Photo Nieuport

[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

[Stig Jarlevik]

Well....

All sources I have says Sgt Xavier Boiteux-Levret of N 81 was lost on 24.04.1917, hence my confusion.

Either the French docs are wrong, or the date on the flip side is.

But hey, on the other hand, if our 'hero' actually says 75th of April, all our problems are indeed solved!!!

Cheers
Stig

[musec04]

Hi Stig,


It would be interesting to know if all sources have a single common origin. I very much expect so. Unknowable of course but I wouldn't be surprised if the date Boiteux-Levret's death was recorded in the official records or squadron records was 24 th April, but the actual event sometime earlier, though as you point out, how likely is the photo to have been developed and posted the same day?


To be honest, this is leading me to all kinds of fruitless speculation. As an example N.2937 is recorded as being in use with N 85 at : http://albindenis.free.fr/Site_escad...adrille085.htm in April 1917. Perhaps it was not Boiteux-Levret's aircraft at all?? In fact I am inclined to regard this as a more plausible explanation than a significantly earlier date of death. But who knows??


Regards,


Clint