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Victory 31

Event ID: 177

Categories: 

Under the guns of the Red Baron, Norman Franks, Hal Giblin and Nigel McCrery

25 March 1917

50.27911721753561, 2.8209634777581267
Tilloy

Source ID: 13

Under the guns of the Red Baron, Norman Franks, Hal Giblin and Nigel McCrery p.  86 

ISBN: 9781898697275

“Combat Report: 0820 hrs, Tilloy. Nieuport one-seater – burnt. Occupant: Lieutenant Grivert – English. An enemy squadron had passed our lines. I went up, overtaking their last machine. After only a very few shots, the enemy’s propeller stopped turning. The adversary landed near Tilloy, upsetting his plane. I observed that some moments later the plane began to burn. NB. From this date, German and British times became the same, and would continue so until 16 April, so on the next few reports, the times should coincide. Weather: clear in the morning with occasional clouds.”

This Post Has One Comment

  1. A discrepancy exists regarding the exact model of this Nieuport, whether it was a 17 or 23. The two were nearly identical, with the major difference being that the latter employed a 120 hp engine, rather than the former’s 110 hp—yet it seems early examples of the Nieuport 23 still employed the 110 hp engine.

    In the Cross and Cockade International book Nieuports in RNAS, RFC and RAF Service, A6689’s serial and SFA numbers are listed as those of a Nieuport 23. However, the same publication also says the RFC did not receive their first Nieuport 23 until May 1917—after Gilbert was shot down.

    The strongest association with a Nieuport 17 is found on the swatch of fabric souvenired from this machine and displayed in the post-war Richthofen Museum, which reads “2874 TYPE 17.” Yet other identified N23s have been photographed with NI 7 stenciling, and records often list individual machines as both types, so a bit of uncertainty remains.

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