Grant Newman has sent in a couple of photos of the Classic Aircraft Nieuport N 11 replica ZK-NII in a new colour scheme, taken at Omaka on 19 February. The new scheme appears to be partly applied in the photos
The colours are those of the Lafayette Escadrille which was an escadrille (a unit featuring more than 10 aircraft) of the French Air Service in WW 1 that was operated mainly by American volunteer pilots, and featured a screaming Indian head.
No doubt the new colour scheme is for "The Americans are Coming" theme of Classic Fighters 2013.
Hey good blog. Greetings from the UK
ReplyDeletePLEASE DO NOT SHOOT THE MESSENGER; BUT:
ReplyDeleteThe "Escadrille Americaine" did not use an "Indian Head" on the sides of their Nieuport 11/16's. Also, they only had these aircraft painted in the 1916 "Nieuport dead leaf" three color camouflage (provable as three and not four colors) or as painted in an ecru/cream color with the Adrian Helmet gray perimeter lining out (appearing on the earliest of ships) or the latter solid cream color machines as Victor Chapman's.
The first aluminum finished aircraft were the Nie. 21's and Nie 17 which were concurrently delivered to N 124 during late August 1916. First Nie 17 delivered was Capitain Thenault's camouflaged plane with his personal butterfly insignia.
The Seminole Indian Head (copied from a "Savage Firearm Company" box containing an over-wing Lewis gun) was first applied on those aluminum-doped 15 meter ships in the last weeks of September or early October of 1916.