By 1917 the single-spar wing had reached the limit of development so Nieuport designed to two-spar Nieuport 28 around the new 160 hp Gnome engine.
Flying the Nieuport 28C-1 – Frank Tallman
A single bay biplane, the two-spar wooden wings have plywood on the leading edges and fabric covering aft of the front spar. The wooden fuselage has plywood covering as far as the cockpit and fabric on the rear fuselage. Conventional controls were fitted, with ailerons on the lower wings only.
Only a few were used by the French Air Force but the Americans bought 297 to equip their Expeditionary Force.
They did have a habit of shedding fabric from its wings in a dive. Before this was fixed, the Nieuport 28 had been replaced in the US squadrons by Spad 13’s.
Ultralight replica:
Airdrome Airplanes Nieuport 28
28C
Engine: Gnome, 160 hp or Clerget, 160 hp
Wingspan: 26 ft 9 in
Length: 20 ft 3 in
Height: 7 ft
Max speed: 140 mph at SL
Endurance: 2 hr
Armament: 1 or 2 Vickers mg
Crew: 1
Nieuport N 28 C 1 Bébé
Engine: Gnôme-et-Rhône 9 N Monosoupape, 160 hp
Length: 21 ft 9 in / 6.4 m
Height: 8 ft 1 in / 2.5 m
Wingspan: 26 ft 9 in / 8.16 m
Wing area: 172.224 sqft / 16.0 sq.m
Max take-off weight: 1540 lb
Weight empty: 960 lb / 435.0 kg
Max. weight carried: 507.2 lb / 230.0 kg
Fuel capacity: 33 Imp.Gal
Max. speed: 128 mph / 111 kts / 206 km/h at SL
Initial climb rate: 1181.10 ft/min / 6.00 m/s
Service ceiling: 20,000 ft / 6100 m
Wing load: 8.61 lb/sq.ft / 42.00 kg/sq.m
Range: 130 nm / 240 km
Endurance: 2 h
Crew: 1
Armament: 2 x Vickers mg
All Aero 