Nieuport
Loire-Nieuport 161
The Loire‑Nieuport 161 was a late‑1930s French single‑seat fighter prototype built by Nieuport at the Loire‑Nieuport works in St‑Denis. Conceived to satisfy the French Air Ministry’s 1936 requirement for a fast, high‑altitude interceptor, the LN‑161 first took to the air in early 1938. Its airframe employed an all‑metal, stressed‑skin monocoque construction and a low‑wing cantilever layout, giving it a sleek, aerodynamic profile. The aircraft was powered by a Hispano‑Suiza 12Y‑45 liquid‑cooled V‑12 engine delivering roughly 1,100 hp, which drove a two‑bladed, variable‑pitch propeller and enabled a maximum speed of about 560 km/h (350 mph) at altitude. Standard armament comprised two 20 mm Hispano cannons mounted in the wing roots and two 7.5 mm MAC‑193 machine guns, providing a potent punch for the era. Retractable landing gear, an enclosed cockpit with a bubble canopy, and a dorsal fuel tank were among the modern features incorporated.
Although only three prototypes were completed and the program was cancelled after the 1940 French defeat, the LN‑161’s advanced aerodynamics and power‑plant integration influenced post‑war French designs such as the Dassault Ouragan and later Mystère series. The aircraft remains a noteworthy example of pre‑war French innovation and illustrates the rapid technological progress that was cut short by the onset of World War II.
Although only three prototypes were completed and the program was cancelled after the 1940 French defeat, the LN‑161’s advanced aerodynamics and power‑plant integration influenced post‑war French designs such as the Dassault Ouragan and later Mystère series. The aircraft remains a noteworthy example of pre‑war French innovation and illustrates the rapid technological progress that was cut short by the onset of World War II.
Classification
Production & History
- Units Produced
- 3
- First Flight
- 1935