Nieuport 17

  • Period: First World War (1914-1918)
  • Uses: Fighter
  • First Flight: early 1916
  • Display Status: On loan to the Canadian War Museum

The Nieuport 17 was one of the classic fighters of First World War. It reached the French front in March 1916, and was adopted by the Royal Flying Corps and the Royal Naval Air Service because of its superiority to any British-designed aircraft then in service. Nieuport 17s also served with the Dutch, Belgian, Russian, and Italian air forces. Italy built 150 under licence, and Germany was so impressed it asked manufacturers to use some of its features. Six RFC squadrons and eight RNAS squadrons used the Nieuport 17.

Even though its lower wing could twist off in high speed dives, the Nieuport became the favourite of the leading allied air aces. The Canadian ace, W.A. “Billy” Bishop, was awarded the Victoria Cross while flying a Nieuport 17.

Museum Example

  • Registration #: B1566 (RFC)
  • Manufacturer: Home-Built (Carl Swanson), United States
  • Manufacture Date: 1961
  • Construction #: None
  • Aquisition Date: 1963
  • Provenance: Donation

The Museum aircraft is a flying reproduction completed in 1961 and purchased for the Museum by an anonymous donor in 1963. The current markings are those of Billy Bishop’s Victoria Cross aircraft. The aircraft crashed at the Abbotsford International Air Show in 1989 and was rebuilt by the Museum.

Specifications

Wing Span:
8 m (26 ft 9 1/4 in)
Length:
5.8 m (19 ft)
Height:
2.4 m (7 ft 10 1/2 in)
Weight, Empty:
375 kg (827 lb)
Weight, Gross:
560 kg (1,235 lb)
Cruising Speed:
Unknown
Max Speed:
165 km/h (102 mph)
Rate of Climb:
2,000 m (6,560 ft) / 6 min 50 sec
Service Ceiling:
5,300 m (17,390 ft)
Range:
249 km (155 mi)
Power Plant:
one Le Rhone 9Jb, 110 hp, rotary engine