Sewall's Kicking Mule
oil on canvas, 16 " x 25"

Private collection

After completing my painting Uncle Sam’s Boys I really felt like I had not quite finished my study of the Nieuport 28. It was such an attractive aircraft that I decided to do another painting of the N28. This piece, Sewall’s Kicking Mule, is a simple aircraft portrait that showcases the graceful lines of the airplane.

Built by the well known French aircraft designer Nieuport, the N28 did not see the widespread allied use that its predecessors such as the N11 and N17 saw. Instead, the N28 only saw service with the four American squadrons attached to the First Pursuit Group - the 94th, 95th, 27th and 147th Aero squadrons. Although many of its pilots developed an affinity for the aircraft, others considered it a death trap as it had a tendency to shed its upper wing fabric during aggressive maneuvers. It was this quality that led to the N28s replacement in mid 1918 by the SPAD XIII. Many critics of the Nieuport 28 claim that the airplane owes its fame more to the men who flew it rather than its own performance.

This particular Nieuport 28 was the second of two known to have been flown by Lt. Sumner Sewall of the 95th Aero squadron. A native of Maine, Sewall served in the American Ambulance Filed Service during the war prior to enlisting in the American Air Service. On March 1 of 1918, Sewall along with Charles Wooley and Dick Blodgett flew the first patrol over enemy lines for the 95th squadron. What made this patrol notable was that they did so in unarmed aircraft. As with all of the 95th’s aircraft, Sewall’s N28 carried the famous Kicking Mule logo on each side. Sewall survived the war with 7 victories and during WWII he served as the Governor of Maine.

Details of Sewall's Kicking Mule
(click on any thumbnail for a detailed image)

The Galleries / World War 1 Originals