Nieuport 28
The Nieuport 28 C.1, a French biplane fighter aircraft flown during World War I, was built by Nieuport and designed by Gustave Delage. Owing its lineage to the successful line of sesquiplane fighters that included the Nieuport 17, the Nieuport 28 continued a similar design philosophy of a lightweight and highly maneuverable aircraft.
| Nieuport 28 | |
|---|---|
| Reproduction of the Nieuport 28C-1 at the National Museum of the United States Air Force | |
| Role | Fighter |
| Manufacturer | Nieuport |
| Designer | Gustave Delage |
| First flight | 14 June 1917 |
| Introduction | March 1918 |
| Status | retired |
| Primary users | United States Army Air Service Aéronautique Militaire |
| Number built | about 300 |
By the time the Nieuport 28 was available, the SPAD XIII had been chosen to equip the escadrilles de chasse of the Aéronautique Militaire for 1918, and this fighter was also the first choice for the projected American "pursuit" squadrons. In the event, a shortage of SPADs led to Nieuport 28s being issued to four American squadrons between March and August 1918, becoming the first aircraft to see operational service with an American fighter squadron.
Nieuport 28s saw considerable post-war service: in particular 50 from a later production run were shipped to America, and as well as army and naval service these found civilian use, especially in Hollywood films.