Wanted: Nieuport

rammjaeger · 21 November 2005, 12:35 PM

On 2 October 1918 a Nieuport combat single seater (maybe Nieuport XXIV) crashed and killed its pilot in Großenhain.

The airplane had a number 4644 or 4641 on its airframe.

Anything known about the loss of a Nieuport with this number at the front?

VBR
Rammjaeger

gilles · 21 November 2005, 02:24 PM

Hello

According to french air service chronology, a Nieuport 24bis #4641 was lost september 5th 1917.
It belonged to escadrille N92 based at Belrain (Saint Mihiel area).
Its pilot, POW, was caporal Louis Charton, actually a US citizen born in New York.
I don't know the circumstances of the loss.
In french service, the aircraft may have look like this :
http://gaubs.free.fr/ESCADRILLES/SPA92/Photos/N11.htm

gilles

franzkait · 22 November 2005, 04:13 AM

rammjaeger, why is a nieuport flying in Großenhain in 1918 ?

rammjaeger · 22 November 2005, 05:19 AM

franzkait,

Großenhain was one of the older and bigger Flieger-Ersatz-Abteilungen and included also some Flieger-Schulen and Beobachter- and (Bord)Schützen-Kurse in other towns. Reportedly 5000 men alltogether in late 1918.

I think the captured Nieuport (and other types) was transferred to Großenhain to show flying teachers and trainees the appearance and performance of modern hostile airplanes.

Pilot Gefreiter Paul Göhler died in the crash south of the airfield.

rammjaeger · 22 November 2005, 05:34 AM

Gilles,

Bingo! - thank you very much!

I looked again and did see the number 4641 on the wing.

It is a strange bird with French cockades and number 4641 on the wing still visible, German crosses on airframe and rudder and French individual marking (overpainted?) before the cross on the airframe too.
As well the airplane carries the designation and telephon number of FEA 6 and a big number 9.