The small Nieuport 11 biplane was affectionately known as the "Bébé" (baby). Originally designed for racing, this light plane was fast and extremely manoeuvrable. Its only major problem was in the design of its wing struts. In a steep dive, the struts allowed the wings to twist, sometimes with disastrous results. Used by the British and French to counter the Fokker E.III, the Nieuport 11 was disadvantaged by its lack of a synchronized machine gun.

Country: France
Manufacturer: Societe Anonyme des Etablissements Nieuport
Type: Fighter
First Introduced: July 1915
Number Built:
Engine: Le Rhône 9C, 9 cylinder, air cooled rotary, 80 hp
Wing Span: 24 ft 9 in [7.55 m]
Length: 19 ft 1/3 in [5.8 m]
Height: 8 ft 1/2 in [2.45 m]
Empty Weight:
Gross Weight: 1,060 lb [480 kg]
Max Speed: 97 mph [156 km/h] at sea level
Ceiling: 15,090 ft [4,600 m]
Endurance: 2 hrs 30 mins
Crew: 1
Armament: 1 Lewis machine gun, mounted on the upper wing