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

Nieuport Two-Seat Fighter with 370-hp Lorraine-Dietrich 12Da

  In 1917 Nieuport designed and built a two-seat fighter to be powered by a 370-hp Lorraine-Dietrich 12Da. It was reported to be undergoing testing in January 1918. This aircraft would have been a contemporary of the SEA 4 two-seat fighter, but the design has not been listed as one of the aircraft intended to meet the C2 specification of 1918. Apparently, further development was abandoned.


Nieuport Fighter with 275-hp Lorraine-Dietrich 8Bd

  This fighter represented another attempt by Nieuport to produce a successful fighter not powered by a rotary engine The design was far removed from the Nieuport sesquiplane series of fighters. Whereas those aircraft were petite and, indeed, elegant, rotary-engine fighters of this new design were surprisingly awkward. The top wing was mounted far above the fuselage on immense struts. The engine was a Lorraine Dietrich 8Bd of 275-hp (although the 240-hp 8Bb is also a possibility). Huge fairings were placed over the cylinder blocks and a bulky radiator was mounted between them. These fairings probably restricted the pilot's forward view severely. Photographs of the aircraft do not show any armament. It was tested in January 1918.
  Apparently the airplane was not completely satisfactory, as a revised version that used the engine appeared in January 1918. This was more aesthetically pleasing and featured swept wings of increased area and equal span. Horn-balanced ailerons were on the upper and lower wings. The fin and rudder assembly was enlarged. The radiator was moved to the top wing center section, which would have improved the pilot's forward view. Flight testing was under way in April 1918. Neither ol the Lorraine-Dietrich powered aircraft were selected for production.


Nieuport Single-Seat Fighter with 275-hp Lorraine Dietrich 8Bd
   Wing area 21.00 sq. m
   Empty weight 535 kg; loaded weight 850 kg
   Maximum speed: estimated at 220 km/h at 4,000 m
   Armament: two 7.7-mm Vickers machine guns (prototypes appear to have been unarmed)
   Two built



Nieuport Fighter with 300-hp Hispano-Suiza 8Fb Engine

  This aircraft used virtually the same airframe as that employed on the experimental Lorraine-Dietrich engined lighters. The engine in this airframe, however, was the 300-hp Hispano Suiza 8Fb. One change was that the radiators were placed underneath the wings. There were two Vickers 7.7-mm machine guns. The aircraft underwent flight testing in May 1918, but further development was not pursued, preference probably being given to the forthcoming Nieuport 29.

Nieuport Single-Seat Fighter with 300-hp Hispano-Suiza 8Fb
   Wing area 21.00 square meters
   Empty weight 600 kg; loaded weight 950 kg
   Maximum speed: 230 km/h at 4.000 m (est.); climb to 4,000 m in 10 minutes test.)
   Endurance 2.5 hours.
   Armament: two 7.7-mm Vickers machineguns
   One built