The Nieuport 28 C-1 (N.28) was America's first fighter aircraft. It shot down the
first enemy aircraft for the United States on April 14, 1918, and it also produced
the first American fighter aces. It was employed by the 1st Pursuit Group consisting
of the 27th, 94th, 95th and 147th Pursuit Squadrons from April through July 1918.
This was almost half of the time the American Air Service saw combat in the war.
Captain Eddie Rickenbacker scored approximately 12 of his 26 victories flying the
Nieuport 28. Raoul Lufbery, Alan Winslow, Douglas Campbell, and James Norman Hall
(Author of "Mutiny on the Bounty") were among its famous pilots. Raoul Lufbery and
Quentin Roosevelt, son of President Theodore Roosevelt, were killed in combat flying
the aircraft.
Although overshadowed by the better known SPAD fighter, the Nieuport 28 C-1 was
thought to be the most elegant WWI fighter. It was the last model of the Nieuport
fighter series manufactured by the French. Interestingly, the N.28 was never used
by the French because they preferred the SPAD. Instead, they sold 297 of the
aircraft to the Americans who had no fighter airplanes of their own. The major
problem with the design was its dangerous tendency to shed its top wing fabric
in a dive. Rickenbacker (twice), Hall, and Jimmy Meissner all had this happen.
When it occurred, it required skillful flying to avoid crashing. Despite this
feature, its pilots were very reluctant to give up the N.28 for the SPAD. They liked
its simplicity and better maneuverability.
The Museums's aircraft is in the markings of Ken Marr, commanding officer of the
famous 94th "Hat-in-the-Ring" Squadron. The aircraft is an original restoration
by George Hunt. Its early history is unknown, but it was probably shipped to the
United States shortly after WWI. It is known that the plane was one of three owned
by Frank Tallman, all of which were used in motion picture work during the 1930s
including the classic WWI flying film "The Dawn Patrol".
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