Nieuport Scout
DND Archives
B1566 is an airworthy replica of the Nieuport 17 Scout flown by Captain William "Billy" Bishop, VC during the First World War. It is maintained on display by the Canada Aviation and Space Museum in Ottawa. PHOTO: PCN-4603
Overview
Overview
The Nieuport 17 Scout was one of the most famous fighters of the First World War. Though of French design, this highly successful design was used all Allied Air Forces. Nieuport Scouts first entered service in 1915 with the Royal Naval Air Service. It is often associated with the brilliant exploits of Allied aces such as Roy Brown and Billy Bishop of the Royal Flying Corps and Jean Navarre and Charles Nungesser of the Aéronautique militaire (French Air Force). Canadian Captain William “Billy” Bishop began his operational career with the RFC flying a Nieuport Scout. He quickly achieved 47 victories flying this aircraft type and went on to become one of the leading aces of the First World War. It was while flying a Nieuport in a daring solo pre-dawn raid on an enemy airfield that he was awarded the Victoria Cross.
| Model number | 17 |
|---|---|
| Role | Fighter |
| Service | Royal Naval Air Service, Royal Flying Corps |
Source: Canadian Combat and Support Aircraft: A Military Compendium by T.F.J. Leversedge © 2007. Translated and reproduced with permission of the author.
Technical specifications
Technical specifications
| Manufacturer | Nieuport |
|---|---|
| Crew / passengers | One pilot |
| Powerplant | One 110 hp (82 kW) Le Rhone or 130 hp (96 kW) Clerget radial piston engine |
| Maximum speed | 107 mph (172 km/h) |
| Service ceiling | 17,500 ft (5,334 m) |
| Empty weight | 825 lbs (374 kg) |
| Gross weight | 1,233 lbs (559 kg) |
| Span | 26 ft 10 in (8.18 m) |
| Length | 18 ft 11 in (5.77 m) |
| Height | 8 ft (2.44 m) |
| Armament | Provisions for one fixed Lewis gun over the top wing or one Lewis and one synchronized forward-firing Vickers machine gun |
Source: Canadian Combat and Support Aircraft: A Military Compendium by T.F.J. Leversedge © 2007. Translated and reproduced with permission of the author.
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