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  • The Sopwith Camel's construction was based on the construction of its predecessor, the Sopwith Pup. Taking into account that a new larger and heavier engine would have to be mounted, Sopwith's chief designer Herbert Smith decided to make alterations to the previous design. Some changes were made to the landing gear struts, the spacing of the wings and stabiliser were increased, and the fuselage acquired an extension to the cockpit's trailing edge which looked rather like a camel?s hump. That 'hump' gave the plane its name - the Sopwith Camel.

    A remarkable detail of the plane?s construction was its compactness: the pilot?s seat, fuel tanks, machine guns and engine were all very compactly installed.

    In parallel with the work of the central factory, the plane was also assembled by a number of other companies such as Ruston Proctor Co, Portholme Aerodrome Ltd, Boulton & Paul Ltd, British Caudron Co. Ltd, Clayton & Shuttleworth Ltd, Hooper & Co. Ltd and others. In total, about 5490 Camels were built.

    An agile, highly maneuverable biplane, the Sopwith F.1 Camel accounted for more aerial victories than any other Allied aircraft during World War I. Credited with destroying 1,294 enemy aircraft. Much like a real camel, this aircraft could turn and bite you. Noted for its tendency to kill inexperienced flyers, many pilots feared its vicious spin characteristics. Until sufficient speed was developed during takeoff, Camel pilots maintained full right rudder to counteract the torque from the rotary engine. Failure to do so often resulted in a ground loop with the Camel crashing on its starboard wingtip. During World War I, 413 pilots died in combat and 385 pilots died from non-combat related causes while flying the Sopwith Camel.

    "A great number of trainee pilots had been killed learning to fly this machine, as its tricks took some learning, although they were really simple to overcome. Its main trouble was that owing to its very small wingspan, and its purposely unstable characteristics, coupled with the gyroscopic effect of a rotating engine and propeller, it flipped into a spin very easily at low speeds. Consequently, in landing and taking off, a tremendous number of fatal accidents occurred, and a general feeling of dislike for the machine was prevalent. It really had people frightened."

    Specifications
    Engine Clerget 9B rotary 9 cyl.
    Power (h.p.): 130
    Height (mm): 2590
    Length (mm): 5490
    Wing span (mm): 8530
    Wing surface (sq.m.): 21.46
    Empty weight (kg): 431
    Takeoff weight (kg): 700
    Fuel capacity (l): 168
    Oil capacity (l): 20
    Climb rate
    1000 m ? 3 min. 7 sec
    2000 m ? 6 min. 35 sec.
    3000 m ? 11 min. 5 sec.
    4000 m ? 17 min. 39 sec.
    5000 m ? 27 min. 56 sec.
    Maximum airspeed
    (IAS: km/h)
    sea level ? 190
    1000 m ? 178
    2000 m ? 166
    3000 m ? 154
    4000 m ? 142
    5000 m ? 128
    Service ceiling (m) 6000
    Endurance
    (h.,min.) at 1000m
    combat ? 2 h. 30 min.
    cruise ? 5 h.
    Armament 2?Vickers Mk.I 7.69 mm, 500 rounds per barrel.
    Bomb load 36kg

    I hope you enjoy these old photos (inc a two seater)
    Camel F1
    1
    SopwithCamelsofBandCFlightsNo201SquadronAugust1918
    SopwithCamelsofNo73SqnwithaBristolFighterlandinginthebackground
    Seatscout1917
    SOPWITHCamel2FightingSchoolMarske1918
    SOPWITHCamel26TDS
    SOPWITHCamel50SqnBekesbourne
    SOPWITHCamel72Sqn
    6491Checksoverall
    SOPWITHCamelB2312
    SOPWITHCamelB2321crashedatZillebeke
    SOPWITHCamelB3801
    SOPWITHCamelB3812
    SOPWITHCamelB3941withPupB2201
    SOPWITHCamelB3941
    SOPWITHCamelB5234WirelessExpEstBigginHill
    SOPWITHCamelB5576Eastchurch1918
    SOPWITHCamelB6313139SqnMajorBarker
    SOPWITHCamelB6416aftercrash
    SOPWITHCamelB64501000thbuiltbyRuston
    P70Sqnbattledamage
    SOPWITHCamelB7380100thaircraftbuiltbyRustonProctor
    544AqnHainaultFarm
    SOPWITHCamelB9268
    SOPWITHCamelB9280
    SOPWITHCamelC831TDS
    3WirelessExpEstBigginHill
    Up
    J201Sqn
    111203Sqncrashed
    SOPWITHCamelE441
    SOPWITHCamelF5953209Sqn
    D209Sqn
    SOPWITHCamelF8507
    5
    Y201Sqn
    SOPWITHCamelH6997DimpsAulnoy1918
    K45Sqn
    SOPWITHCamelN5
    SOPWITHCamelN6332
    1
    SOPWITHCamelN6333Eastchurch1917
    SOPWITHCamelN6365CSqnMudros1917
    P209Sqn
    SOPWITHCamelUSAS
    SOPWITHCamelsABFlts8SqnRVASStElo
    SOPWITHF1CamelB5740
    TsingTau
    NewtonAbbot
    ChuChinChow

    SopwithcamelcamouflagedevelopedduringtheFirstWorldWartodisguisetheaircraftsdirectionofflight
    1
    2
    Sopwith Camel With Bomb Racks

    Right click and save as. (as always)
    Regards Duggy.
     
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