1/4 Scale Nieuport 17

Maiden Voyage of Nieuport 17 4:21

The first flight of any model airplane is usually a nail-biter where the builder is feverishly going through a mental checklist of all the things that can go wrong. Virtually every system on an airplane is required to work close to perfect the very first time otherwise bad things happen. I built this Balsa USA 1/4 scale Nieuport 17 in 3 months during a long, wet, cold, Oregon winter and took it out for its first flight on one of the few sunny days in February. Martin Sherman did the tuning duties. The first flight was without incident; and more important, the first landing left the model in the same shape as the take-off. The three cylinder, 1.70 cubic inch Saito sang sweetly. Videography by Sarah Lindsey.