Back in 1999, 13 Oregon pilots came up with a plan to build 14 identical replicas of the Nieuport 11, working together as a team. This summer, the whole fleet is finished, and the extra airplane will be auctioned off on eBay sometime in August. The proceeds will be donated to the EAA Willamette Valley Chapter 292 building fund. The Nieuport to be sold will be on display before the auction at the Northwest EAA Fly-In, July 9-13 in Arlington, Wash., and at EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wis., July 29 – August 4. For those not in on the bidding, you can get a taste of WWI aircraft aloft every weekend in New York at Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome — and now there’s a free ground shuttle for pilots who fly into the nearby Kingston-Ulster Airport (20N). The Oregon homebuilders were inspired by the Lafayette Escadrille — American pilots who volunteered to fly for the Allies before the United States entered the Great War — and who flew Nieuports. In their honor, the EAA members named their group the “Noon Patrol” — joking that they’re too lazy to get up at dawn. In this unique project, all builders worked on all the Nieuports, then held a drawing to match each pilot with an airplane. Decisions were made by consensus at weekly builders meetings.
WWI Fighter Replica To Be Sold On eBay
Key Takeaways:
- A group of 13 Oregon pilots, known as the "Noon Patrol," spent over two decades collaboratively building 14 identical Nieuport 11 replicas, inspired by the Lafayette Escadrille.
- The unique building process involved all members working on every aircraft, making decisions by consensus, and culminating in a drawing to assign each pilot an airplane.
- The 14th completed Nieuport replica will be auctioned off on eBay in August, with proceeds benefiting the EAA Willamette Valley Chapter 292 building fund.
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