History

The bi-plane Nieuport XI was developed in 1915 from the single seat, monoplane Nieuport XI. The reason for this confusing double designation is unknown. To distinct both types from each other, the biplane had a "B" (= Biplane) added to its designation.

The French Air Force had divided it aircraft in several classes:

Class A Reconnaissance plane
Class B Light single seat fighter
Class C Heavy multi seat fighter aircraft
Class D Canon armed aircraft
Class E Bomber

So the designation of the new biplane Nieuport XI was in fact Nie.XI BB (= Nieuport type XI Biplane, Class B). Soon the type was nicknamed BéBé.

 

Technical information Nieuport 11 C.1
Dimensions::
Length: 5,64 m Wing span: 7,5 m
Height: - m Wing area: 13,5 m2
Weights:
Empty Weight: - kg Max. start weight: 525 kg
Performances:
Max. speed: 152 km/hr Cruising speed: - km/u
Climbing speed: - m/min    
Service ceiling: 4500 m Range: 2 hours
Miscellaneous:
Engine type: One Le Rhône 9C rated 80 hp
Crew: One aviator
Armament: 1 MG machine gun

 


Nieuport 11 C1 and Nieuport-Spijker

There is much confusion about the Nieuports used by the :LVA, especially in older literature is often referred to the type as  Nieuport XIC1.

Actually research showed that in fact one original Nieuport XI C1 BB was in use by the LVA. plus a couple of license built Spijker-Nieuports. The original and interned Nieuport was in 1917 in service with No. 6 Naval Squadron. February 26 1917 the pilot Powles made an emergency landing near Batterij Kruishoofd in Zeeland because of a fuel leak. The aircraft was recovered February 27 and brought to Soesterberg. It was rebuilt and repaired on March 2 1917 and registered LA40.
The aircraft performed very well and the LVA showed the Nieuport to Henri Wijnmalen, director of the Nederlandse Vliegtuig Fabriek Trompenburg. Wijnmalen was eager to built the type under license and the LA40 was transported to Amsterdam as an example. The Nieuport was bought for the amount of 1700 GBP.
In December 1917 a new registration system was applied to the aircraft of the LVA. The LA40 had probably its new serial applied on the fuselage with chalk. It returned to Soesterberg the second half of 1918, but it wasn't used any more.

Trompenburg received an order to built twenty aircraft. Due to lack of parts and other materials the first delivery was in 1918. The first twelve aircraft didn't have wheels and other parts. As the aircraft were paid at a later date, the missing parts might have been delivered. Trompenburg had registered own (wrong) serials to at least 14 aircraft, following the serial of the example aircraft. The official serials were in use already, so these aircraft were re-registered with NSP230 till NSP249. On aircraft that weren't to be used for a while an kept in storage, the serial was applied with chalk on the fuselage.

According to a report of kpt J.H. Hardenberg the Trompenburg-Nieuports were not in use between November 1919 and March 1920. Obviously the aircraft were in use at a later date, as accidents reports exist concerning the twice NSP234 and the NSP236. According to some existing photo's in 1925 still Spijker-Nieuports were in use.

Interned fighter  Nieuport 11 at Soesterberg.
[Enclosed photo from BeeldBank NIMH. Click on photo for ordering information]
Interned Nieuport XI Bébé probably at Soesterberg with orange 'meat balls".
[Enclosed photo from BeeldBank NIMH. Click on photo for ordering information]

 

Nieuport XI C.1, Built under license by Ned. Automobiel- en Vliegtuigenfabriek Trompenburg, Amsterdam. First eample with wrong serial NSP214.
[Enclosed photo from BeeldBank NIMH. Click on photo for ordering information]
Nieuport XI C.1, Built under license by Ned. Automobiel- en Vliegtuigenfabriek Trompenburg, Amsterdam. First eample with wrong serial NSP214.
[Enclosed photo from BeeldBank NIMH. Click on photo for ordering information]
Nieuport XI C.1, Built under license by Ned. Automobiel- en Vliegtuigenfabriek Trompenburg, Amsterdam.
[Enclosed photo from BeeldBank NIMH. Click on photo for ordering information]
Nieuport XI C.1, Built under license by Ned. Automobiel- en Vliegtuigenfabriek Trompenburg, Amsterdam. First eample with wrong serial NSP214.
Nieuport XI C.1, Built under license by Ned. Automobiel- en Vliegtuigenfabriek Trompenburg, Amsterdam.
[Enclosed photo from BeeldBank NIMH. Click on photo for ordering information]
Nieuport XI C.1, Built under license by Ned. Automobiel- en Vliegtuigenfabriek Trompenburg, Amsterdam. First eample with wrong serial NSP214.
[Enclosed photo from BeeldBank NIMH. Click on photo for ordering information]
Nieuport XI C.1, in licentie gebouwd door de Ned. Automobiel- en Vliegtuigenfabriek Trompenburg te Amsterdam. Met rood-wit-blauw kenteken, na medio 1921. Op het wiel sgt.vl. G.M.H. Frijns.
License built Spijker-Nieuport XI C.1,with red-white and blue roundels, in use after midst of about 1921. Sitting on the wheel  sgt.vl. G.M.H. Frijns.
[Enclosed photo from BeeldBank NIMH. Click on photo for ordering information]

 


Nieuport XI C1 BB
Serial 2nd Serial Constr. nr. Date in service Date out of service Notes
LA-40 N-213 3981/N593 26-02-1917  31-01-1925 From RNAS.
At the end of march 1917 transported to  NV Trompenburg as a model for the Nieuport-Spijker to be produced and returned in the course of 1918, back to Soesterberg but no longer used and was written off in 1925.
The second serial , N-213, is probably not applied, but possibly added ​​with chalk.

 

Trompenburg Serial
Trompenburg Serial
Serial
Serial
Constr. nr.
Constr. nr.
Date in service
Date in service
Date out of service
Date out of service
Notes
notes
NSP214 NSP230        
NSP215 NSP231        
NSP216 NSP232        
NSP217 NSP233        
NSP218 NSP234        
NSP219 NSP235        
NSP220 NSP236        
NSP221 NSP237        
NSP222 NSP238        
NSP223 NSP239        
NSP224 NSP240        
NSP225 NSP241        
NSP226 NSP242        
NSP227 NSP243        
  NSP244        
  NSP245        
  NSP246        
  NSP247        
  NSP248        
  NSP249        

 


Scale 1/72

  • HR Models
    • Kit X: Resin model of a Nieuport 11 (Austrian)
    • Kit 72027: Resin model of a Nieuport 11 (USSR)
  • Toko / Eastern Express
    • Kit 129 / 72161 / 72162: An injection moulded model of a Nieuport 11
  • Classic Plane
    • Kit CPL29: A vacu formed model of a Nieuport 11

 

A model of a Nieuport 11C-1, built by Peter Banis.

Nieuport XI BB PBanis 1 Nieuport 11 Peter Banis Nieuport 11 Peter Banis2 Nieuport 11 Peter Banis3 Nieuport 11 Peter Banis-2 Nieuport 11 Peter Banis-3 Nieuport 11 Peter Banis-4 Nieuport 11 Peter Banis

 

Modelling add-on

  • Eduard
    • Set E72-334: Nieuport Gun Ring WW1

Decals

  • --
    • Set --: --

Scale 1/48

  • AJP Maquettes
    • Kit 0814: Nieuport 11 1915
  • Smer
    • Kit 0814: Nieuport 11 Bebe

Modeling add-on

  • --
    • Set --: --

Decals

  • --
    • Set --: --

 


Scheme Colour name FS number BS-number Humbrol XtraColor Vallejo Model Color Vallejo Model Air
Interned Nieuport 11C-1 BB
Standard #1 Wings Doped linen with darker edges     -      
Nieuport 11: fuselage Varnished with darker edges.     -      
Spijker-Nieuport 11
Standard #1 Uppersides LVA Khaki   AC D04 29? / 155? x2? /x251? 70.921? / 70.887  
Underside LVA Blue   AC D05 115 ? X-214?    

Check www.paint4models.com for an extensive conversion table with lots of colour and paint systems.

 

Nieuport_11c1-1-SMALL
Colour scheme of interned Nieuport 11C-1.
Nieuport-Spijker 11c1-1-SMALL
Colour scheme of Spijker-Nieuport 11C-1..
Nieuport-Spijker 11c1-1-SMALL
Colour scheme of Spijker-Nieuport 11C-1. 9Late)

 


Literature.

Van Brik tot Starfighter H. Hooftman   1965 La Rivière en Voorhoeve - Zwolle
Nederlandse Militaire Luchtvaart in Beeld. deel 1. Hugo Hooftman Pag. 44 - 45 1977 Uitgever: Europese Bibliotheek, Zaltbommel
Nederlandse vliegtuigen naar buitenlands ontwerp Theo Wesselink & Thijs Postma Pag. 21 1984 Uitgever: Romen Luchtvaart, Haarlem
KLu Vliegtuigen: De vliegtuigen van de Koninklijke Luchtmacht vanaf 1913 Wim Schoenmaker & Thijs Postma Pag. 18 - 25 1987 Uitgeverij De Alk, Alkmaar
Luchtvaartwereld; 5e jaargang nummer 12: Misverstanden over de Nederlandse Nieuports Frits Gerdessen Pag. 350 - 351 1988 Uitgeverij Ten Brink, Meppel
Aircraft Archive Aircraft of World War One; Volume 2.   Pag. 42 - 44 1989 Uitgever: Argus Books, Hempsted
Squadrons van de Koninklijke Luchtmacht (derde herzien druk) Willem Helfferich Pag. 13 - 1994 Uitgevers Wyt, Rotterdam
Camouflage en Kentekens J.Greuter e.a.   1997 Bonneville – Bergen (NH)
Nieuwsbrief nummer 71 oktober 1999: De Nieuports van de LVA Berfelo, Hans Pag. 15 - 19 1999 Uitgever: St. Vrienden v.h. Mil. Luchtv. Museum, Soesterberg

 

Websites.

Special thanks to H.G. Berfelo who provided me with lots of information about the Dutch Nieuports and even a photo of the interned Nieuport in RNAS colour s.