Nieuport 11 Bebe (oz15114)

About this Plan

Nieuport 11 Bebe. Radio control scale model WWI biplane fighter. Wingspan 49 in, for .20 engines.

Quote: "Nieuport Bebe. Bob Wright introduces his delightful 48 in span Nieuport model for 20 sized engines and two function - rudder and throttle - extendable to four function radio.

GUSTAVE DELAGE'S SECOND DESIGN for Nieuport was the Type 11 based on a pre-war Gordon Bennett racer. The engine was an 80 hp Le Rhone 9 cylinder rotary. Armament was a single Lewis gun mounted over the upper wing. The small size of the aeroplane with a span of just under 25 feet earned it the nickname Bebe. At the time it entered service in mid 1915 it was able to successfully challenge the Fokker Eindekkers.

Because the Nieuport 11 served on the Western Front, the Dardanelles, Belgium, Russia and Italy the modeller has a wide choice of colour schemes.

The Model: This is not a model for the experts. It is intended to appeal to those making their first scale model, or perhaps to old 'uns like myself, who favour a quiet life and a lot of fun for a small outlay.

My philosophy with WW1 aeroplanes is to build them light, use modest size engines, the minimum of radio equipment and trim them as if they were free flight models. In this way they fly at realistic speeds and look very well in the air. I don't go for a lot of detail but try to capture the character of the real thing. Too much detail adds weight and that is to be avoided at all cost.

Should you decide to build this model I recommend the purchase of Drawing No.3033 from the Plans Service. This comes together with an illustrated article full of interesting information on the Bebe.

Construction is quite simple and there is no difficult wire bending. If the notes on the drawing are followed it will all go together quite easily. My model weighed just under 3 lb ready for take-off - a real lightweight for those calm evenings!

Constructional Notes: Fuselage: This is best made in two 'boxes' which are then joined together to form the complete fuselage. The front box sides are cut from 1/4 in sheet - don't forget to cut the grooves into which the wires supporting the upper wing are recessed.

Having decided on your engine, its mounting and fuel system, cut-out F1 and F2 and drill all the necessary holes. My model has an Irvine 20 mounted upright and turning a 9+6 propeller. This is a superb little engine with very good throttling ability. A word of advice, don't overpower your model, there is no need for a walloping great '60' or even '40' in this aeroplane. Anyway, back to work lads and quickly make up a pair of rear side frames.

Now you have the front and rear bits, so join them up and sit back and admire your work! Next cut and bend the upper wing supporting wires and epoxy them into the previously cut grooves. Note that the rear wires on the model would, on the real aeroplane, be the aileron push rods, but I have utilised them to give a firmer base on which the top wing is mounted. Conversely the real aeroplane's inverted 'V' centre section struts are dummies on the model and take no flight loads. Make up and fit the cockpit decking and the rear fuselage formers and stringers.

Bend up the undercarriage wires, solder them together and sew the assembly to F1 as shown on the drawing. Note that the rear legs are 'sprung' into the tube which is sewn and epoxied to the lower wing..."

Direct submission to Outerzone.

Nieuport Bebe from R/C Scale Aircraft, 1989.

Supplementary file notes

Article pages, thanks to RFJ.

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