Nieuport 11 & 16, part six. In French service.

 

The Nieuport 11, nicknamed 'Bébé' (Baby) was built upon the previous Nieuport 10, as it was a smaller and lighter version of it. Designed specifically to be a single-seat fighter, it was, like the "10", a sesquiplane, a biplane with full-sized top wing with two spars and a lower narrower wing and a single spar. Both wings were connected by "Vee" shaped interplane struts. 
The sesquiplane configuration reduced drag and improved the rate of climb and offered a better view from the cockpit than either a conventional biplane or even a monoplane, while being substantially stronger than other fighter from that era. The narrow lower-wing could lead to some aeroelastic flutter at speeds that the Nieuport 11 couldn't achieve, so it wasn't much of a problem. 
The Nieuport 11 was, in many ways a modern fighter, however its armament wasn't. As the Frenchs didn't possess a synchronization gear when the 'Bébé' was designed, a single Hotchkiss or a Lewis gun was fixed to the top wing along the center line which fired above the propeller's arc. The gun was fitted with a circular ammunition drum which contained 97 cartridges and was mounted on a hinged platform, so the pilot could tip it backward to reload the gun. Some machines were field-modified to have twin-Lewis guns and others were also fitted with some rudimentary synchronization devices. 
On the field, some Nieuport 11 were also fitted with the more powerful 110hp Le-Rhône  engine. The pilots of the Nieuport 11 often also carried a pistol of their own.
The Nieuport 11 was powered by either a 50, 60 or 80 hp Gnome or Le-Rhône 9C rotary engine, which yielded impressive performance ratios. However the aircraft was dangerous in a lateral skid. Many pilots, who learnt how to fly in the stable Caudron G.3 and Blériot XI, found the 'Bébé' to be unforgiving to handle and accidents were very frequent.

One Nieuport 11 was fitted with a 150 hp Hispano-Suiza engine and flown by pilot Albert Etéve, to test that new engine. The engine was a success, but it was decided to employ on the new SPAD S.VII fighter, so the Nieuports kept their rotary engines.

The first Nieuport 11 arrived at the frontlines on 5th January 1916 and by February there were 90 in service with Aviation Militaire (French Army's Air Wing). The aircraft allowed the French escadrilles to regain aerial superiority from the Germans , who flew the fearsome Fokker E.III. While the Nieuport 11 was hard to control and to manoeuvre, it could also be very effective at the hands of a skilled pilot. However, aiming was difficult, given the position of the gun, placed high above the pilot's head, which required to angle the aircraft to ensure the bullets struck their target. Still, many French's aces, achieved their ace status while flying a 'Bébé'.
By early 1916, records from escadrille N 38 showed that the Nieuport units still were forced to employ the Nieuport 10 as a fighter, simply because there were not enough Nieuport 11 available. This was the reason why the Nieuport 11 was only supplied to the unit's most experienced pilots which, considering how difficult it was to handle, was a fortunate decision. By the time of the Battle of the Somme, N 38 had only five Nieuport 11 available, while N 49 just seven in March 1916 and N 31 had just three by October 1916.

The Nieuport 11 was gradually supplied to the following escadrilles:

N 3, N 12, N 15, N 23, N26, N 31, N 37, N 38, N 48, N 49, N 57, N 65, N 67, N 68, N 69, N 73, N 102, N 103, N 112, N 124, plus one special escadrille, Escadrille 92.
The Armée Française d'Orient (A.F.O. - French Army of the East, the French Army serving in the Macedonian front) also had two escadrilles under its command, N 387 and N 391. 
During the famous Battle of Verdun, which began on 21st February 1916, nine Nieuport 11 escadrilles were sent to that sector to achieve aerial supremacy. Initially those units were under direct control of various Groupes d'Armée (Army Groups), meaning that they employed most of the time escorting reconnaissance and bomber units assigned to the same Groupe d'Armée, while the Nieuport units themselves were also required to perform reconnaissance missions, leaflet drops and even spy deliveries behind enemy lines. Those duties were in addition to the usual fighter patrols and attacking enemy balloons. 
However, the French realized that it was more effective to concentrate fighter units in a single group and employ them to gain air superiority over sectors of the front. 
In preparation for the incoming Battle of the Somme one new group, Groupement de Combat de la Somme (Somme's Combat Group) containing seven escadrilles was formed in April 1916. This group was tasked with the inhibition of German reconnaissance aircraft and balloons from detecting French movement of troops and supplies to the front before tha battle began in late June.
By mid-1916 the Nieuport 11 was being replaced by the Nieuport 16 and by late 1916 almost every Nieuport 11 was already withdrawn from frontline service. 
After being withdrawn from the frontlines, the Nieuport 11 were assigned to training units. 

The Nieuport 11 gave France its first modern fighter and allowed Aviation Militaire to keep supremacy over the Fokker E.III, while, as stated, at Verdun and the Somme the Nieuport 11 controlled the skies over the battlefield.

The Nieuport 16, on the other hand, was an improved variant of the Nieuport 11. It was developed in 1916 with a strengthened airframe and powered by a more powerful 110 hp Le-Rhône 9J rotary engine. Visually it was similar to the "11" but it could be distinguished for having a headrest for the pilot and a larger aperture in front of the "horseshoe" cowling. The "16" was seen as an interim type, while the better Nieuport 17 became available. Just like the Nieuport 11, the "16" lacked a synchronization gear, so it was armed with either a Hotchkiss or a Lewis machine gun, mounted over the top wing, firing over the propeller's arch. Some Nieuport 16 were also fitted with Le Prieur rockets, from the struts to attack German observation Kite balloons. 

Unlike the Nieuport 11, the Nieuport 16 wasn't employed in large quantities, as it was seen as an interim type, while the Nieuport 17 arrived. Some of the escadrilles to have employed the Nieuport 16 were: N 3, N 12, N 15, N 23, N 26, N 31, N 37, N 48, N 49, N 57, N 62, N 65, N 67, N 68, N 69, N 73, N 75, N 77, N 102, N 103, N 112 and N 124.
The Nieuport 16-equipped escadrilles were active at the Somme Front. The Groupement de Combat de la Somme was formed in April to achieve local aerial supremacy over the front, while the Groupement de Chasse Cachy (Cachy's Fighter Group) also employed the type. 

Groupe de Combat de la Somme was tasked with supporting the 6th Armée during the battle. When the Somme offensive began, the group acted in the infantry support role, performing ground attacks while attempting to control the skies over the battlefield. When the Germans sent additional aircraft to the Somme, the Aviation Militaire sent seven escadrilles from Groupement Cachy to keep the aerial supremacy. Groupement Cachy's main mission was to provide aerial cover for the reconnaissance and bombing units in the Somme.
Anyway, the Nieuport 16s were soon replaced by the better and more effective Nieuport 17, with some few escadrilles kept the "16" until early 1917. It seems likely that by late 1916 most units had already replaced the Nieuport 18 entirely.

Sources:
1st Flying Machines Press - French Aircraft of the First World War
2nd https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nieuport_11
3rd https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nieuport_16

Nieuport 11 & 16, part five. The 'Bébé' in Italy.

 

Italy employed the Nieuport 11 in large quantities to supplement and replace the outdated Nieuport 10. Italian aircraft manufacturer Macchi, which initially was a subsidiary of Nieuport,  built the Nieuport 11 locally. In fact, a total of 450 'Bébés' were manufactured in Italy, plus additional 93, out of 200 originally ordered, by the Officine Elettro-Ferroviarie in Milan. 
The Nieuport 11 was initially employed in Italy in 1916 by 70a Squadriglia (a squadron-sized unit), based at Santa Caterina, north-eastern Italy. The unit was rebased to Udine, where the supreme command was located. When destined in this area, 70a Squadriglia performed offensive patrols over the frontlines. By December 1916 the majority of the 56 enemy airplanes downed by Italian fighters were dispatched by Nieuport 11s. By this time, Italian pilots complained about the Lewis gun, which was difficult to reload while in flight, and the Nieuport 11 could just carry a small number of additional magazines. By late 1916 some few 'Bébés' were equipped with the Le Prieur rocket system to attack enemy balloons.
During 1916 there were four squadriglias employing the Nieuport 11; 70, 71, 75 and 76a.
By early 1917 there were six additional squadrons: 77, 78, 79, 80, 81 and 82a, plus 83a Squadriglia based at Kremain, Macedonia, 85a Squadriglia at Piskupi, Albania and the Sezione (Section - a flight-sized unit) Nieuport at Belluno. These two last squadriglias were, in spite of their name, also flight-sized.
During 1916 and 1917 Macchi was able to produce between 35 and 45 aircraft per month, being Nieuport 11 most of them. However, by early 1917 they were being replaced by the Nieuport 17 in production lines, so by October 1917 only nine squadriglias still had the Nieuport 11 in active service: 70, 71, 72, 75, 76,  78, 79, 82 and 85, this last one still operating from Piskupi, in Albania. 
By late 1917 the number of Nieuport 11-equipped squadriglias was reduced to six: 71, 72, 75, 76, 82 and 91. 
The Nieuport 11 was, by 1918, outdated and being replaced by the better Nieuport 17 as it became available, so the Nieuport 11 was reassigned to training units. By February 1918 there were just 22 Nieuport 11 in service, with 85a Squadriglia, in Albania, being the last operator of the type as they kept it until 4th November 1918.

Sources:
1st Flying Machines Press - French Aircraft of the First World War
2nd https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nieuport_11 (translated)
3rd https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/70ª_Squadriglia_caccia (translated)
4th https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/71ª_Squadriglia_caccia (translated)
and so on for every squadriglia.

Nieuport 11 & 16, part four. The 'Bébé' in service with Russia and the USSR.

 

During World War I, the Imperial Russian Air Service (IRAS) found that the Nieuport 10 (a versatile sesquiplane, forerunner of the Nieuport 11 which could fill a wide variety of roles, among them, the fighter one) was barely effective as a fighter and saw the Nieuport 11 as an important improvement. Initially, some few French machines were imported but a license production contract was granted soon to Dux factory, in Moscow. 
An early order of 200 Nieuport 11s was soon placed with Dux in 1916. Dux-built machines differed from the original French machines. For instance, Russian-built machines were made out of pine, instead of spruce and flax was employed for covering in lieu of silk, due to the scarcity of materials in Tsarist Russia. Those changes in construction materials made the Dux-Nieuport 11s to be 30 kg heavier than its French counterparts and their quality overall was very poor. Quoting a commander of the 8th Fighter Unit, the Dux Nieuports "... could not be assembled because the parts did not fit and... the bolts fixing the struts with the spars broke into pieces." The 'Bébé' was later built under license by Mosca-Bystritsky (Moscow), Anatra (Odessa) and Shchetinin (St. Petersburg), making a total of just seventy machines being manufactured in 1916.
The initial imported Nieuport 11s were unarmed, so many pilots of the front-line squadrons had to supply their own weapons, like pistols and rifles. Luckily for them, V.V. Jordan designed a machine gun mount that allowed a weapon to be carried, although it had to be angled in order to fire over the propeller, the mount enable it rotate vertically. 
The Nieuport 16, on the other hand, was mainly imported to Russia with some few examples being built by Dux. The purchased Nieuport 16s were powered by the 110 hp. Le Rhône 9J engine with one Nieuport 16 being powered by a de-rated 80 hp Le Rhône, which was employed as a trainer.

Anyway, both Nieuport 11 and Nieuport 16s were supplied to frontline squadrons and by 1st March 1917 there were ten serving in the northern front, five serving in the western front, sixteen in the south-western front, five in the Romanian front and one in the Caucasus front, making a total of 37 machines.
One month later, there were a total of 70 Nieuport 11s in active service and by June 1917 there were twelve at the northern front, four at the western front, twenty-five at the southwestern/Romanian fronts and seven at the Caucasus front.
The Nieuport 11 proved to be a huge improvement, specially when compared to the Nieuport 10, however, it was soon replaced by the Nieuport 17, when it became available. 
The Nieuport 11 was employed also during the subsequent Russian Civil War, by both Bolsheviks and Whites, mainly as trainers. In fact, when the Civil War was almost over, in December 1921, there were a total of 18 Nieuport 11 in service as trainers serving with the 2nd Military School of Pilots and the 1st Higher School of Military Pilots in June 1923, with the last one being written off charge in 1924.

Sources:
1st Flying Machines Press - French Aircraft of the First World War
2nd https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nieuport_11
3rd https://ava.org.ru/ww1.html (translated)

Nieuport 11 & 16, part three, various users

 

The Nieuport 11, nicknamed 'Bébé' (baby) in French was a French sesquiplane fighter of the World War I era that enjoyed good reputation as a combat plane and was exported (or was captured by) to various countries around the world, among its users stand the following ones:

• Austro-Hungarian Empire: At least one Macchi-built Nieuport 11 was captured by Austrian troops in north-eastern Italy and was sent to Vienna for evaluation and propaganda. It was painted in Austro-Hungarian KUK markings and received a new Austrian registration, 00.27. Its fate is unknown.
  
  
• German Empire: During 1916 the German Army managed to capture many Nieuport 11 & 16, these being employed by some German pilots who achieved ace status in those machines. They were Oblt. Kurt Student and Lt. Gustav Leffers.
  
  
• Netherlands: During the war, on 2nd February 1917, one Nieuport 11 with 3981 as serial number and belonging to 'A' Squadron, No.1 Wing Royal Naval Air Service (according to other sources it belonged to No. 6 Squadron) made a forced landing at the village of Cadzand, western Netherlands. Dutch authorities purchased the plane from the British and registered it as 'LA-40', with subsequent changes being made to the serial number, to N 213 and then N 230.
  The Royal Netherlands Army evaluated the aircraft and, based on its results, they ordered twenty additional machines to be built by the NV Dutch Motor Car and Airplane Factory at Trompenburg, Rotterdam under license. This factory was commonly known as Spyker (or Spykjer). However, given the war necessities, the needed parts and other materials were not delivered until 1918, so the first twelve aircraft lacked wheels and other important parts, however, as five Nieuport 11 were delivered shortly later and, as the war ended, the flow of spare parts and materials was resumed and the original twelve incomplete machines were, eventually completed.
  It seems that, according to an official report, the Dutch Nieuports were kept out of use between November 1919 and March 1920 after some accidents took place due to the poor quality of the machines. Some other sources claim they were never flown.
  Anyway, it also seems that in 1925 the Dutch Nieuports were still employed.
  
  
• Romania: Given the urgent for armament of the Royal Romanian Army in 1916, a total of twenty-eight Nieuport 11s were sent from the Royal Naval Air Service to Romania. Of those eight were assigned to Grupul 3 (Grupul is the Romanian word for 'Squadron') as the 'Escadrilla Nieuport (Franco/Romana). The deliveries of Nieuports were steady and eventually four fighter units saw service with the Corpul de Aviatie (Aviation Corps - the aviation branch of the Royal Romanian Army back then). 
  Those units were Grupul 1 & 2, attached to 1st Romanian Army and Grupul 1 & 3 attached to 2nd Romanian Army. 
  The Nieuports were used, under French supervisors, to provide aerial defence for Bucharest and the Russian army at Braila, northern Romania. The Grupuls saw extensive action over the fronts and by 15th December 1916 there were less than half of the original 28 Nieuports in service as only 12 were still in service, with six being kept under maintenance and additional eight no longer airworthy. The Nieuport 11s were replaced by the better Nieuport 17 as the year 1917 progressed.

Sources:

1st Flying Machines Press - French Aircraft of the First World War
2nd https://kw.jonkerweb.net/index.php/en/aircraft-factory-lists/aircrafts-n/nieuport-11-c1-bb-uk?showall=1
3rd Signal Squadron - Aircraft In action 167 - Nieuport Fighters in Action
4th https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nieuport_11

Nieuport 11 & 16, part two. The 'Bébé' in service with the Lafayette Escadrille

 

Although officially the United States did not employ nor the Nieuport 11 or 16, the American volunteers serving with the French Aéronautique Militaire (French Aerial Arm) piloted the Nieuport 11, in the famous N124 Escadrille, AKA Lafayette Escadrille.
This unit was formed officially on 16th April 1916 and consisted mainly of American volunteer pilots and was initially known simply as Escadrille de Chasse Nieuport 124 (Escadrille Américaine) (Nieuport Fighter Squadron 124 - American Squadron). It was formed at Luxeuil-les-Bains in France, close to the Swiss border, where the pilots were trained. 
The unit proved soon to be very valuable by both Frenchs and Americans, because before the First World War airplanes were not considered to be useful in combat. 

The Lafayette Squadron (as it was more commonly known) was equipped with the Nieuport 11 since January 1916 at their training site. Apparently, the initial equipment consisted on a mixture of Nieuport 11 and 17s, with some 16s too. It was in those 'Bébés' when the unit saw its baptism of fire on 13th May 1916 at the Battle of Verdun and, five days later, on 18th May 1916 Kiffin Rockwell scored the unit's first aerial kill. Weeks later, on 23rd June, the escadrille suffered its first casualty when Victor Chapman was shot down over Douaumont, in the Meuse department. It's hard to know when the Nieuport 11 were replaced by either Nieuport 17s or SPAD S.VIIs, but it is know that the 'Bébés' didn't see active service beyond summer 1916.

Sources:
1st https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lafayette_Escadrille
2nd http://albindenis.free.fr/Site_escadrille/escadrille124Lafayette.htm (translated)

3rd Flying Machines Press  - French Aircraft of the First World War

4th Osprey - Aviation Elite 17 - Lafayette Escadrille American Volunteer Airmen In WWI

Nieuport 11 & 16, part two. The 'Bébé' in service with Royal Flying Corps & Royal Naval Air Service

 

The Nieuport 11 was a French sesquiplane French fighter of the World War I. It was designed by Gustave Delage and the type was successful enough to be exported to other countries, among them, the British Empire.

The Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) got a total of 21 Nieuport 11s, with allotted serials ranging from 3975 to 3978 and 3980 to 3994. Those served with No. 1 Wing at St. Pol-du-Mer, in northern France during late 1915 and early 1916, No. 2 Wing at Imbros (an island in the Turkish Aegean Sea), during the Gallipoli Campaign and No. 4 Wing, based at Eastchurch, England, which was a training unit. Eventually both Nos. 3975 and 3978 were sent to Romania.
There were plans to provide the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) with six ex-RNAS Nieuport 11s, and were even allotted serial numbers ranging from A8738 to A8743, but eventually none served with the RFC, because the better Nieuport 16 became available.
The Nieuport 16 was an improved version of the Nieuport 11 with a better engine and stronger airframe. It can be distinguished by having a headrest, which the Nieuport 11 lacked.
The RNAS purchased twelve Nieuport 16 in early 1916 and were assigned to defend the Royal Navy's base at Dunkerque. Those 'Bébés' were allocated serial numbers 9154 to 9200, however, given the desperate need of the RFC for fighters, they were transferred directly to the RFC, never serving with the RNAS.
Once in the RFC, they received RFC serials, and were considered superiors to the De Havilland DH.2 fighter, which was in service back then and constituted the backbone of RFC's fighter force.
The Nieuport 16s served with Nos. 1, 3, 11, 29, 60 and 64 Squadrons and some were field-modified with Lewis machine guns mounted on a flexible mount, while others had their original synchronization system replaced by the Alkan synchronization system. The top ace of the RFC back then, Albert Ball flew the Nieuport 16, scoring many kills and some RFC's Nieuports were also equipped with the Le Prieur rockets (known commonly as 'Torpedoes' by ground crews) to use them against balloons, before the Battle of the Somme and, on 25th June 1916 fifteen German Drachen balloons were attacked with six being destroyed by the rockets. 
The Nieuport 16s were soon replaced by the better Nieuport 17, with A-131 of No. 29 Squadron being the last Nieuport 16 in service with the RFC, withdrawn in April 1917. 
Many of the remaining machines were sent to serve with the Scout School at No. 1 Aircraft Depot at St. Omer, northern France.

Sources:
1st Flying Machines Press - French Aircraft of the First World War
2nd https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235091124-nieuport-11-in-british-colors
3rd Signal Squadron - Aircraft In action 167 - Nieuport Fighters in Action
4th https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nieuport_16
5th https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nieuport_11

Nieuport 11. Part one. The 'Bébé' in Belgium

 

The Nieuport 11 was a French sesquiplane fighter aircraft from the World War I, while the Nieuport 16 was an improved variant, powered by a more powerful Le Rhône engine.
It received good reputation and was exported to various countries around the world, among them, Belgium.
In contemporary sources it's referred as 'Nieuport XI C.1' (or 'Nieuport XVI C.1) where the letter 'C' stands for 'Chasseur', meaning 'Hunter' in French.
It's commonly believed that approximately 12 Nieuport 11 C.1 were sent to serve with the Belgian Aviation Militaire (Belgian Military Aviation) on 5th January 1916 and were followed by two additional Nieuport 16 in September 1916. 
Both Nieuport 11 and 16 were employed by the Belgian Military Aviation's fighter squadrons, Nº1 (Chardon) and Nº5 (Comet), and were even employed by some famous aviation pioneers like Jean Olieslager or Egide Roobaert (who was among the first to have used the Le Prieur rockets -the very first air-to-air rockets), until they were replaced in frontline service by either the better Nieuport 17 or the Hanriot HD.1. 
The remaining Nieuports 11 or 16 were used for pilot training purposes at the Belgian schools of Étampes (France), Juvisy-sur-Orge (France) and after the war, at Asch (Netherlands). 
The last Nieuport 11 or 16 was withdrawn from Belgian inventory in the early 1920s.

Sources:
1st https://www.belgian-wings.be/nieuport-11-c1-16-c1
2nd en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nieuport_11
3rd https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nieuport_16
4th Aeronaut Books - The Belgian Air Service in the First World War