Wings of Glory: World War 1 – Nieuport 17

The Nieuport 17 was a nimble fighter, first released in March 1916. Its excellent maneuverability made a big impact. It soon equipped all of the French fighter squadrons, served as a top British fighter for a year, and was even copied by the Germans! The “sesquiplane” design (a “half” lower wing) gave excellent climb and visibility, but was a weakness in stressful maneuvers. A favorite of aces, the Nieuport 17 was produced in France, Italy, and Russia and used by all Allied armies until late 1917. Nieuport 17 (Baracca) Francesco Baracca was Italy’s top ace of World War I, with 34 kills, several of them in this Nieuport 17. His “prancing horse” symbol was later adopted by Ferrari. Nieuport 17 (Charles Nungesser) The flamboyant pilot, preferred Nieuports, even after his squadron switched to SPADs. He survived World War I as France’s #3 scoring ace. Nieuport 17 (Thaw/Lufbery) American volunteers and French officers fought side–by–side in the “Escadrille Lafayette.” Cards for two of them, Raoul Lufbery and Bill Thaw, are featured in this model.