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Nieuport 17C1 & 23C1

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Single-engine single-seat fighter & trainer aircraft

   In order to improve the basic Nieuport 11/16 C1 fighter design, Nieuport’s chief designer Gustave Delage, increased the Bébé’s general size and brought the wing surface to 15 m2. Also, a more powerful 110 HP Le Rhone 9Ja rotary engine was installed as well as an Alkan -synchronized drum fed Lewis- or belt-fed Vickers-machine gun. The end result was a great new fighter designated Nieuport 17 C1.

   A further improvement by installing an even more powerful 120 HP Le Rhone 9Jb and a more elaborated streamline transition from cowling into fuselage resulted in the Nieuport 23 C1.

  As of May 1917, the Belgian Air Service received the first of an estimated 36 Nieuport 23 C1 fighters for use with N° 1 Squadron (later Chardon) and N° 5 Squadron (Comet) (both units became respectively N° 9 and N° 10 Squadron in May 1918). According to some researchers, a small number of Nieuport 17 C1 fighters was also delivered pending the availability of sufficient Nie 23’s - possibly on lease. In both units the Nieuport 23 C1 gradually replaced the Nieuport 11/16 C1 in frontline service. Both with N° 1 and N° 5 Squadron the Nieuport 23 C1 was used until the end of the war, although next to other types as the Hanriot HD, Sopwith Camel or Spad VII/XIII.

   Towards the end of 1918 a number of Nie 17/23 aircraft were relegated to the Pilot School of Juvisy-sur-Orge and later Asch. At the post-war base of Asch at least four machines were downgraded as trainers by installing the 80 HP Le Rhone 9J (of the Nie 11/16) effectively making them Nie 23 E1 and in one case Nie 17 E1. In Belgian service the Nieuport 17/23 was often referred to as the Nieuport 15m2. By 1924 the last of the Nieuports disappeared from the Belgian Military inventory.

   Fortunately, the sole surviving Nieuport 17/23 fighter type in the world can be found at the Royal Army Museum (WHI) in Brussels. Nieuport 23 C1 N5024, flown during World War I by pilot Max Orban, has been masterly restored to its former glory.  (Daniel Brackx)

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N1484

Cell N°.

Type

Date In

Date Out

-

17 C1

Jun 1917

-

History

Nie 17 C1 N1484 delivered pending the arrival of Nie 23 C1 fighters, fate unknown

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N5006

Cell N°.

Type

Date In

Date Out

-

23 C1

Jun 1917

-

History

N5006, fate unknown.

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N5009

Cell N°.

Type

Date In

Date Out

-

23 C1

Jun 1917

-

History

N5009, transferred to Asch Pilot School.

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N5012

Cell N°.

Type

Date In

Date Out

-

23 C1

Jun 1917

-

History

N5012, used by Pilot Jean Stampe, fate unknown.

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N5013

Cell N°.

Type

Date In

Date Out

-

23 C1

1917

-

History

N5013, N° 5 Squadron (Comet) "Va où je te pousse", personal aircraft of Pilot Edmond Desclée.

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N5015

Cell N°.

Type

Date In

Date Out

-

23 C1

1917

-

History

N5015, green Triangle , used by Pilot Carlos Verbessem.

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N5017

Cell N°.

Type

Date In

Date Out

-

23 C1

1917

-

History

N5017, N° 5 Squadron (Comet), used by Pilot "Teddy" Franchomme.

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N5020

Cell N°.

Type

Date In

Date Out

-

23 C1

1917

-

History

N5020, N° 5 Squadron (Comet)

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N5021

Cell N°.

Type

Date In

Date Out

-

23 C1

1917

-

History

N5021, N° 5 Squadron (Comet)

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N5022

Cell N°.

Type

Date In

Date Out

-

23 C1 > 23 E1

1917

-

History

N5022, transferred to Pilot School, N° 5 later "D". Transformed into Nie 23 E1 trainer by replacing the engine by less powerful Le Rhone 9c (of Nie 11 C1)

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N5023

Cell N°.

Type

Date In

Date Out

-

23 C1

1917

-

History

N5023, aircraft tested by Carlos Verbessem on 16 Aug 1917.

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N5024

Cell N°.

Type

Date In

Date Out

-

23 C1

1917

-

History

N5024, N° 5 Squadron (Comet), used by Pilot Max Orban, preserved at the Royal Army Museum (WHI) at Brussels

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N5025

Cell N°.

Type

Date In

Date Out

-

23 C1

1917

-

History

N5025, Yellow square/yellow back, aircraft of Belgian Fighter Ace André "Mystère" De Meulemeester.

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N5029

Cell N°.

Type

Date In

Date Out

-

23 C1

1917

-

History

N5029, fate unknown.

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N5030

Cell N°.

Type

Date In

Date Out

-

23 C1 > 23 E1

1917

Jun 1922

History

N5030, transferred to Pilot School at Asch , N° 6, Transformed into Nie 23 E1 trainer by replacing the engine by less powerful Le Rhone 9c (of Nie 11 C1) Crashed at Zwartberg on 16 Jun 1922.

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N5035

Cell N°.

Type

Date In

Date Out

-

23 C1

1917

-

History

N5035, N° 5 Squadron (Comet) used by Pilot Alexndre "Sacha" Petrowski.

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N5036

Cell N°.

Type

Date In

Date Out

-

23 C1 > 23 E1

1917

-

History

N5036, transferred to Pilot School, "N". Transformed into Nie 23 E1 trainer by replacing the engine by less powerful Le Rhone 9c (of Nie 11 C1)

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Nxxxx

Cell N°.

Type

Date In

Date Out

-

23 C1

1917

-

History

Nxxxx, N° 1 Squadron "VAMPIRE", unidentified aircraft used by Pilot Kervy de Lettenhove

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Nxxxx

Cell N°.

Type

Date In

Date Out

-

23 C1

1917

May 1917

History

Nxxxx, Crescent on fuselage, used by Pilot Fernand de Woot de Trixhe, crashed on 29 May 1917

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Nxxxx

Cell N°.

Type

Date In

Date Out

-

17 C1 > 17 E1

1917

-

History

Nxxxx, transferred to Pilot School, "C", Transformed into Nie 17 E1 trainer by replacing the engine by less powerful Le Rhone 9c (of Nie 11 C1)

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