Sopwith Triplane

Sopwith Triplane
Role	Fighter
Manufacturer	Sopwith
Designer	Herbert Smith
First flight	29 March 1916 or May 1916
Introduction	prototype: mid-June 1916; production: Dec'16-Jan'17
Primary user	U.K. (RNAS)
Number built	144 or 147-150
Wingspan	8.08 m (26 ft 6 in) to; 8.69 m (28 ft 6 in)
Propeller Diam.	2.59 m (8 ft 6 in) to 2.74 m (9 ft)
Engine	110hp or 130hp Clerget rotary
Armament	sync. fixed Vickers
Ammo	500 rounds
Crew	1
Max Speed	187 km/h (116 mph) to; 188 km/h (117 mph) to; 195 km/h (121 mph)
Climb	1,500 m (5,000 ft) in 4:35; 1,800 m (6,000 ft) in 5:16-5:50; 3,000 m (10,000 ft) in 9:20-10:30-11:50; 4,600 m (15,000 ft) in 22:20; 5,000 m (16,400 ft) in 26:30
Service Ceiling	6,100 m (20,000 ft) to; 6,200 m (20,500 ft)
Endurance	2:45

The Sopwith Triplane was a revolutionary aeroplane whose goal was to improve the pilot's vision with narrow-chord wings while giving excellent maneuverability. It was regarded as slightly less nimble than the Sopwith Pup, but it had more power and better sight lines. Like the Pup, the armament was a single synchronized Vickers. While it was initially ordered for both the RFC and RNAS, the two services did some trading and sent all RNAS SPAD 7s to the RFC in exchange for all RFC triplanes. Hence, the Triplane was only flown by the RNAS.

While the prototype was tested at the front in June 1916, it wasn't until late 1916 that production machines reached units, and only in April 1917 did offensive patrols begin. The Triplane soon earned the respect of German pilots, especially in the hands of pilots like Raymond Collishaw, and the Germans soon began their own experiments to produce a nimble triplane. In February 1917 a new smaller tailplane was introduced, which improved the triplane's responsiveness.^[8]

The Triplane's lifetime was fairly brief, though: by late autumn 1917 the Triplanes had been traded in for better-armed Sopwith Camels.^[11] In October, only one squadron was still equipped with Triplanes.^[1]

For more information, see Wikipedia:Sopwith Triplane.

Timeline ^{[note 3]}

Game Data

Wings of Glory

Official Stats
Version	Availability	Maneuver	Damage	Dmg Points	Max Alt.	Climb	Points
normal	Dec16-late17	U ^{[note 4]}	B	13	14	3	66
twin-gun		U ^{[note 4]}	A	13	14	3	86

Plane and Crew Cards

10 Sqn. RNAS
Alexander
RAF
8 Sqn. RNAS
Booker
RAF
10 Sqn. RNAS
Carter
RAF
8 Sqn. RNAS
Crundall
RAF
8 Sqn. RNAS
McDonald
RAF
1 Sqn. RNAS
Minifie
RAF
10 Sqn. RNAS
Nash
RAF
10 Sqn. RNAS
Reid
RAF
10 Sqn. RNAS
Sharman
RAF
Dunkerque
RAF
Dunkerque
Malvoisin
RAF
Dunkerque
Le Garrec
RAF
1 Sqn. RNAS
Dallas
Guntruck
1 Sqn. RNAS
Minifie
Guntruck
8 Sqn. RNAS
Booker
Guntruck
8 Sqn. RNAS
Little
Guntruck
10 Sqn. RNAS
Alexander
Guntruck
10 Sqn. RNAS
Carter
Guntruck
10 Sqn. RNAS
Nash
Guntruck
10 Sqn. RNAS
Reid
Guntruck
10 Sqn. RNAS
Saunders
Guntruck
10 Sqn. RNAS
Sharman
Guntruck
Guntruck

Card Links

Blue Max/Canvas Eagles

Aircraft Chart

Miniatures and Models

1:100 Scale

Shapeways: Decapod

1:144 Scale

Ares: WGF111A Collishaw; WGF111B Dallas; WGF111C Little
Shapeways Full-Color Models: Reduced Aircraft Factory: Alexander (Naval 10, N5487), Booker (Naval 8, N5482), Carter (Naval 10, N6302), Crundall (Naval 8, N5464), McDonald (Naval 8, N6301), Minifie (Naval 1, N534), Nash (Naval 10, N5492), Reid (Naval 10, N5483), Sharman (Naval 10, N6307); French #4, #10, and #14
Shapeways Paintable:
- Early tail: Decapod, Reduced Aircraft Factory
- Late tail: Kampfflieger, Reduced Aircraft Factory
- Twin guns: Reduced Aircraft Factory
- Hispano-Suiza version: Kampfflieger
Metal kit: Red Eagle, Reviresco
Resin Kit: Sram 144/031 (company defunct)

1:285/6mm/1:288 Scale

Shapeways: Decapod or Decapod, Reduced Aircraft Factory
Metal Cast: Goblintooth/H.A./MSD UKG-10

1:300 Scale

Metal kit: Heroics & Ros GWA105

1:350 Scale

Shapeways: Decapod

1:600 Scale

Metal kit: Tumbling Dice

Resources

Orthographic Drawings

early tail
late tail
twin Vickers

Color Schemes

Wingnut Wings Page

References

Notes

↑ Most machines that saw combat used the 130hp engine.^[8]
↑ A small number were completed with twin Vickers machine guns.^[9]
↑ British usage numbers are approximate, derived from the squadron histories.^[14]
↑ This was instead the "D" deck in the original release.
↑ Updated card

Citations

↑ ^1.0 ^1.1 ^1.2 ^1.3 Angelucci, p.57.
↑ ^2.0 ^2.1 ^2.2 ^2.3 Bruce'66, p.3.
↑ ^3.0 ^3.1 ^3.2 ^3.3 Argus Vol. 1, p.36.
↑ Bruce'66, p.10.
↑ ^5.0 ^5.1 ^5.2 ^5.3 Angelucci, p.46.
↑ ^6.0 ^6.1 ^6.2 ^6.3 ^6.4 ^6.5 ^6.6 Bruce'66, p.12.
↑ ^7.0 ^7.1 ^7.2 ^7.3 ^7.4 ^7.5 Lamberton, pp.214-215.
↑ ^8.0 ^8.1 Bruce'66, p.5.
↑ Bruce'90, p.3.
↑ Kelly, p.230.
↑ ^11.0 ^11.1 ^11.2 ^11.3 ^11.4 ^11.5 ^11.6 Bruce'69, p.563.
↑ ^12.0 ^12.1 ^12.2 Munson, p.76.
↑ ^13.0 ^13.1 ^13.2 ^13.3 Bruce'90, p.32.
↑ Philpott'13, pp.379-444.

Bibliography

Enzo Angelucci, ed. The Rand M^cNally Encyclopedia of Military Aircraft, 1914-1980. New York: The Military Press, 1983 edition. ISBN 0-517-41021-4.
Argus Books, Airplane Archive: Aircraft of World War One, Volume 1. Great Britain: Argus Books, 1989. ISBN 0-85242-983-5
J.M. Bruce. British Aeroplanes 1914-18. Great Britain: Funk & Wagnalls, 1957, 1969. ISBN 0370000382
J.M. Bruce, Profile Publications 73: The Sopwith Triplane. England: Profile Publications Ltd., 1966.
J.M. Bruce, Windsock Datafile 22: Sopwith Triplane. Great Britain: Albatros Publications, Ltd., 1990. ISBN 0-948414-26-X
Kevin Kelly, "Belts and Drums: A Survey of First World War Aircraft Ammunition Totals". Over the Front, Vol. 5, No. 3, Autumn 1990. Walsworth Publishing Co, Inc. and The League of World War I Aviation Historians.
W.M. Lamberton and E.F. Cheesman, Fighter Aircraft of the 1914-1918 War. Great Britain: Harleyford Publications Limited, 1960.
Kenneth Munson, Fighters 1914-19, Attack and Training Aircraft. New York: MacMillan Publishing Co., Inc., 1976. ISBN 0713707607
Ian Philpott, The Birth of the Royal Air Force. Great Britain: Pen & Sword Books Limited, 2013. ISBN 978-1-78159-333-2

[9] Most machines that saw combat used the 130hp engine.^[8]

[11] A small number were completed with twin Vickers machine guns.^[9]

[17] British usage numbers are approximate, derived from the squadron histories.^[14]

[18] This was instead the "D" deck in the original release.

[19] Updated card

[Angelucci57-1] 1.0 ^1.1 ^1.2 ^1.3 Angelucci, p.57.

[Bruce66-3-2] 2.0 ^2.1 ^2.2 ^2.3 Bruce'66, p.3.

[ArgusV1-36-3] 3.0 ^3.1 ^3.2 ^3.3 Argus Vol. 1, p.36.

[Bruce66-10-4] Bruce'66, p.10.

[Angelucci46-5] 5.0 ^5.1 ^5.2 ^5.3 Angelucci, p.46.

[Bruce66-12-6] 6.0 ^6.1 ^6.2 ^6.3 ^6.4 ^6.5 ^6.6 Bruce'66, p.12.

[Lamberton214-7] 7.0 ^7.1 ^7.2 ^7.3 ^7.4 ^7.5 Lamberton, pp.214-215.

[Bruce66-5-8] 8.0 ^8.1 Bruce'66, p.5.

[Bruce90-3-10] Bruce'90, p.3.

[Kelly230-12] Kelly, p.230.

[Bruce69-563-13] 11.0 ^11.1 ^11.2 ^11.3 ^11.4 ^11.5 ^11.6 Bruce'69, p.563.

[Munson76-14] 12.0 ^12.1 ^12.2 Munson, p.76.

[Bruce90-32-15] 13.0 ^13.1 ^13.2 ^13.3 Bruce'90, p.32.

[Philpott13-379-444-16] Philpott'13, pp.379-444.

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Timeline [note 3]