. Power plant was a 160 hp Gnome. Span, 26 ft 3 in; gross weight, 1,625 lb; max speed, 122 mph.