Sopwith Sopwith 1/2 Strutter Aircraft

1½ Strutter, Russia. Copyright: Arvo Vercamer

Production Details

Design Company:

Sopwith Aviation Co

First Flight:

January 1916

Strutter:

245 - Sopwith 100 - Fairey Aviation Co Ltd 75 - Mann, Egerton & Co Ltd 350 - Rushton Proctor & Co Ltd 150 - Vickers Ltd 100 - Wells Aviation Co Ltd 75 - Westland Aircraft Works 4500 - France

Stutter (Bomber):

100 - Hooper & Co Ltd 100 - Morgan & Co

Type Specification

Applies to:

Sopwith 1½ Strutter

Type:

Fighter reconnaissance biplane

Wing:

Single bay biplane with equal span, unswept, staggered wings. Upper wing braced over fuselage with W struts. Wooden structure with fabric covering. Ailerons on all four wings

Fuselage:

Fuselage mounted on lower wing in of wooden construction with fabric covering

Tail Unit:

Braced tailplane with split elevators with single fin and rudder

Landing Gear:

Cross axle type mounted on V struts attached to fuselage lower longeron. Tail skid

Power Plant:

One 110 hp Clerget 9Z engine in the nose driving a two blade wooden propeller

Accommodation:

Tandem open cockpits for crew. Pilot in forward cockpit beneath the upper wing with gunner behind

Armament:

One forward firing Vickers machine gun with Lewis gun for observer. Four 25 lb bombs

Span:

33 ft 6 in

Length:

25 ft 3 in

Height:

10 ft 3 in

Wing Area:

346 sq ft

Empty:

1,259 lb

Loaded:

2,149

Max Speed:

105 mph at sea level

Climb:

10 min 40 sec to 6,500 ft

Preserved in British Museums

1½ Strutter Replica:

A8226 - Royal Air Force Museum, Hendon - Display

1½ Strutter Full scale model:

Bx619 - RAF Manston History Museum, Manston Airport - Display

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