Time Period: World War I
Country of Origin: France
Type: Biplane, Fighter Aircraft
Manufacturer: Nieuport
Nieuport 16 Aircraft Overview
The Nieuport 16 was a French biplane fighter aircraft produced during World War I. It was designed by Gustave Delage as an improvement on the Nieuport 11 and Nieuport 12 fighters. The Nieuport 16 was essentially a slightly larger and more powerful version of its predecessors, with a more streamlined fuselage and a more powerful engine.
The Nieuport 16 entered service with the French Air Service in March 1916, and it saw extensive use throughout World War I, both as a fighter and a reconnaissance aircraft. It was also used by several other countries, including Great Britain, Belgium, and Italy.
The Nieuport 16 was highly maneuverable and agile, and it was well-regarded by its pilots for its excellent handling characteristics. It was armed with a single synchronized Vickers machine gun, which was mounted on the upper wing and fired through the propeller arc. However, the Nieuport 16 was also known for being relatively fragile, and it was not as heavily armed or armored as some of its contemporaries.
Despite its limitations, the Nieuport 16 played an important role in the early years of World War I, and it helped establish the dominance of French aviation during that time.
Nieuport 16 Specifications
- Crew: 1 pilot
- Length: 5.64 m (18 ft 6 in)
- Wingspan: Upper: 7.52 m (24 ft 8 in), Lower: 7.4 m (24 ft 3 in)
- Wing Sweep: 3° 30′
- Height: 2.40 m (7 ft 10 in)
- Wing Area: 13.30 m² (143.2 sq ft)
- Airfoil: Type N
- Empty Weight: 375 kg (827 lb)
- Gross Weight: 550 kg (1,213 lb)
- Fuel Capacity: 45 kg
- Undercarriage Track: 1.60 m (5 ft 3 in)
- Engine: 1 × Le Rhône 9J 9-cylinder rotary engine, 82 kW (110 hp)
- Propeller: 2-bladed Levasseur 482 wooden propeller
Nieuport 16 Performance
- Maximum Speed: 165 km/h (103 mph) at sea level
- Endurance: 2 hours
- Service Ceiling: 4,800 m (15,700 ft)
- Climb Rate: 5 min 50 sec to 2,000 m (6,600 ft)
- Wing Loading: 39.6 kg/m² (8.1 lb/sq ft)
- Power-to-Mass Ratio: 4.9 kg/hp
Nieuport 16 Armament
- 1 × .303 in (7.7 mm) Lewis machine gun OR 1 × .303 in (7.7 mm) Vickers machine gun
- 8 × air to air Le Prieur rockets for use against observation balloons (optional).
