Nieuport 15

05/31/2009. Confusingly, the single-seat Nieuport 17 fighter is sometimes incorrectly referred to as the "Nieuport 15" as the wing area was nearly 15 sq.m (14.75 sq.m, 158.77 sq.ft). The real Nieuport 15 was a large two-seat bomber with an in-line engine and a two-bay wing, while the small Nieuport 17 was fitted with a radial engine and a single-bay wing.

The Nieuport 15 was the second attempt by the company to produce a bomber. Significantly larger than the first attempt, the Nieuport 14, the stretched Nieuport 15 was fitted with an all-new wing and a larger tail plane. Initially powered by a 220 hp Renault in-line engine the prototype appeared in the summer of 1916, while in September 100 were ordered for use by the RNAS and the French AS.

However, the type was rejected by the STAé (Services techniques de l'Aéronautique, aeronautics engineering services) as "not confirm the required mission", and subsequently the orders were cancelled in January 1917.