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Loire-Nieuport

From Alfawiki
Nieuport
Company typeSociété Anonyme
IndustryAerospace, Aircraft manufacturing
Founded1902
FounderÉdouard Nieuport, Charles Nieuport
Defunct1932 (merged into Loire-Nieuport)
FateMerged with Loire Aviation to form Loire-Nieuport
Headquarters
Paris
,
France
Area served
Worldwide (including France, United Kingdom, Russia, Italy)
Key people
Gustave Delage (chief designer), Henri Deutsch de la Meurthe (financier)
ProductsAircraft (racing planes, fighter aircraft, trainers)

Nieuport, later known as Nieuport-Delage, was a prominent French aircraft manufacturer recognized for its pre-World War I racing planes and its fighter aircraft produced during and between the World Wars.

Origins

The company began in 1902 under the name Nieuport-Duplex, initially focusing on manufacturing engine parts. In 1909, it reorganized as the Société Générale d'Aéro-locomotion, directing its efforts toward aviation products such as ignition systems. Among its early creations was a single-seat pod-and-boom monoplane, which was destroyed in the 1909 Great Flood of Paris. Later that year, Nieuport designed an innovative aircraft featuring a streamlined enclosed fuselage and a horizontal tailplane positioned below the main structure to counterbalance the forward engine weight—distinct from contemporaries like the Blériot XI.

Confronted with difficulties in sourcing engines, Nieuport engineered its own 28 hp twin-cylinder horizontally opposed powerplant, which successfully powered the Nieuport II in 1910.

By 1911, the enterprise concentrated on aircraft production under the name Nieuport et Deplante, while still manufacturing components including propellers. Following the death of founder Édouard Nieuport in 1911, financier Henri Deutsch de la Meurthe took over management, renaming the firm Société Anonyme des Établissements Nieuport and continuing development of existing aircraft designs. After Charles Nieuport passed away in 1913, chief designer responsibilities were assumed by Swiss engineer Franz Schneider, who later became known for his work at L.V.G. and patent disputes concerning machine gun synchronization. Schneider left Nieuport by late 1913.

Gustave Delage and the First World War

Gustave Delage replaced Schneider as chief designer in January 1914. He created a sesquiplane racer whose introduction was postponed until after World War I commenced; this design evolved into the Nieuport 10. The Nieuport 10 saw extensive deployment with the Royal Naval Air Service (R.N.A.S.), as well as French and Russian air forces. Both the Nieuport 10 and its more powerful derivative, the Nieuport 12, were adapted for fighter roles and operated by the Royal Flying Corps (R.F.C.). Subsequently, Nieuport developed the dedicated fighter Nieuport 11, a scaled-down version of the Nieuport 10.

Up until late 1917, production centered on incremental refinements of this line, culminating in the Nieuport 27. Escalating engine power pushed the structural limits of these "V-strut" sesquiplanes, necessitating operational restrictions. By spring 1917, the design had been surpassed by twin-gun fighters like the Albatros D.III, although Nieuport 27s remained active at the front through spring 1918. From that year forward, manufacturing primarily shifted toward trainer aircraft for both French and American flight schools.

Renowned aces such as Albert Ball and Charles Nungesser preferred Nieuports for their agility. Early combat victories were also achieved by pilots like Eddie Rickenbacker and Billy Bishop flying these aircraft.

The Nieuport 28 represented a significant design evolution, incorporating two spars on each wing; however, it arrived too late to serve extensively with French forces, who favored the SPAD S.XIII. Due to shortages of SPAD fighters, the United States Army Air Service (USAAS) briefly employed the Nieuport 28—the first fighter type operationally used by an American squadron.

Nieuport aircraft were widely produced under license abroad. In Italy, Aermacchi, originally known as Nieuport-Macchi, manufactured models ranging from the Nieuport IV through to postwar NiD.29 variants. Russian factories such as Dux produced several types including the post-Revolutionary 24bis. In Scotland, William Beardmore and Company built modified versions of the Nieuport 12. Meanwhile, Nieuport & General Aircraft in England constructed fifty Nieuport 17bis scouts for use by the R.N.A.S. before redirecting their focus elsewhere.

A noteworthy postwar incident occurred on August 8, 1919, when pilot Charles Godefroy flew a "V-strut" Nieuport fighter through Paris’s Arc de Triomphe as a protest against how pilots were treated during victory celebrations. This daring flight was captured on film and has since become an iconic moment in aviation history.

Post–World War I

By the end of 1918, Nieuport had launched two new fighter aircraft: the Nieuport 29 biplane and the Nieuport 31 monoplane, both developments stemming from the Nieuport 28. These models incorporated sleek wooden monocoque fuselages paired with Hispano-Suiza powerplants. Adapted variants of these aircraft achieved notable speed and altitude milestones, with the 31 marking a historic moment as the first plane to surpass in level flight, piloted by Joseph Sadi-Lecointe.

During this era, Nieuport merged with Société Astra, a company specializing in aerial balloons, resulting in the name Nieuport-Astra. Soon after, it was renamed Nieuport-Delage to honor chief designer Gustave Delage, who had guided the firm throughout World War I. The seaplane manufacturer Tellier was also integrated briefly under the name Nieuport-Tellier.

Although the 29 and 31 models were successful, Delage embarked on a fresh design series that became a mainstay until France's defeat in World War II—the Nieuport-Delage NiD.42. Initially introduced as a shoulder-wing racing aircraft (42S), it evolved into single-seat (42 C.1) and two-seat (42 C.2) fighters intended for the French Air Force, though none saw combat deployment. The enhanced Nieuport-Delage 52, featuring a metal monocoque fuselage, entered service in Spain and was produced under license by Hispano-Suiza, remaining active through the Spanish Civil War before being phased out due to obsolescence. France acquired substantial quantities of the 62 series (620, 621, 622, 629), derivatives of the NiD.42, which equipped most French fighter squadrons until replaced in the late 1930s; some secondary units still operated them during the 1940 invasion despite their outdated status.

The Nieuport-Delage NiD 38 and its close relative NiD 39 were compact airliners with production exceeding 37 units. Other variants mostly consisted of limited runs or unique prototypes.

The end of Nieuport

The final aircraft projects attributed to Nieuport were largely undertaken by its successor entities. In 1932, amidst consolidation within the French aviation sector, Delage retired and Nieuport-Delage briefly reverted to simply Nieuport before merging with Loire Aviation to form Loire-Nieuport. This organization eventually became part of SNCAO, which later merged into the aerospace giant Aérospatiale.

During the German invasion in 1940, company documents were deliberately destroyed to avoid enemy capture. Despite this, several staff members faced espionage accusations as the last operational Nieuport aircraft—the Loire-Nieuport LN.401, a single-seat, single-engine dive bomber featuring retractable landing gear and inverted gull wings reminiscent of the Junkers Ju 87—remained active at that time.

Aircraft produced

In later three-digit model numbers (excluding NiD 120 and LN.160), the third digit denotes sub-variants, with zero indicating a base model (for example, 640 and 64 refer to the same version).

Note: The last item appears corrupted or repetitive; it should be omitted or corrected.

Apologies for that last entry's error.

Continuing:

  • Madon] — monoplane fighter developed into various models including the sesquiplane-type Nieuport 31.

Key post-war fighters include:

  • NiD30T] — large single-engine biplane airliner derived from bomber designs.
  • NiD31/31Rh] — Le Rhone-powered monoplane/sesquiplane fighter prototype introduced in 1919.

Various NiD models such as NiD32, NiD33, NiD37, NiD38, NiD39, NiD40, and NiD41 concentrated on naval versions, racing planes, and airliners including floatplanes and record-setting racers like the NiD41 Sesquiplan.

Prominent NiD series fighters include:

  • NiD42 series — sesquiplanes serving as prototypes for several variants including the NiD52 and NiD62/72.
    • NiD42S — shoulder-wing racing monoplane variant.
    • NiD43 — floatplane fighter version.

Other notable developments:

  • NiD44 and NiD46 — variants evolved from NiD42 fitted with alternative engines.
  • NiD48 — scaled-down version of NiD42 designed for light fighter program known as 'Jockey'.
  • NiD50 — abandoned twin-engine floatplane torpedo bomber project.

Transport and reconnaissance types:

  • NiD540 — single-engine high-wing transport aircraft.
  • NiD580 — two-seat reconnaissance parasol monoplane.

Production fighters included:

  • NiD62 — widely deployed sesquiplane fighter within French service.
  • NiD64 series — large single-engine monoplane airliners distinguished by elliptical wings.
  • NiD72 — all-metal sesquiplane fighter variant derived from the NiD62.

Additional designs:

  • NiD740 — trimotor long-range mailplane prototype submitted for government contract competition.

The Loire-Nieuport collaboration produced several aircraft:

  • LN.10 — twin-engine patrol floatplane featuring inverted gull wings.
  • LN.30 — single-engine pusher configuration training flying boat.
  • LN.40 — inverted gull wing single-seat dive bomber.
  • LN.160 — single-engine fighter which evolved into SNCAO200 design.

Numerous World War I prototypes lacked official designations but comprised developments such as improved versions of Nieuports 24/27 and triplanes based on models 10, 17, and 17bis incorporating structural enhancements like monocoque fuselages.

Tellier-designed flying boats constructed under the Nieuport brand included patrol aircraft:

  • Tellier T.5 designated as Nieuport BM (twin-engine).
  • Tellier T.6 designated as Nieuport S (single-engine).
  • Tellier T.8 designated as Nieuopt TM (trimotor).
  • Tellier Vonna designated as Nieuopt4R (four-engine transatlantic flying boat; project incomplete).

During World War I, some Nieuports were identified according to wing area rather than official type numbers:

  • The Nieuports 10 and 83 were referred to as "18-meter" types;
  • The 11 and 16 models were called "13-meter";
  • The 12 series (including 12bis, 20, 80, 81) were known as "23-meter";
  • The 17 series (including 17bis, 21, 23, 24, 24bis, 27) carried the designation "15-meter."

Surviving Examples

Model Custodian Location Remarks
Nieuport II.N monoplane Musée de l'Air et de l'Espace le Bourget (Paris), France Displayed late production variant
Nieuport IV.G monoplane Swedish Air Force Museum Malmen Airbase, Sweden Exhibited to the public
Nieuport-Macchi 10,000 Museo Storica de Guerra Rovereto, Italy Recently underwent restoration
Nieuport-Macchi 10,000 Museo della Scienza e della Tecnologia "Leonardo da Vinci" Milan, Italy Currently on display
Nieuport 11 C.1 French Air and Space Museum le Bourget (Paris), France Available for viewing
Nieuport 12 A.2 Canada Aviation and Space Museum Ottawa, Canada French aircraft donated to Canada; restored and exhibited
Nieuport 23 C.1 Royal Museum of the Armed Forces and of Military History Brussels, Belgium Restored recently, on display
Nieuport 28 C.1 National Air and Space Museum Washington, D.C. Recently restored example
Nieuport 28 C.1 National Museum of the United States Air Force Dayton, Ohio Exhibited to visitors
Nieuport 28 C.1 National Naval Aviation Museum NAS Pensacola, Florida Presented as a US Navy aircraft
Nieuport 28 C.1 Swiss Air Force Museum Dübendorf, Switzerland Displayed as part of Swiss Air Force collection
Nieuport-Delage NiD 29 C.1 (Musée de l'Air et de l'Espace) (le Bourget), France Currently held in storage
Nieuport 10 trainer (Nieuport 83 E.2) (Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome) (Rhinebeck, New York) On display but in poor condition

Bibliography

  • Alegi, Gregory. Nieuport 29 - Windsock Datafile 97, Albratros Publications, Herts, 2003
  • Apostolo, Giorgio. Aermacchi - from Nieuports to AMX, Giorgio Apostolo Editore, Milan, Italy, 1991
  • Bruce, J.M. Nieuport Fighters - Windsock Datafile Special Volumes, Albratros Publications, Herts, various years
  • Čejka, Zdenek Československé Nieuporty, Historick Sesity, Prague, 1998
  • Davilla, Dr. James J., Arthur Soltan. French Aircraft of the First World War, Flying Machines Press, Mountain View CA, 1997
  • Durkota, Alan. The Imperial Russian Air Service, Flying Machines Press, Mountain View CA, 1995
  • Franks, Norman. Nieuport Aces of World War I, Osprey Publishing, Oxford, 2000
  • Guttman, Jon. Nieuport 28 - Windsock Datafile, Albratros Publications, Herts,1992
  • Kowalski, Tomasz J. Nieuport 1-27, Kagero, Lublin, 2003
  • Longoni, Maurizio. Nieuport Macchi 11 & 17, Intergest, Milan,1976
  • Munson, Kenneth Pioneer Aircraft, Blandford London,1969
  • Pommier, Gerard. Nieuport Biography of Edouard Nieuport, Schiffer Publishing PA.,2002
  • Rimmell, Ray.World War One Survivors, Aston Publications UK.,1990
  • Sanger, Ray. Nieuport Aircraft of World War One, Crowood Press UK.,2002
  • Treadwell,Terry C.America's First Air War, Airlife Shrewsbury UK.,2000

External links

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