Sopwith Type 807

In July 1914, Sopwith produced a two-bay tractor biplane powered by a 100 hp (75 kW) Gnome Monosoupape rotary engine to compete in the 1914 Daily Mail Circuit of Britain race for seaplanes.Mason Air Enthusiast Twenty, pp. 76–77. It made its maiden flight as a landplane on 16 July 1914, before being fitted with its planned floatplane undercarriage. On the outbreak of the First World War in August 1914 the Circuit of Britain aircraft was bought by the RNAS .

A version of the circuit of Britain aircraft was ordered by the Admiralty, becoming known as the Type 807.Robertson 1970, pp. 212–213. First delivered to the RNAS in July 1914Thetford 1982, p.446. the Type 807 differed from the Circuit of Britain in several respects. The span of the upper wing was increased, the overhang being braced by kingposts and the wings were adapted to fold, using the Short Brothers patented mechanism; to simplify this, the wings were not staggered.Lewis 1962, p490. It had twin strut-mounted floats under the fuselage and a float mounted under the tail. It was powered by a nose-mounted 100 hp (75 kW) Gnome Monosoupape engine. It had two tandem open cockpits with the observer in the forward cockpit under the upper wing leading edge and the pilot in the rear cockpit under the upper wing trailing edge. It was sometimes referred to as the Sopwith Folder. Sopwith developed the Circuit of Britain aircraft into a landplane (the Sopwith Two-Seat Scout)

The Circuit of Britain aircraft was given the serial number 896 when it was taken over by the Royal Navy. Its undercarriage was damaged in September, causing it to be refitted with a landplane undercarriage. It was used as a trainer until 22 June 1915.

Twelve Type 807s were ordered by the RNAS. Three of them formed part of the embarked air wing aboard the seaplane carrier HMS Ark Royal when it sailed for the Dardanelles in February 1915. They were used as reconnaissance aircraft, but proved to be underpowered, with fragile floats.Robertson 1970, pp. 53–55.

;{{UK}}

• Royal Naval Air Service

{{Aircraft specs

|prime units? = imp

|crew=2

|length ft=30

|length in=9

|span ft=43

|span in=6

|height ft=11

|height in=2

|wing area sqft=405

|empty weight lb=1580

|gross weight lb=2440

|max speed mph=80

|perfhide = Y

|armament = *Six small bombs

}}

{{aircontent

|see also=

|related=

|similar aircraft=

|lists=#

• List of aircraft of the Royal Naval Air Service
• List of flying boats and floatplanes

}}

{{Reflist}}

• {{cite book|last=Lewis|first=Peter|title=British Aircraft 1809–1914|year=1962|publisher=Putnam|location=London}}
• {{cite magazine|last=Mason|first=Tim|title=Tom Sopwith...And His Aeroplanes 1912–1914|magazine=Air Enthusiast|issue=Twenty, December 1982 – March 1983|pages=74–80}}
• {{cite book|last=Robertson|first=Bruce|title=Sopwith-The Man and His Aircraft|year=1970|publisher=Air Review|location=Letchworth, UK|isbn=0-900435-15-1}}
• {{cite book |last= Taylor |first= Michael J. H. |title=Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation |year=1989 |publisher=Studio Editions |location=London }}
• {{cite book |last= Thetford |first= Owen |title=British Naval Aircraft since 1912 |year=1982 |publisher=Putnam |location=London |isbn=0-37030021-1}}
• {{cite book |title= The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (P art Work 1982-1985)|publisher= Orbis Publishing|page=2940}}
• {{cite magazine|title=The "Round Britain" Machines|magazine=Flight|issue=7 August 1914|pages=838–840|url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1914/1914%20-%200838.html}}

{{Sopwith Aviation Company aircraft}}

{{Admiralty aircraft type numbers}}

Category:1910s British military reconnaissance aircraft

Type 807

Category:Biplanes

Category:Single-engined tractor aircraft

Category:Aircraft first flown in 1914

Category:Rotary-engined aircraft