Imperial Russian and Communist Nieuports, 1918.....1/72 scale

[S. Uehlinger]

The Nieuport was widely used by the Russian Imperial Air Service during the First World War   The aircraft were also made on license by the Russian company "Dux" - most of which came out of the factory with National Colors on a whopping 14 sides!  (Both sides of both tail surfaces, fuselage sides and on both sides of  wings and the small sequisplane).    Russia had more difficulty manufacturing Airplane Engines, and so depended on a French supply to keep their Fleet in the air.

 

Both models are Revell/ESCI 1/72 Nieuports - I used a little artistic license as these kits are Not Model 11s.  

 

The Imperial Aircraft represents a Nieuport 11, 19th Corps Detachment, Spring 1917.   The fuselage pennant 

 represents the colors of the Order of St George.  "Bob" translates to “Bean” - its significance is unknown.   The decals are from the Eduard kit.

 

The Soviet Nieuport 24 - reflects the decidedly Russian Penchant for displaying "Skull and Bones" in various guises, belongs to the 1st Air Squadron of the Kostroma Region (NE of Moscow, North of Nizhny Novgorod), Pletskaya Airfield, Northern Front, Nov 1918.   The Insignia looks like something out of a Tin Tin Cartoon!    These decals are by Print Scale, an outfit out of Ukraine.   The Aircraft during the Revolutionary period 1918-1920 are particularly interesting because of the wide variety of insignia and nationalities.   These are Ukrainian Aircraft, White Russian, Polish and Soviet Aircraft - as well as from lesser Soviet "Republics" - including Georgia (Transcaucasia).  Most of them fought each other at least for a brief point in time.   I will be using more from the Print Scale "civil war" set in the future!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[NMLeonov]

I really like your Nieuports! I agree that the Revolutionary and Civil War periods in Russia are quite overlooked periods from a modelling perspective, but some of the strangest and most personalized liveries can be seen here as your lovely little models show. Now I am curious what "Bob." must mean on the side of the Imperial aircraft. Perhaps it is an abbreviated form of Bobruisk, the city now located in Belarus. Just a thought!

[Wulfman]

I too am interested in Russian civil war aviation, I look forward to seeing more models. Nice builds by the way !

 

Wulfman

Edited September 22, 2021 by Wulfman

[S. Uehlinger]

Pyradus, perhaps you are right!  I have never head of that city!   I Recommend the book.  "The Imperial Russian Air Service - Famous Pilots and Aircraft of World War 1 by Durkota/Darcy/Kulikov.  I got my copy at a local Farmers Market here in Pennsylvania for $28 (!!!).    It provides a wealth of detail on this topic - along with many excellent (and unpublished) photographs.   The Biographies of the Aces/Noted Pilots are particularly interesting, as some were Estonian/Latvian even Polish as well as Russian.     I spent a few years in Estonia, a bit in Latvia, as well as other parts of the former Soviet Union.    My wife is from Moldova.    Here is one of

my Estonian souvenirs - a 1957 M-72....Soviet copy of a German R-12 and R-71.  (My Other Hobby!)

 

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[pheonix]

Two lovely Nieuports: really interesting to see them in these markings. Eye catching and very interesting.