Belgian Wings
Belgian Air Force, past and present.
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Nieuport Delage NiD.72 C1
Single seat single engine fighter
In 1928, the Aéronautique Militaire Belge/Belgisch Militair Vliegwezen being aware of the poor performances of the Nieuport Delage NiD 29C1 fighter, established the specifications in order to replace its obsolete fighter. For evaluation purposes a limited number of Avia BH.33 and Nieuport Delage NiD 72 C1 aircraft was acquired that same year. Three NiD 72C1’s sesquiplane fighters were purchased from Nieuport-Astra at Issy-les-Moulineaux (F.) at the price of 1,388,400 Francs. The three aircraft were powered by the Hispano Suiza 12 Hb of 500 Hp. allowing for a top speed of 340 km/h. On 24 October 1929 the three aircraft were delivered to Evere after which a thorough evaluation was conducted involving pilots of squadrons 1/I/2 Aé (Comet), 2/I/2 Aé (Thistle) and the pilot school of Wevelgem (Pinguin). Unfortunately, due the rapid aeronautical technology in the early thirties the aircraft had become obsolete by the time the evaluation was concluded and no orders followed.