Airdrome Nieuport 11

The Airdrome Nieuport 11 is an American amateur-built aircraft, designed and produced by Airdrome Aeroplanes, of Holden, Missouri. The aircraft is supplied as a kit for amateur construction.^[1]

The aircraft is a 7/8 scale replica of the First World War French Nieuport 11 Bebe fighter, a key aircraft in ending the Fokker Scourge. The replica is built from modern materials and powered by modern engines.^[1]

Design and development

The Airdrome Nieuport 11 features a "V"-strut sesquiplane layout, a single-seat open cockpit, fixed conventional landing gear and a single engine in tractor configuration.^[1]

The aircraft is made from bolted-together aluminum tubing, with its flying surfaces covered in doped aircraft fabric. The kit is made up of twelve sub-kits. The Airdrome Nieuport 11 has a wingspan of 23.6 ft (7.2 m) and a wing area of 110 sq ft (10 m²). It can be equipped with engines ranging from 52 to 80 hp (39 to 60 kW). The standard engine used is the 52 hp (39 kW) four stroke Volkswagen air-cooled engine. Building time from the factory-supplied kit is estimated at 375 hours by the manufacturer.^[1]

Operational history

Only one example had been completed by December 2011.^[1]

Specifications (Nieuport 11)

Data from Kitplanes^[1]

General characteristics

• Crew: one
• Length: 13.6 ft (4.1 m)
• Wingspan: 23.6 ft (7.2 m)
• Wing area: 110 sq ft (10 m²)
• Empty weight: 380 lb (172 kg)
• Gross weight: 720 lb (327 kg)
• Fuel capacity: 8 U.S. gallons (30 L; 6.7 imp gal)
• Powerplant: 1 × Volkswagen air-cooled engine four cylinder, air-cooled, four stroke aircraft engine, 52 hp (39 kW)
• Propellers: 2-bladed wooden

Performance

• Cruise speed: 74 mph (64 kn; 119 km/h)
• Stall speed: 34 mph (30 kn; 55 km/h)
• Range: 150 mi (130 nmi; 241 km)
• Rate of climb: 700 ft/min (3.6 m/s)
• Wing loading: 6.6 lb/sq ft (32 kg/m²)

See also

• Circa Reproductions Nieuport

References