Nieuport-Delage NiD 450

Nieuport-Delage · France · first flew 1930 · light aircraft

The Nieuport-Delage NiD 450 was a French racing floatplane originally intended for the 1929 Schneider Trophy, powered by a 1,200 hp Hispano-Suiza 18R W18 engine.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	Low-mounted, tapered
E — Engines	1 × piston, nose-mounted
F — Fuselage	Cockpit far back behind the trailing edge, with the engine cowling merging into the upper fuselage
T — Tail	Conventional

WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.

Spot it by:

Racing floatplane with a low cantilever wing, trapezoidal in plan with sweep on the leading edges only
Wing surface largely formed from thin radiators for the liquid-cooled engine
Cockpit far back behind the trailing edge, with the engine cowling merging into the upper fuselage

Look for a sleek floatplane with a pair of long single-step floats on wide struts, an elliptical fin and the pilot sitting far aft.

Specifications

The Nieuport-Delage NiD 450 has a length of 7.45 m (24 ft).
It has a wingspan of 9.7 m (32 ft).
Its maximum speed is 560 km/h (348 mph).
Typical crew: 1.

Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.

History

The French government contracted Nieuport-Astra in 1928 and Charles Pilon led the design. France withdrew from the 1929 contest, flight trials began in February 1930 with Sadi Lecointe, and the first flight had happened by 1 June 1930.

Variants

Two NiD 450s were built, and the NiD 650 was the same type modified, with a larger nose opening. The NiD 651 and 652 were planned for 1931 but their engines were not ready.

Where you'll see it

It was used for development flying only. Engine problems and the loss of the 1931 Schneider deadline ended the programme.

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