Nieuport 24 (oz4736)

About this Plan

Nieuport 24 bis. Control line scale model WWI biplane fighter. McCoy .19 engine shown.

Quote: "Tops for almost a half century among popular World War One fighter planes which have captured the modeler's fancy has been the Nieuport series of 'Vee Strutters.'

The control line miniature presented here is a one-inch-to-the-foot scale Nieuport 24 bis. The full-size craft combined components of Type 17 and 27. 'Bis' means variant or modification. Special care was taken in our model to have exceptional strength as well as simplicity in wing alignment. You need not be a modeling genius to build this copy of a famous fighter. Any glow plug or diesel engine from .14 to .29 cubic inch displacement can be used.

Markings duplicate those used by the successful Nieuport pilot, the famous Franch Ace Lieutenant Charles Nungesser. Victor of forty-five aerial combats he was called the 'Iron Man' of the French Air Service because he was wounded seventeen times. Those repeated injuries not only crippled the flyer early in the War but sapped his strength until he was on the verge of total collapse.

Nungesser (none-guesser) favored the agile Nieuport even after the superior SPAD became available. His uncanny ability as a fighter pilot led the French command to give the Ace a roving commission which enabled Nungesser to fly and fight wherever and whenever he chose. A detailed account about this unusual flyer and his various Nieuports appears in the December 1964/January 1965 issue of Air Progress magazine.

The Nieuport 24 bis which made its appearance in late 1917 was a refinement of the earlier type 17. This frail craft had an empty weight of 782-lb. The 24 bis had a maximum speed of 116-mph when powered by the 130-hp Bentley engine. While the majority of Nieuports were fitted with the French Le Rhone rotary of 120-hp Nungesser used the more powerful British powerplant. As with all Vee strut Nieuport designs, the 24 bis suffered an inherent weakness in its lower wing which resulted in a tendency to twist during high speed dives or violent maneuvers. Despite this and the fact that generally only one synchronized Vickers machine gun was installed (sometimes a smaller Lewis gun was added on the upper wing) Nungesser preferred the Nieuport. He must have felt that the tiny pursuits were true thoroughbreds who perhaps required a little extra pampering in order to make them perform like champions.

Construction of the U-control model begins with fuselage. Lay out side frames over the full-size plans and pin wood to workbench. Note entire nose area is solid sheet balsa. Cut openings for lower wing's leading and trailing edges with great accuracy. Use very hard balsa for longerons..."

Update 15/11/2016: added article, thanks to theshadow.

Supplementary file notes

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