Gettin In the Nieuport

We can all give thanks and a great big ATTABOY to Dick Lemons and Tom Glaeser for this very educational, illuminating and entertaining series of web pages AND photographs. 

Many questions have been asked us by various individuals as to the correct way to mount your canvas Bird Of Prey without: 

A.  looking like a perfect idiot and
B.  not stepping through the turtle-deck or bottom of the fuselage.

Several other more "mature" individuals have expressed their frustration with their, shall we say, their bodies inflexibility to mount the plane without many varied sounds. ( i.e. Grunts, Groans, Gasps and assorted pungent curses.)

Tom Glaeser ( the model ) and Dick Lemons ( the photographer ) have gone to great pains to provide you with the following RIGHT and WRONG ways to mount the Nieuport.

Page 1, Below, is the CORRECT way to mount your steed. Page 2 will show you the more common mistakes made by fledgling pilots in trying to insert themselves into the cockpit of their canvas Bird of Prey.

Make sure your belt is tight. Nothing Turns a crowd off more than a big Crack-In-The-Back showing when getting in your plane.
Left foot in step. Oops! Your other left.
That's better.

Grab the main wing center section with your left hand, right hand on the turtle-deck...... stand upright.
Move your right foot between fuse and left leg, then into the cockpit.
Another option here, my favorite, is to swing your right leg over the turtledeck and into the cockpit.

Halfway there!!
Place your right foot in the seat.
Hold center section with both hands.

Place left foot on seat. Do not set on the back edge of the cockpit unless it's beefed-up to support the weight. Sit on the side where the longeron is.
Place either foot on the spar carry-thru, and while still holding the center section with both hands
Slowly let yourself down into the seat.

To un-mount just reverse the steps above. 
( Un-mount is the proper term. I know that cause Lee Marvin used in the the movie "Paint Your Wagon.")

However, we need not warn you that NOT following the steps above
OR jumping a step can lead to embarrassing or even injurious moments. 
Please click the link below to see Tom Glaeser demonstrate difficult and,
in some cases DANGEROUS mistakes you can make while getting
in your Nieuport Fighter.

KIDS... DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME!!!

For Mistakes in Mounting the Nieuport: CLICK HERE