Nieuport 24-27 (oz16761)

About this Plan

Nieuport 24-27. Free flight peanut scale model WWI fighter biplane, for rubber power.

Quote: "Nieuport Type 24/27. While not considered one of the better WWI fighters, the Nieuport 24/27 does make a challenging project for more experienced Peanuteers.

Several years ago a Nieuport 24 was hangared at the airport at Niagara Falls, New York. It was described to airshow visitors by a hangar guide as probably never having seen combat, and as it was unarmed, was thought to have been used by the Corps of Engineers in the way Piper L-4 Cubs were used in WWII. That may have put it to good use, for as fighters go, this particular Nieuport was not a roaring success.

In the early days of WWI, the Germans put the first aircraft specifically designed as a fighter into the air. It was known as the Fokker Eindecker. To counter this scourge the French came up with a neat little biplane, the Nieuport 17. It was decidedly superior to the Eindecker, but suddenly Fokker DVIIs and the Albatross D5 appeared in the skies over the eastern front, easily outclassing the Nieuport 17. The Nieuport 24/27 was an attempt to catch up, but the days of the Spad, SE-5 and Sopwith Camel had arrived and in turn outclassed the upgraded Nieuports.

So much for history - the serious Peanut scale competitor will certainly wish to research this subject on his own and come up with colors, details and documentation necessary to impress the judges today.

There are two choices for finishing, both of which are historically correct. The most interesting, but requiring considerable skill and model building experience, is the three-tone French camouflage scheme and related heraldry. Such a finish would require the use of model railroad or similar paints applied with an airbrush - but it would certainly look great. A less ambitious alternate simply requires white tissue to simulate fabric and aluminum dope with colored tissue roundels and black tissue lettering.

Construction is a bit more complex than Peanut versions of lightplanes and homebuilts, but the results are well worth the extra effort. Very light 1/16-inch balsa can be substituted for the 1/20-inch material indicated on the plan, however, it must be kept in mind that weight is the greatest enemy of Peanuts and the builder should continually strive for lightness.

Except fora trapezoidal cross-section, the fuselage is copnventional. Cut the crosspieces as shown on the sections, join the side panels and add wedge-shaped pieces just ahead of the stabilizer cradle..."

Direct submission to Outerzone.

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