Original Nieuport 28C.1 ready for take off

The American Heritage Museum has completed the restoration of its Nieuport 28C.1.

On March 29 2022, the company – located within the Collings Foundation in Hudson, Massachusetts – announced that the restoration of its Gnome-powered biplane which, was led by Mikael Carlson in Sweden, was now complete, with ground runs and taxi trials progressing well.

**The American Heritage Museum’s pristine Nieuport 28C.1 wears the markings of 94th Aero Squadron pilot Douglas Campbell in 1918 – the first pilot trained in an American unit to become an ace.** American Heritage Museum

While little is known about the machine, it is understood that it was built by France’s Lioré-et-Olivier in 1917 – but was never used in combat. Sent to the United States soon after the end of World War One, it was used during the filming of Howard Hawk’s epic Dawn Patrol in 1930, before being acquired by renowned aerial stuntman Paul Mantz.

Bought in 1968 by Jim Hall, he kept the machine for 50 years before it was acquired by the Collings Foundation in 2018. With work commencing in 2019 to return the aeroplane to its original 1917 stock, the aeroplane is expected to complete it first post restoration flight later this summer.

Once complete, the Nieuport 28C.1 – which will be the only original example of the type flying anywhere in the world will be disassembled and shipped back to the United States for reassembly and test flight before joining the aircraft collection at the American Heritage Museum.