Nieuport 21

Nieuport 21
Role	Fighter
Manufacturer	Nieuport
Introduction	1916
Retired	1920s
Primary users	Aéronautique Militaire Imperial Russian Air Service US Army Air Service
Developed from	Nieuport 17

The Nieuport 21 was a French single-seat, single-engine fighter aircraft used during World War I. The aircraft was used by the French, Russian, British and American air forces. After the war, the Nieuport 21 was a popular civil aircraft.

Design and development

The Nieuport 21 was designed by Gustave Delage and it made its maiden flight in 1916. While it had a similar airframe to the Nieuport 17, it was equipped with a less powerful Le Rhône 9C engine as it was originally intended as a long range escort fighter. As the engine was fitted with a horseshoe shaped cowling, the Nieuport 21 was often mistaken for the smaller Nieuport 11, which had a similar cowling.

Operational history

The Nieuport 21 served briefly as a front line fighter before its lack of power caused it to be relegated to training duties. Nieuport 21s were sold to the United States for use strictly as trainers, and Russia. They were also used in limited numbers by the RNAS. The Nieuport 21 was license manufactured in Russia by A/O Duks. A small number were used by a number of air arms in the early post war period, including the Finnish Air Force (the Whites) which had captured a Russian aircraft in Tampere in 1918 which was used until 1923. The French Navy used one example for carrier trials in 1919 and 1920.

Operators

Argentina

• Argentine Navy

Brazil

• Brazilian Air Force

Estonia

• Estonian Air Force - Postwar

France

• Armee de l'Air
• French Navy

Finland

• Finnish Air Force

Portugal

Portuguese Air Force

Russia

• Imperial Russian Air Force

Serbia

Soviet Union

• Soviet Air Force - ex-Imperial Russian Air Service.

Thailand

• Royal Thai Air Force

Ukraine

• Ukrainian Air Force

United Kingdom

• Royal Flying Corps
• Royal Naval Air Service
  • Five aircraft only.

United States

• United States Army Air Service

Specifications

Data from Suomen Ilmavoimat I 1918-27

General characteristics

• Crew: 1
• Length: 6.0 m (19 ft 8 in)
• Wingspan: 8.16 m (26 ft 9 in)
• Height: 2.40 m (7 ft 10 in)
• Wing area: 14.75 m² (159 ft²)
• Empty weight: 320 kg (704 lb)
• Max. takeoff weight: 495 kg (1089 lb)
• Powerplant: 1 × Le Rhône 9C rotary engine, 60 kW (80 hp)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 140 km/h (76 knots, 87 mph)
• Range: 250 km (132 nm, 152 mi)
• Service ceiling: 4511.04 m (14,800 ft)
• Rate of climb: 4.16 meters per second (820 feet per minute)
• Wing loading: 33.6 kg/m² (6.89 lb/ft²)
• Power/mass: 0.121 kW/kg (0.073 hp/lb)

Armament

1 machine gun fixed to upper wing.

References

Bibliography

• Donald, David, ed. The Encyclopedia of World Aircraft. London: Aerospace Publishing, 1997. ISBN 1-85605-375-X.
• Keskinen, Kalevi;, Kyösti Partonen and Kari Stenman. Suomen Ilmavoimat I 1918-27. Espoo, Finland: Kari Stenman Publishing, 2005. ISBN 952-99432-2-9.
• Taylor, John W. R. and Jean Alexander. Combat Aircraft of the World. New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1969. ISBN 0-71810-564-8.