Nieuport 27

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Nieuport 27

The Nieuport 27 was a French biplane fighter aircraft during World War I designed by Gustave Delage. The model 27 was the last of the Nieuport "v-strut" aircraft to see service, and it marked the height of v-strut development during the First World War. The aircraft was based on the Nieuport 17 and 24 fighters. The 27 incorporated a large plywood vertical tail and a redesigned, rounded horizontal tail to improve stability. Delage additionally rounded the 27's wingtips and ailerons to improve roll rate. The 27 also differed from the 17 in that the 27 featured a semi-rounded rear fuselage which made use of long wooden stringers as well as a simplified tail skid. Horsepower was improved from the Nieuport 17's 110hp rotary engine to a 120hp or, occasionally, a 130hp rotary. Nieuport 27s were armed either with a synchronized, fuselage-mounted Vickers machine gun (in French Service) or a Lewis Gun mounted on a Foster mounting on the top wing (in British service). Two guns were occasionally fitted, but this had a severe effect on performance, which was at best little better than that of earlier models. The type served with the French Aviation Militaire and also with the British Royal Flying Corps/Royal Air Force during 1917 and early 1918. However, by Spring 1918 most 27s had been withdrawn from service and replaced - with Spad S.XIIIs in French service, and with S.E.5as in the RFC/RAF. Some 120 Nieuport 27 aircraft were bought for the United States Army Air Service for use as trainers in 1918. French ace Charles Nungesser was the most famous pilot to use the 27.