Unboxing the Wings of Glory - Nieuport 11

The new Wings of Glory series 9 aircraft models have been released in the United States. One of the four models is the Nieuport 11, a spiffy little single seat fighter.  The Nieuport 11 was a smaller, simplified version of the Nieuport 10, designed specifically as a single-seat fighter. Like the "10" the "11" was a sesquiplane, a biplane with a full-sized top wing with two spars, and a lower wing of much narrower chord and a single spar. Interplane struts in the form of a "Vee" joined the wings together. The sesquiplane layout reduces drag and improves the rate of climb, as well as offering a better view from the cockpit than either biplane or monoplane, while being substantially stronger than contemporary monoplanes.

The Nieuport 11 outclassed the Fokker Eindecker in every respect, including speed, climb rate and maneuverability. It featured ailerons for lateral control rather than the Fokker'swing warping, giving lighter, quicker roll response, and its elevator was attached to a conventional tail plane which provided better pitch control as opposed to the all-moving, balanced "Morane type" elevators of the Fokker. 

Enough of the technical history, on to the plane! 

The Nieuport 11 box. Ares has gone back to a box with the 'hook' atached to the shrink wrap. This is preferred for those that save their boxes as it makes storage in a case much easier. 

The box with the plastic wrap removed. 

Removing the tray from the box we see the standard Ares Wings of Glory packing tray.

The contents of the box - one (1) model, a flight base with four (4) pegs, a maneuver deck and the plane and ace cards. 

The pack includes the plane card (lower right) as well as the pilot's 'ace' card, the ace ability and cards for the special rules associated with the plane. 

Side view showing the detail on the side of the fuselage and tail vertical stabilzer.

More of a head on view showing the gun and the grey engine cowling. The base is pretty much the standard Wings of Glory single engine fighter base showing the firing arc and  the basic plane statistics.

Here's an overhead view of the plane model showing the Lewis gun mounted on the uppoer wing. The early 1916 markings lack the red white and blue roundels that will become the standard markings for the French air corps.

At last - Nieuport 11 models are part of the Wings of Glory game! As noted above, the Nieuport is a great opponent for those Eindeckers and can mix it up with the early Albatross.

In addition to this model, there is a rocker armed 'balloon buster' version and a green 'Escadrille' model included in the series 9 release.