Nieuport 15
| Nieuport 15 | |
|---|---|
| |
| Nieuport 15 prototype circa 1916 | |
| Role | Bomber |
| National origin | France |
| Manufacturer | Nieuport |
| First flight | November 1916 |
| Status | abandoned |
| Number built | At least 4 |
| Developed from | Nieuport 14[1] |
The Nieuport 15 (or Nieuport XV in contemporary sources) was a French World War I bomber aircraft. Due to disappointing performance the type was rejected and never entered service.[1]
Design and development[edit]
Scaled up from the Nieuport 14, the new bomber was built in the summer of 1916 and the first prototype was ready for testing in November of that year.[1]
The Nieuport 15 was a two-bay sesquiplane with V-struts and a newly designed tailplane including a heart shaped elevators.[1] It was powered by a 220 hp (160 kW) Renault 12F V-12 engine.[2] with Hazet modular radiators mounted on each side of the fuselage.[1]
During limited flight testing the controls and landing gear were found to be unsatisfactory and the French quickly abandoned the bomber.[1] In December 1916 it was declared obsolete but the British showed some interest and had ordered 70 aircraft but after the tests proved disappointing, all orders were eventually cancelled.[1]
Specifications[edit]
Data from History of War[1]
General characteristics
- Crew: 2
- Length: 9.6 m (31.4 ft)
- Wingspan: 17 m (55 ft 9 in)
- Wing area: 47.85 m2 (515.1 sq ft)
- Empty weight: 1,330 kg (2,932 lb)
- Max takeoff weight: 1,900 kg (4,189 lb)
- Powerplant: 1 × Renault 12F V-12 water-cooled piston engine, 160 kW (220 hp)
- Propellers: 2-bladed Chauvière 1665, 2.95 m (9 ft 8 in) diameter wooden fixed pitch propeller.[3]
Performance
- Maximum speed: 155 km/h (96 mph, 84 kn)
- Endurance: 3 hours
- Service ceiling: 4,000 m (13,000 ft)
- Time to altitude: 7 min 20 sec to 3,280 ft
Armament
- Guns: 1 x .303 in (7.70 mm) Lewis Gun on an Etévé gun ring.
- Bombs: Fourteen 120 mm (4.72 in) calibre 10.0 kg (22 lb) Anilite bombs - 140 kg (308 lb) total
See also[edit]
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era
Related lists
References[edit]
Citations[edit]
Bibliography[edit]
- Davilla, Dr. James J.; Soltan, Arthur (1997). French Aircraft of the First World War. Mountain View, CA: Flying Machines Press. ISBN 978-1891268090.
- Hartmann, Gérard. Les NIEUPORT de la guerre (PDF) (in French). Paris. Retrieved 3 August 2015.
- Hartmann, Gérard (6 January 2015). "Les héliciers français" (PDF) (in French). Retrieved 5 August 2019.