Redfern Nieuport 17/24

The Redfern Nieuport 17/24 is an American homebuilt aircraft that was designed by Walter Redfern and produced by the Walter Redfern Company of Post Falls, Idaho, based upon the First World War Nieuport 17 and Nieuport 24 fighter aircraft. When it was available the aircraft was supplied in the form of plans for amateur construction.

The plans allow a builder to complete the aircraft as either a Nieuport 17 or Nieuport 24.

Design and development
The Nieuport 17/24 features a biplane layout, a single-seat open cockpit, fixed conventional landing gear with and a single engine in tractor configuration.

The replica is built from a combination of wood and metal tubing, all covered in doped aircraft fabric. Its 26.92 ft span wing, has a wing area of 162.0 sqft and is supported by interplane struts, cabane struts and flying wires. The tail is also cable-braced. The acceptable power range is 145 to 180 hp and the standard engine used is the 145 hp Warner Scarab seven cylinder radial engine.

Changes over the original aircraft design include the addition of main wheel brakes and a tailwheel, whereas the original aircraft had no brakes and fitted a tailskid.

The Nieuport 17/24 has a typical empty weight of 1000 lb and a gross weight of 1280 lb, giving a useful load of 280 lb. With full fuel of 25 u.s.gal the payload for the pilot and baggage is 130 lb.

The standard day, sea level, no wind, take off with a 145 hp engine is 125 ft and the landing roll is 300 ft.

The manufacturer estimated the construction time from the supplied plans as 2000 hours.

Operational history
By 1998 the company reported that 100 aircraft were completed and flying.