Benoist-Korn Type XII – Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, Chantilly, Virginia

The brown aircraft in the centre of this photo is a Benoist-Korn Type XII biplane. In the spring of 1912 Thomas Wesley Benoist announced the completion of his firm's newest aircraft, the Type XII. It was a two-place tractor biplane, powered by a Roberts six-cylinder, 75-horsepower engine. It was one of the first closed-fuselage tractor airplanes to appear in the United States. Perhaps five Type XII aircraft were produced by the Benoist factory during the next year. The NASM Benoist Type XII was constructed in the Benoist shop in St. Louis by its purchasers, Edward and Milton Korn. The Korn brothers began work on their airplane in March 1912. It was completed on May 20, and it was flown soon thereafter at Anna, Illinois. During the following year, the Korns performed numerous exhibitions with their Benoist. Most American aircraft produced during this period were close copies of Wright, Curtiss, or European machines. Benoist was one of the very few U.S. firms building and selling original designs in the pioneer era.

The Benoist-Korn is framed by the wings of a Nieuport 28C.1. Appearing in mid 1917, the Nieuport 28C.1 was rejected by the French in favour of the sturdier, more advanced Spad XIII. Having no suitable fighter design of its own, the United States adopted the Nieuport 28 as a stop-gap measure before the much-in-demand Spad XIIIs could be made available from the French. It was the first fighter aircraft to serve with an American fighter unit under American command and in support of U.S. troops. It was also first type to score an aerial victory with an American unit. The Nieuport 28 also made its mark in U.S. aviation history after the war. Twelve were employed by the U.S. Navy for shipboard launching trials from 1919 to 1921. Others were operated by the U.S. Army in the 1920s. In private hands, several were modified for air racing, and a number found their way into Hollywood movies. Still others became privately-owned airplanes flying in various sporting and commercial capacities.