The Airdrome Nieuport 17 is an American amateur-built aircraft, designed and produced by Airdrome Aeroplanes, of Holden, Missouri. The aircraft is supplied as a kit for amateur construction.[1]

Airdrome Nieuport 17
Role Amateur-built aircraft
National origin United States
Manufacturer Airdrome Aeroplanes
Status In production (2011)
Number built 9 (2011)
Developed from Nieuport 17

The aircraft is a full-scale replica of the First World War French Nieuport 17 fighter. The replica is built from modern materials and powered by modern engines.[1]

Design and development

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The Airdrome Nieuport 17 features a "V"-strut sesquiplane layout, a single-seat open cockpit, fixed conventional landing gear and a single engine in tractor configuration.[1]

The aircraft is made from bolted-together aluminum tubing, with its flying surfaces covered in doped aircraft fabric. The kit is made up of twelve sub-kits. The Airdrome Nieuport 17 has a wingspan of 26.8 ft (8.2 m) and a wing area of 180 sq ft (17 m2). The standard engine used is the 102 hp (76 kW) four stroke Volkswagen air-cooled engine. Building time from the factory-supplied kit is estimated at 400 hours by the manufacturer. The aircraft can be constructed as a Nieuport 17 or as the more refined Nieuport 17bis.[1][2]

Operational history

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Nine examples had been completed by December 2011.[1]

Specifications (Nieuport 17)

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Data from Kitplanes[1][2]

General characteristics

  • Crew: one
  • Length: 19.5 ft (5.9 m)
  • Wingspan: 26.8 ft (8.2 m)
  • Wing area: 180 sq ft (17 m2)
  • Empty weight: 532 lb (241 kg)
  • Gross weight: 872 lb (396 kg)
  • Fuel capacity: 14 U.S. gallons (53 L; 12 imp gal)
  • Powerplant: 1 × Volkswagen air-cooled engine four cylinder, air-cooled, four stroke aircraft engine, 102 hp (76 kW)
  • Propellers: 2-bladed wooden

Performance

  • Cruise speed: 89 mph (143 km/h, 77 kn)
  • Stall speed: 40 mph (64 km/h, 35 kn)
  • Range: 370 mi (600 km, 320 nmi)
  • Rate of climb: 950 ft/min (4.8 m/s)
  • Wing loading: 4.8 lb/sq ft (23 kg/m2)

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f Vandermeullen, Richard: 2011 Kit Aircraft Buyer's Guide, Kitplanes, Volume 28, Number 12, December 2011, page 40. Belvoir Publications. ISSN 0891-1851
  2. ^ a b Airdrome Aeroplanes (n.d.). "Nieuport 17 Biplane ~ Full Scale Replica". Archived from the original on December 13, 2010. Retrieved September 23, 2012.