Photo Nieuport

[musec04]

Hi Stig,


The Nieuport serials certainly are a headache.I wonder if the issues with the Nieuport 11 and Nieuport 16 might have been related to engine availability which might account for continued Nieuport 11 production even after the introduction of the Nieuport 16. Pure speculation of course. Also given the state of the records unless once has a good view of the serial number of an aircraft identity mistakes may as you indicate be a factor. This doesn't really help with the Nieuport 17 in the 13xx serial run though. I have N.1364 and possibly N.1372 as Nieuport 17s.Presumably the early Nieuport 17s came off a seperate assembly lines and numbers were assigned as machines were completed. Seems bonkers though.



This problem doesn't seems as marked with other french manufacturers in my opinion. Thus while it appears that small numbers of Spad S.XII for example might be preceded and succeeded by Spad S.VII there is not the same scattering of indivudal aircraft types as seems typical for Nieuport.


Meanwhile here are some sadly somewhat disfigured images of Nieuport 12 9238 of the RNAS:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/WW1-RNAS-...EAAOSwTupf29pr

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/WW1-RNAS-...UAAOSw~mxf29Y4

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/WW1-an-RN...IAAOSwDchf29kF


Regards,


Clint

[Stig Jarlevik]

It is possible Clint

But even temporary engine shortages doesn't really explain why so small batches came off the production lines.

I can only assume that if Nieuport got an order for let's say 100 aircraft of Type 11 and 50 aircraft Type 16, they would all have had specific SFA numbers assigned to them. Or did SFA really give Nieuport an order for 150 aircraft (and numbers) and told them to assign whatever number they felt for within this batch?

Looking at the known aircraft serial numbers the latter seems at least like a possibillity but if that really was the case, it is certainly not how I would have done things!

Cheers
Stig

[musec04]

Hi Stig,


As I said all of this is highly conjectural and may be complete nonsense on my part.


But the way my thinking was going is that the SFA ordered say 100 Nieuport 16. However, the number of Le Rhone 9J available, and it was a new engine in 1916, was not immediately enough to fit to all the mahines ordred, so some were completed with the Le Rone 9C, thus making them Nieport 11, rather than sitting idly at the factory.waiting for more Le Rhone 9J to be delivered.


However, one thing that does strike me as surprising is the small period of time between the introduction of the Nieuport 11 and what should have logically been its successor the Nieuport 16. Where's is the logic? Still, as I say probably all complete nonsense and historical documentatin is needed to expalin the unusual Nieuport serials.


Regards,


Clint

[musec04]

Hello,


Currently on ebay is a photo of a Nieuport 11 of a Russian naval unit at:


https://www.ebay.com/itm/Russian-arm...AAAOSwhZFf5LkB


Regards,


Clint

[musec04]

Hello,


Currently on ebay is a photo of Nieuport 23 N.2937 of Sgt Xavier Boiteux-Levret of N 81 presumably taken 24.04.1917 :


https://www.ebay.de/itm/Alte-Fotokar...4AAOSwdq5f5sZg


Regards,


Clint

[Stig Jarlevik]

Clint

Doesn't the post card date look like 15 April? (Yes I have the Bailey/Cony book)

And how long took it to make a postcard from a negative?

Perhaps our 'hero' put the wrong date on the flip-side?

Cheers
Stig

[musec04]

Hi Stig,


I was basing my info on Albin Denis' page on N 81. But no doubt his source is also Bailey/Cony. So yes, 15 April it is and I should have read the rear of the card.Of course, the hand writing can be hard to decipher and it may be the 75th of April.


Regards,


Clint