The Nieuport 28 (N.28C-1) was the first fighter airplane flown in combat by pilots of the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) in WWI. Its second armed patrol with an AEF unit on April 14, 1918, resulted in two victories when Lts. Alan Winslow and Douglas Campbell (the first American-trained ace) of the 94th Aero Squadron each downed an enemy aircraft. Although the Nieuport 28 was considered obsolete at the time, American pilots maintained a favorable ratio of victories to losses with it.

The Nieuport was more maneuverable than the sturdier SPAD XIII that replaced it, but it had a reputation for fragility and a tendency to shed its upper wing fabric in a dive. Even so, many American aces of WW I - including 26-victory ace Capt. Eddie Rickenbacker - flew the French-built Nieuport at one time or another in their careers. This reproduction was rebuilt by Museum personnel. It contains wood and hardware from an original Nieuport 28. The aircraft is painted and marked to represent a Nieuport of the 95th Aero Squadron, 3rd Flight, as it appeared in July 1918. It was placed on display in May 1994.

SPECIFICATIONS

Span: 26 ft. 3 in.

Length: 24 ft. 4 in.

Height: 8 ft.

Weight: 1,625 lbs. loaded

Armament: Two Vickers .303-cal. machine guns

Engine: Gnome 9-N rotary of 160 hp.

Crew: 1

PERFORMANCE

Maximum speed: 122 mph.

Range: 180 miles

Service Ceiling: 17,000 ft.