Sopwith Swallow
{{short description|British WW1 parasol monoplane fighter aircraft}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2016}}
{{Use British English|date=December 2016}}
{{Infobox aircraft begin
| name=Swallow | image=Sopwith Swallow 731-1.jpg | caption= }}{{Infobox aircraft type | type=Fighter aircraft | national origin=United Kingdom | manufacturer=Sopwith Aviation Company | designer= | first flight=October 1918 | introduced= | retired= | status= | primary user= | more users= | produced= | number built=1 (Scooter) + 1 (Swallow) | program cost= | unit cost= | developed from= Sopwith Camel | variants with their own articles= }} |
The Sopwith Swallow was a British parasol wing fighter aircraft of the First World War. A single example was built, but it saw no production, offering no performance advantages over contemporary biplanes.
Design and development
In June 1918, the Sopwith Aviation Company flew an unarmed parasol monoplane derivative of the Sopwith Camel, the Sopwith Monoplane No. 1, also known as the Sopwith Scooter. It used a normal Camel fuselage, with the wing mounted just above the fuselage, with a very small gap. The wing was braced using RAF-wire (streamlined bracing wires) to a pyramid shaped cabane above the wing. It was powered by a single 130 hp (97 kW) Clerget 9B rotary engine.Bruce 1957, p. 627.Robertson 1970, p. 221.
The Scooter, which was used as a runabout and aerobatic mount by Sopwith test pilot Harry Hawker, demonstrated excellent manoeuvrability, and formed the basis of a fighter derivative, originally the Monoplane No. 2, and later known as the Sopwith Swallow.
Like the Scooter, the Swallow used the fuselage of a Camel, but it had a larger, slightly swept, wing of greater wingspan and area, which was mounted higher above the fuselage to allow the pilot to access the two synchronised Vickers machine guns. It was powered by a 110 hp (82 kW) Le Rhône engine.Mason 1992, pp. 140–141.Bruce 1969, pp. 33–34.
Operational history
The Swallow made its maiden flight in October 1918, and was delivered to RAF Martlesham Heath on 28 October 1918 for official testing.Bruce 1969, p. 33 One possible role for the Swallow was as a shipboard fighter. Engine problems delayed testing of the Swallow, but when these problems were resolved, the Swallow proved to have lower performance than Le Rhône-powered Camels, and was discarded soon after testing was completed in May 1919.Bruce 1969, p. 34.
The Scooter remained in use, and was given the civil registration K-135 in May 1919 (soon changed to G-EACZ). It was sold to Harry Hawker in April 1921, but was placed into storage when Hawker was killed in July. It was refurbished in 1925, and was used for aerobatic displays and for racing until 1927, when it was scrapped.Jackson 1988, p. 308.
Specifications (Swallow)
{{Aircraft specs
|ref=War Planes of the First World War: Volume Three FightersBruce 1969, p. 35.
|prime units?=imp
|crew=1
|capacity=
|length m=
|length ft=18
|length in=9
|length note=
|span m=
|span ft=28
|span in=10
|span note=
|height m=
|height ft=10
|height in=2
|height note=
|wing area sqm=
|wing area sqft=160
|wing area note=
|aspect ratio=
|airfoil=
|empty weight kg=
|empty weight lb=889
|empty weight note=
|gross weight kg=
|gross weight lb=1420
|gross weight note=
|max takeoff weight kg=
|max takeoff weight lb=
|max takeoff weight note=
|fuel capacity=
|lift kg=
|lift lb=
|lift note=
|more general=
|eng1 number=1
|eng1 name=Le Rhône 9J
|eng1 type=nine-cylinder rotary engine
|eng1 kw=
|eng1 hp=110
|max speed kmh=
|max speed mph=113.5
|max speed kts=
|max speed note= at 10,000 ft (3,050 m)
|cruise speed kmh=
|cruise speed mph=
|cruise speed kts=
|cruise speed note=
|range km=
|range miles=
|range nmi=
|range note=
|endurance=
|ceiling m=
|ceiling ft=18500
|ceiling note=
|g limits=
|roll rate=
|glide ratio=
|climb rate ms=
|climb rate ftmin=
|climb rate note=
|time to altitude=5 min 35 s to 6,500 ft (1,980 m)
|more performance=
|guns= 2 × .303 in Vickers machine guns
|bombs=
|avionics=
}}
See also
Notes
{{reflist}}
References
{{Commons category}}
- Bruce J.M. British Aeroplanes 1914-18. London:Putnam, 1957.
- Bruce, J,M. War Planes of the First World War: Volume Three: Fighters. London: Macdonald, 1969, {{ISBN|0-356-01490-8}}.
- Jackson, A.J. British Civil Aircraft 1919–1972: Volume III. London: Putnam, 1988. {{ISBN|0-85177-818-6}}.
- Mason, Francis K. The British Fighter Since 1912. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press, 1992. {{ISBN|1-55750-082-7}}.
- Robertson, Bruce. Sopwith – The Man and His Aircraft. London: Harleyford, 1970. {{ISBN|0-900435-15-1}}.
{{Sopwith Aviation Company aircraft}}
Category:1910s British fighter aircraft