Sopwith Triplane#Survivors and modern reproductions

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During the First World War, the Sopwith Aviation Company became a prominent British manufacturer of military aircraft. It was amid this conflict that one of its employees, Herbert Smith, designed the Sopwith Pup, a single-seat biplane fighter aircraft which was described by aviation author J.M. Bruce as being "one of the world's greatest aeroplanes". While it was a capable fighter that possessed impressive handling qualities for its era, from an aerodynamic perspective, the Pup was an entirely conventional design. Certain figures, including those within Sopwith's experimental department, sought to develop a successor which would instead pioneer new concepts for such an aircraft; out of such ambitions would emerge the Triplane.Bruce 1965, p. 3.

Early on, Sopwith decided to pursue development of the Triplane concept as a private venture initiative. The design, which was passed by the company's experimental department on 28 May 1916, was contemporary to the Sopwith L.R.T.Tr. project, which never progressed beyond the prototype stage; Bruce speculated that Smith may have been inspired by the L.R.T.Tr.'s atypical wing configuration to adopt the iconic triplane configuration for the new project. Beyond the obvious difference in terms of wing configuration, the Triplane's design largely conformed with that of the Pup. It has been described as being a "remarkably simple aircraft".

The initial "prototype of what was to be referred to simply as the Triplane" first flew on 28 May 1916, with Sopwith test pilot Harry Hawker at the controls.Green and Swanborough 2001, p. 534. Within three minutes of takeoff, Hawker startled onlookers by looping the aircraft, serial N500, three times in succession.Robertson 1970, p. 59. Hawker noted that this was due to his high confidence in the aircraft despite its radical design. The Triplane was very agile, with effective, well-harmonised controls.Franks 2004, p. 19. When maneuvering, however, the Triplane presented an unusual appearance. One observer noted that the aircraft looked like "a drunken flight of steps" when rolling.Connors 1975, p. 50.

While initially lacking any armament, N500 was subsequently furnished with a single Vickers machine gun, which was mounted centrally in front of the cockpit. In July 1916, N500 was sent to Dunkirk for evaluation with "A" Naval Squadron, 1 Naval Wing. Being put into action within 15 minutes of its arrival to intercept enemy aircraft, N500 quickly proved to be highly successful. According to Bruce, it demonstrated exemplary maneuverability and a phenomenal rate of climb for the era.

The second prototype, N504, performed its maiden flight in August 1916. Its primary difference from the first prototype was the installation of a 130 hp Clerget 9B engine.Bruce 1965, p. 4. N504 was eventually dispatched to France in December of that year.Franks 2004, p. 50. This aircraft served as a conversion trainer for several squadrons.Franks 2004, p. 50.

Between July 1916 and January 1917, the Admiralty issued two contracts to Sopwith for a total of 95 Triplanes, two contracts to Clayton & Shuttleworth Ltd. for a total of 46 aircraft, and one contract to Oakley & Co. Ltd. for 25 aircraft.Davis 1999, pp. 70–71. Seeking modern aircraft for the Royal Flying Corps (RFC), the War Office also issued a contract to Clayton & Shuttleworth for 106 Triplanes.Davis 1999, p. 72.Bruce 1965, pp. 3-4.

Quantity production of the type commenced in late 1916. The first Sopwith-built Triplanes were delivered to Clayton & Shuttleworth, who delivered their first Triplane on 2 December 1916.Bruce 1965, p. 5. A renewed urgency amongst the Allied Powers for high performance combat aircraft came following the emergence of the Albatros D.II, which entered service with Imperial Germany around this same time frame, which threatened Allied aerial supremacy.Bruce 1965, p. 4. In February 1917, the War Office agreed to exchange its Triplane orders for the Admiralty's SPAD S.VII contracts.Mason 1992, p. 61.Bruce 1965, pp. 4-5.

While both Sopwith and Clayton & Shuttleworth successfully fulfilled their RNAS production orders, Oakley, which had no prior experience building aircraft, delivered only three Triplanes before its contract was cancelled during October 1917.Davis 1999, p. 76.Robertson 1970, p. 157. For unknown reasons, the RFC Triplane contract issued to Clayton & Shuttleworth was simply cancelled rather than being transferred to the RNAS. Total production of the type amounted to 147 aircraft.

The Sopwith Triplane was a single seat fighter aircraft; it shared a considerable amount of its design features, such as its fuselage and empennage, with those of the earlier Pup. While the fuselage was structurally similar, Bruce notes that there were several areas of differences present. One example was the attachment points present for the center wings, which were carried upon the top and bottom longerons of the fuselage and in turn also attached to the center-section struts. One innovation that was present only on the Triplane was the use of single broad-chord interplane struts, which ran continuously between the lower and upper wings.

The most distinctive feature of the Triplane is its three narrow-chord wings; these provided the pilot with an improved field of view. These wings had the same span as that of the Pup, while being only 21 square feet less in terms of area. Ailerons were fitted to all three wings. The relatively narrow chord and short span wings have been attributed with providing a high level of manoeuvrability. The introduction of a smaller 8 ft span tailplane in February 1917 was attributed with improved elevator response.Cooksley 1991, p. 23. The original tail assembly was identical to the Pup's, other than the inclusion of the variable incidence tailplane, which could be adjusted so that the aircraft could be flown hands-off.Franks 2004, pp. 19, 66.

The Triplane was initially powered by the 110 hp Clerget 9Z nine-cylinder rotary engine. However, the majority of production examples were instead fitted with the more powerful 130 hp Clerget 9B rotary. At least one Triplane was tested with a 110 hp Le Rhône rotary engine, but this did not provide a significant improvement in performance, the only seeming benefit being a slight increase in its rate of climb.

File:Sopwith Triplane in Russland.jpg at Bailleul, France]]

File:SopTri.jpg's Triplane, serial N533. Collishaw flew several Triplanes, all named Black Maria]]

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No. 1 Naval Squadron became fully operational with the Triplane by December 1916, but the squadron did not see any significant action until February 1917, when it relocated from Furnes to Chipilly.Franks 2004, p. 9. No. 8 Naval Squadron received its Triplanes in February 1917.Franks 2004, p. 22. Nos. 9 and 10 Naval Squadrons equipped with the type between April and May 1917. Franks 2004, pp. 54, 68.

All but one British Triplane were dispatched to squadrons based in France; this sole aircraft was instead sent to the Aegean, although its service details and purpose there is largely unknown, only that its use was curtailed after a crash-landing in Salonika on 26 March 1917.Bruce 1965, p. 8. Aside from the British, the only other major operator of the Triplane was a French naval squadron based at Dunkirk, which received 17 aircraft. Franks 2004, pp. 62–63.Bruce 1965, pp. 8-9. A single example was shipped to the United States for exhibition purposes in December 1917. Furthermore, the Imperial Russian Air Service also operated a single Triplane during the latter half of 1917, its fate being unknown.Bruce 1965, p. 9.

The Triplane's combat debut was highly successful. The new fighter's exceptional rate of climb and high service ceiling gave it a marked advantage over the Albatros D.III, though the Triplane was slower in a dive.Franks 2004, pp. 21, 69. During April 1917, Manfred von Richthofen, better known as The Red Baron, commented that the Triplane was the best Allied fighter at that time, a sentiment that was echoed by other German senior officers such as Ernst von Hoeppner. Multiple Triplanes were captured and subject to considerable evaluation and study.Bruce 1965, pp. 7-8. The Germans were so impressed by the aircraft's performance that it spawned a brief triplane craze among German aircraft manufacturers. Their efforts resulted in no fewer than 34 different prototypes, including the Fokker V.4, prototype of the successful Fokker Dr.I.Kennett 1991, p. 98,

Pilots nicknamed the aircraft the Tripehound or simply the Tripe.Bowers and McDowell 1993, p. 62. The Triplane was famously flown by "B" Flight 10 Naval Squadron, better known as the "Black Flight". This all-Canadian flight was commanded by the ace Raymond Collishaw. Their aircraft, named Black Maria, Black Prince, Black George, Black Death and Black Sheep, were distinguishable by their black-painted fins and cowlings. The Black Flight claimed 87 German aircraft in three months while equipped with the Triplane. Collishaw scored 34 of his eventual 60 victories in the aircraft, making him the top Triplane ace.Franks 2004, p. 68.Bruce 1965, pp. 6-7.

The Triplane's combat career was comparatively brief, in part because it proved difficult to repair.Bruce 1965, p. 7. The fuel and oil tanks were inaccessible without dismantling the wings and fuselage; even relatively minor repairs had to be made at rear echelon repair depots. Spare parts became difficult to obtain during the summer of 1917, resulting in the reduction of No. 1 Naval Squadron's complement from 18 to 15 aircraft.Lamberton 1960, p. 74. According to Bruce, it is plausible that squadrons were slow to refit their Triplanes with the improved tailplane due to a lack of available kits for doing so.Bruce 1965, pp. 5-6.

The Triplane also gained a reputation for structural weakness because the wings of some aircraft collapsed in steep dives. This defect was attributed to the use of light gauge bracing wires in the 46 aircraft built by subcontractor Clayton & Shuttleworth.Franks 2004, p. 76. Several pilots of No. 10 Naval Squadron used cables or additional wires to strengthen their Triplanes. Bruce alleges that there was no substance to the concerns of structural weakness.Bruce 1965, p. 4. In 1918, the RAF issued a technical order for the installation of a spanwise compression strut between the inboard cabane struts of surviving Triplanes. One aircraft, serial N5912, was fitted with additional mid-bay flying wires on the upper wing while used as a trainer.

Another drawback of the Triplane was its light armament.Franks 2004, p. 69. Contemporary Albatros fighters were armed with two guns but most Triplanes carried one synchronised Vickers machine gun. Efforts to fit twin guns to the Triplane met with mixed results. Clayton & Shuttleworth built six experimental Triplanes with twin guns. Some of these aircraft saw combat service with Nos. 1 and 10 Naval Squadrons in July 1917 but performance was reduced and the single gun remained standard. Franks 2004, pp. 13, 69. Triplanes built by Oakley would have featured twin guns, an engineering change which severely delayed production.Robertson 1970, p. 157.

In June 1917, No. 4 Naval Squadron received the first Sopwith Camels and the advantages of the sturdier, better-armed fighter quickly became evident. Nos. 8 and 9 Naval Squadrons re-equipped with Camels between early July and early August 1917.Franks 2004, pp. 46, 49, 56–57. No. 10 Naval Squadron converted in late August, turning over its remaining Triplanes to No. 1 Naval Squadron.Franks 2004, p. 76. No. 1 operated Triplanes until December, allegedly suffering heavy casualties as a consequence of the slow replacement of their Triplanes.Franks 2004, p. 17.

By the end of 1917, surviving Triplanes were used as advanced trainers with No. 12 Naval Squadron. For a time, the type remained in use for experimental and training purposes; examples were recorded as performing flights as late as October 1918.Bruce 1965, pp. 9-10. Six British aces scored all of their victories on Sopwith Triplanes. These were John Albert Page (7), Thomas Culling (6), Cyril Askew Eyre (6), F. H. Maynard (6), Gerald Ewart Nash (6) and Anthony Arnold (5).

Davis 1999, p. 75.

;{{FRA}}

• Aéronautique navale (17 aircraft)

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• Hellenic Navy (one aircraft)

;{{flag|Russian Empire|1914}}

• Imperial Russian Air Force (one aircraft)

;{{USSR}}

• Soviet Air Force (one aircraft taken over from the Imperial Russian Air Force)

;{{UK}}

• Royal Naval Air Service
• No. 1 Naval Squadron
• No. 8 Naval Squadron
• No. 9 Naval Squadron
• No. 10 Naval Squadron
• No. 11 Naval Squadron
• No. 12 Naval Squadron
• "A" Naval Squadron

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;Canada

• Reproduction – On static display at The Hangar Flight Museum in Calgary, Alberta. This aircraft represents serial N6302, flown by Alfred Williams Carter of No. 10 Naval Squadron.{{cite web|title=SOPWITH TRIPLANE|url=http://www.thehangarmuseum.ca/exhibits/sopwith-triplane|website=The Hangar Flight Museum|publisher=The Hangar Flight Museum|access-date=13 May 2017}}
• Reproduction – In storage at the Canada Aviation and Space Museum in Ottawa, Ontario.{{cite web |title=Sopwith Triplane |url=http://ingeniumcanada.org/artifact/sopwith-triplane |website=Ingenium |access-date=14 June 2020}}

;Russia

• N5486 – On static display at the Central Air Force Museum in Monino, Moscow. It was supplied to the Russian Government for evaluation in May 1917. In Russia, the aircraft was fitted with skis and used operationally until captured by the Bolshevists. The aircraft then served in the Red Air Force, probably as a trainer, and was rebuilt many times.Bruce 1990, p. 19.

;United States

• Reproduction – On static display at the MAPS Air Museum in North Canton, Ohio.{{cite web |title=SOPWITH TRIPLANE "TRIPEHOUND" |url=http://mapsairmuseum.org/sopwith-triplane-tripehound |website=MAPS Air Museum |date=21 January 2020 |access-date=14 June 2020}} It was built by Akron pilot Bill Woodall using original Sopwith plans.{{cite web |last1=Woodall |first1=Bill |title=Building and Flying |url=http://sites.google.com/a/mapsairmuseum.org/sopwith-triplane/building-and-flying |access-date=14 June 2020}}

;United Kingdom

• N5912 – On static display at the Royal Air Force Museum London in London. It was one of three aircraft built by Oakley & Co. Ltd. and delivered in late 1917. The aircraft saw no combat service and instead served with No.2 School of Aerial Fighting and Gunnery at Marske. After the war, the Imperial War Museum displayed the aircraft in a temporary exhibition until 1924. In 1936, the Royal Air Force acquired and restored the aircraft, flying it in several RAF Pageants at Hendon.{{cite web|title=Sopwith Triplane|url=http://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/research/collections/sopwith-triplane|website=Royal Air Force Museum|publisher=Trustees of the Royal Air Force Museum|access-date=13 May 2017}}{{cite web|last1=Simpson|first1=Andrew|title=INDIVIDUAL HISTORY [N5912]|url=http://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/documents/collections/74-A-19-Sopwith-Triplane-N5912.pdf|website=Royal Air Force Museum|publisher=Royal Air Force Museum|access-date=13 May 2017|date=2013}}
• Reproduction – Airworthy at the Shuttleworth Collection in Old Warden, Bedfordshire. This aircraft is registered as G-BOCK and is marked as Dixie II. It represents the original Dixie, serial N6290, of No. 8 Naval Squadron.Hiscock 1994, p. 30.{{cite web|title=SOPWITH TRIPLANE|url=http://www.shuttleworth.org/collection/sopwithtriplane|website=Shuttleworth|publisher=Shuttleworth|access-date=13 May 2017}}{{cite web|title=GINFO Search Results [G-BOCK]|url=https://publicapps.caa.co.uk/modalapplication.aspx?appid=1&mode=detailnosummary&fullregmark=BOCK|website=Civil Aviation Authority|access-date=13 May 2017}}
• Reproduction – Airworthy as part of the Great War Display Team. This aircraft is registered as N500, the first Triplane prototype which flew with No. 1 Squadron RNAS) from 1916.{{cite web|title=The Team Aircraft|url=http://www.greatwardisplayteam.com/the-team-aircraft.html|website=Great War Display Team|publisher=Great War Display Team|access-date=29 September 2019}}

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{{Aircraft specs

|ref= British Aeroplanes 1914–18Bruce 1957, p. 568. Aircraft Profile No. 73: The Sopwith TriplaneBruce 1965, p. 12.

|prime units?= imp

|crew= 1

|length ft= 18

|length in= 10

|length note=

|span ft= 26

|span in= 6

|span note=

|height ft= 10

|height in= 6

|height note=

|wing area sqft= 231

|wing area note=

|aspect ratio=

|airfoil=

|empty weight lb= 1101

|empty weight note=

|gross weight lb= 1541

|gross weight note=

|max takeoff weight lb=

|max takeoff weight note=

|fuel capacity=

|more general=

|eng1 number= 1

|eng1 name= Clerget 9B

|eng1 type= 9-cylinder air-cooled rotary piston engine

|eng1 hp= 130

|eng1 note=

|prop blade number= 2

|prop name= fixed-pitch propeller

|prop dia ft=

|prop dia in=

|prop dia note=

|max speed mph= 117

|max speed note= at {{cvt|5000|ft|0}}

|cruise speed mph=

|cruise speed note=

|stall speed mph=

|stall speed note=

|never exceed speed mph=

|never exceed speed note=

|range miles= 321

|range note=

|combat range miles=

|combat range note=

|ferry range miles=

|ferry range note=

|endurance= 2 hours 45 minutes

|ceiling ft= 20500

|ceiling note=

|g limits=

|roll rate=

|glide ratio=

|climb rate ftmin=

|climb rate note=

|time to altitude=

:*{{cvt|6000|ft|0}} in 5 minutes 50 seconds

:*{{cvt|16400|ft|0}} in 26 minutes 30 seconds

|lift to drag=

|wing loading lb/sqft= 6.13

|wing loading note=

|fuel consumption lb/mi=

|power/mass=

|thrust/weight=

|more performance=

|guns= 1 × .303 British Vickers machine gun

|avionics=

}}

• Triplane

{{aircontent

|related=

• Alcock Scout
• St Croix Sopwith Triplane, a homebuilt replica design

|similar aircraft=

• Sopwith Camel
• Fokker Dr.I
• Nieuport 17

|see also=

• List of aircraft of the Royal Naval Air Service

|lists=

}}

{{Reflist}}

{{refbegin}}

• Bowers, Peter M. and Ernest R. McDowell. Triplanes: A Pictorial History of the World's Triplanes and Multiplanes. St. Paul, Minnesota: Motorbooks International, 1993. {{ISBN|0-87938-614-2}}.
• Bruce, J.M. British Aeroplanes 1914–18. London:Putnam, 1957.
• Bruce, J. M. "Aircraft Profile No. 73: The Sopwith Triplane". Profile Publications Ltd, 1965.
• Bruce, J.M. Sopwith Triplane (Windsock Datafile 22). Berkhamsted, Herts, UK: Albatros Productions, 1990. {{ISBN|0-948414-26-X}}.
• Connors, John F. "Sopwith's Flying Staircase." Wings, Volume 5, No. 3, June 1975.
• Cooksley, Peter. Sopwith Fighters in Action (Aircraft No. 110). Carrollton, Texas: Squadron/Signal Publications, 1991. {{ISBN|0-89747-256-X}}.
• Davis, Mick. Sopwith Aircraft. Ramsbury, Marlborough, Wiltshire: Crowood Press, 1999. {{ISBN|1-86126-217-5}}.
• Franks, Norman. Sopwith Triplane Aces of World War I (Aircraft of the Aces No. 62). Oxford: Osprey Publishing, 2004. {{ISBN|1-84176-728-X}}.
• Green, William, and Gordon Swanborough. The Great Book of Fighters. Osceola, Wisconsin: MBI Publishing Company, 2001. {{ISBN|0-7603-1194-3}}.
• Hiscock, Melvyn. Classic Aircraft of World War I (Osprey Classic Aircraft). Oxford: Osprey Publishing, 1994. {{ISBN|1-85532-407-5}}.
• Kennett, Lee. The First Air War: 1914–1918. New York: The Free Press, 1991. {{ISBN|0-02-917301-9}}.
• Lamberton, W.M., and E.F. Cheesman. Fighter Aircraft of the 1914–1918 War. Letchworth: Harleyford, 1960. {{ISBN|0-8168-6360-1}}.
• 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}}.
• Thetford, Owen. British Naval Aircraft Since 1912. London: Putnam, 1994. {{ISBN|0-85177-861-5}}.

{{refend}}

{{commons category}}

• {{Citation | url = http://www.aviation-history.com/sopwith/triplane.html | title = The Sopwith Triplane – Great Britain | publisher = Aviation history}}.
• [http://www.aviation.technomuses.ca/collections/artifacts/aircraft/SopwithTriplane.shtml Canada Aviation Museum: Sopwith Triplane] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927005528/http://www.aviation.technomuses.ca/collections/artifacts/aircraft/SopwithTriplane.shtml |date=27 September 2007 }}
• [http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1918/1918%20-%200365.html "The Sopwith Triplane"] a 1918 Flight re-print of a German article on the Triplane originally published in Deutsche Luftfahrer Zeitschrift.

{{Sopwith Aviation Company aircraft}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:1910s British fighter aircraft

Category:Triplanes

Triplane

Category:Aircraft first flown in 1916

Category:Rotary-engined aircraft