Sopwith 1½ Strutter
Encyclopedia
The Sopwith 1½ Strutter was a British
one or two-seat biplane
multi-role aircraft
of the First World War. It is significant as the first British-designed two seater tractor
fighter, and the first British aircraft to enter service with a synchronised
machine gun
. It also saw widespread but rather undistinguished service with the French Aéronautique Militaire
.
designed a small, two seat biplane powered by an 80 hp (60 kW) Gnome
rotary engine
, which became known as the "Sigrist Bus" after Fred Sigrist, Sopwith's Works Manager. The Sigrist Bus first flew on 5 June 1915, and although it set a new British altitude record on the day of its first flight, only one was built, serving as a company runabout.
The Sigrist Bus formed the basis for a new, larger fighter aircraft, the Sopwith LCT (Land Clerget Tractor), designed by Herbert Smith, powered by a 110 hp (82 kW) Clerget
engine. Like the Sigrist Bus, each of the upper wings (there was no true centre section) were connected to the fuselage
by a pair of short (half) struts and a pair of longer struts, forming a "W" when viewed from the front, this giving rise to the aircraft's popular nickname
of the 1½ Strutter. The first prototype was ready in mid December 1915, undergoing official testing in January 1916.
The 1½ Strutter was of conventional, wire braced, wood and fabric construction. The pilot and gunner sat in widely separated tandem cockpits, with the pilot sitting in front, giving the gunner a good field of fire for his Lewis gun
. The aircraft had a variable incidence tailplane
that could be adjusted by the pilot in flight, and airbrakes
under the lower wings to reduce landing distance.
The Vickers-Challenger interrupter gear
was put into production for the Royal Flying Corps
in December 1915 and in a few weeks a similar order for the Scarff-Dibovski gear was placed for the RNAS. Early production 1½ Strutters were fitted with one or the other of these gears for the pilot's fixed .303
-in Vickers machine gun
; due to a shortage of the new gears some early aircraft were built with only the observer's gun. Later aircraft standardised on the improved Ross gear, although the Sopwith-Kauper gear was also fitted. None of these early mechanical synchronisation gears were very reliable and it was not uncommon for propellers to be damaged, or even entirely shot away.
The Scarff ring
mounting was also new and production was at first slower than that of the aircraft requiring them. Various makeshift Lewis mountings as well as the older Nieuport ring mounting, were fitted to some early 1½ Strutters as an interim measure. The two-seaters could carry four 25 lb (11 kg) bombs underwing, which could be replaced by two 65 lb (30 kg) bombs for anti-submarine patrols.
From the beginning a dedicated light bomber version was planned, with the observer's cockpit eliminated to allow for more fuel and bombs to be carried in the manner of the Martinsyde Elephant and the B.E.12
, with an internal bomb-bay capable of carrying four 65 lb (30 kg) bombs.
and Breguet
bombers and for carrying out bombing raids themselves. The War Office
had ordered the type for the RFC in March but because Sopwith's entire production capacity was pre-contracted to the navy, the RFC orders had to be placed with Ruston Proctor and Vickers
and production from these manufacturers did not get into its stride until August. Since the Somme offensive was planned for the end of June and with the RFC having a shortage of up-to-date aircraft to support the planned offensive, it was agreed that a number of Sopwiths would be transferred from one service to the other, allowing No. 70 Squadron to reach the front by early July 1916, with Sopwith-built Strutters originally intended for the Navy.
At first No. 70 did very well with their new mounts. The period of German ascendency known as the Fokker scourge
was long over and the 1½ Strutter's long range, coupled with its excellent armament for the period, enabled effective offensive patrolling deep into German held territory. However by the time No. 45 Squadron
reached the front in October the new Albatros
fighters were appearing in the Jagdstaffeln. By January 1917, when No 43 Squadron
arrived in France, the type was outclassed as a fighter. While the fitting of a more powerful 130 hp Le Clerget 9B improved performance slightly, this came too late to reverse the situation. It was still a useful long-range reconnaissance aircraft when it could be provided with adequate fighter escort, but was one of the types to suffer severely during "Bloody April
" - No. 43 squadron alone suffering 35 casualties, from an officer establishment of 32.
Like other early Sopwith types, the 1½ Strutter was very lightly built and its structure did not stand up very well to arduous war service. It was also far too stable to make a good dogfighter. The last front line 1½ Strutters in the RFC were replaced by Camels
in late October 1917.
This was by no means the end of the story as far the Sopwith two seater's service was concerned. The type's long range and stability were good qualities for a home defence fighter and it served with three home defence squadrons, No. 37
, No. 44
and No. 78
Squadrons. Most of the 1½ Strutters supplied to home defence units had been built as two seaters but many were converted "in the field" to single seaters in order to improve performance. Some of these single seaters were similar to the bomber variant but others were of different type, known (like similarly adapted Sopwith Camels) as the Sopwith Comic. The cockpit was moved back behind the wings and one or two Lewis guns, either mounted on Foster mounting
s or fixed to fire upwards, outside the arc of the propeller replaced the synchronised Vickers.
The RNAS used most of their 1½ Strutters as bombers (in the Aegean and Macedonia as well as in France) and as shipboard aircraft. In this service it was known as the Ship's Strutter and flew from aircraft carrier
s and other warship
s of the Royal Navy
.
The RNAS and the RFC (and after April 1918 the RAF
) used the type as a trainer after its operational days were over. Like the Pup
, it proved a popular personal aircraft for senior officers.
Farman and Breguet
bombers of the time had become obsolete and pending the appearance of French tractor
aircraft the Sopwith was ordered in very large numbers from French manufacturers - in three versions, the SOP. 1A2 (two seater reconnaissance), SOP. 1B2 (two seater bomber) and SOP. 1B1 (single seater bomber). For want of a better alternative the French Sopwiths had to soldier on long after they had become obsolete and were not fully replaced by later types until early 1918. Three Belgian and three American squadrons also flew French-built Sopwiths, and surplus French Sopwiths were used by several countries post-war.
Over 100 1½ Strutters were also built in Russia by Duks and Lebedev, supplemented by large numbers delivered directly from Britain and France. The 1½ Strutter remained in large scale use by both the Soviet forces and White Russians
during the Russian civil war
and Polish-Soviet war
. Three were captured during this war and used by the Poles in 1919–1920. Other captured ones were used by Baltic states.
Around 1,500 1½ Strutters were built for the Royal Flying Corps
and the Royal Naval Air Service
and between 4,200 and 4,500 were built in France
.
designation for two seater version.
Sopwith Type 9700 : Admiralty
designation for single seater bomber.
Sopwith Two-seater : Official RFC designation.
Sopwith 1½ Strutter : Universally used but "non-official" name for two-seat fighter-scout, bomber and reconnaissance versions.
Sopwith Comic : Single seat home defence fighter
Ship Strutter : Shipboard version
SOP. 1: French built version.
LeO 1: Lioré et Olivier licence-built version.
So-shiki Model 1 : Japanese licence-built bomber version.
So-Shiki Model 2 : Japanese licence-built LeO 1 reconnaissance version.
Original Sopwith 1½ Strutter aircraft are preserved at the following locations. Replica aircraft are not listed.
Belgium : S85, Koninklijk Legermuseum/Musee Royal de l'Armee
, Brussels.
France : No. 556, Sop.1A.2 at Musée de l'Air et de l'Espace
, Paris Le Bourget airport.
France : No. 2897, Sop.1B.2 at the Association Memorial Flight, La Ferté-Alais
near Paris (under restoration 2009).
New Zealand :A former Argentinian machine formerly in the possession of Kermit Weeks
' Fantasy of Flight
museum at Polk City, Florida
is under restoration with Peter Jackson
's firm The Vintage Aviator Limited in New Zealand
.
Afghanistan
Lithuania
Kingdom of Romania
A single aircraft acquired from Russia in 1918.
United States
55 aircraft on French civil register in 1922.
At least seven aircraft registered.
Possibly one aircraft from Switzerland in 1926.
Two aircraft, CH-53 registered 9 April 1921, cancelled 9 October 1923. CH-67 registered 5 December 1923, cancelled December 1926 as sold to Sweden
.
One civil registered aircraft, G-EAVB.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
one or two-seat biplane
Biplane
A biplane is a fixed-wing aircraft with two superimposed main wings. The Wright brothers' Wright Flyer used a biplane design, as did most aircraft in the early years of aviation. While a biplane wing structure has a structural advantage, it produces more drag than a similar monoplane wing...
multi-role aircraft
Aircraft
An aircraft is a vehicle that is able to fly by gaining support from the air, or, in general, the atmosphere of a planet. An aircraft counters the force of gravity by using either static lift or by using the dynamic lift of an airfoil, or in a few cases the downward thrust from jet engines.Although...
of the First World War. It is significant as the first British-designed two seater tractor
Tractor configuration
thumb|right|[[Evektor-Aerotechnik|Aerotechnik EV97A Eurostar]], a tractor configuration aircraft, being pulled into position by its pilot for refuelling....
fighter, and the first British aircraft to enter service with a synchronised
Interrupter gear
An interrupter gear is a device used on military aircraft and warships in order to allow them to target opponents without damaging themselves....
machine gun
Machine gun
A machine gun is a fully automatic mounted or portable firearm, usually designed to fire rounds in quick succession from an ammunition belt or large-capacity magazine, typically at a rate of several hundred rounds per minute....
. It also saw widespread but rather undistinguished service with the French Aéronautique Militaire
History of the Armée de l'Air (1909-1942)
The Armée de l'Air is the name of the French Air Force in its native language. It has borne this name only from August 1933 when it was still under the jurisdiction of the army...
.
Design and development
In December 1914, the Sopwith Aviation CompanySopwith Aviation Company
The Sopwith Aviation Company was a British aircraft company that designed and manufactured aeroplanes mainly for the British Royal Naval Air Service, Royal Flying Corps and later Royal Air Force in the First World War, most famously the Sopwith Camel...
designed a small, two seat biplane powered by an 80 hp (60 kW) Gnome
Gnome
A gnome is a diminutive spirit in Renaissance magic and alchemy, first introduced by Paracelsus and later adopted by more recent authors including those of modern fantasy literature...
rotary engine
Rotary engine
The rotary engine was an early type of internal-combustion engine, usually designed with an odd number of cylinders per row in a radial configuration, in which the crankshaft remained stationary and the entire cylinder block rotated around it...
, which became known as the "Sigrist Bus" after Fred Sigrist, Sopwith's Works Manager. The Sigrist Bus first flew on 5 June 1915, and although it set a new British altitude record on the day of its first flight, only one was built, serving as a company runabout.
The Sigrist Bus formed the basis for a new, larger fighter aircraft, the Sopwith LCT (Land Clerget Tractor), designed by Herbert Smith, powered by a 110 hp (82 kW) Clerget
Clerget
Clerget was the name given to a series of early rotary aircraft engine types of the World War I era that were designed by Pierre Clerget. Manufactured in both France by Clerget-Blin and Great Britain by Gwynne Limited, they were used on such aircraft as the Sopwith Camel and Vickers Gunbus.In the...
engine. Like the Sigrist Bus, each of the upper wings (there was no true centre section) were connected to the fuselage
Fuselage
The fuselage is an aircraft's main body section that holds crew and passengers or cargo. In single-engine aircraft it will usually contain an engine, although in some amphibious aircraft the single engine is mounted on a pylon attached to the fuselage which in turn is used as a floating hull...
by a pair of short (half) struts and a pair of longer struts, forming a "W" when viewed from the front, this giving rise to the aircraft's popular nickname
Nickname
A nickname is "a usually familiar or humorous but sometimes pointed or cruel name given to a person or place, as a supposedly appropriate replacement for or addition to the proper name.", or a name similar in origin and pronunciation from the original name....
of the 1½ Strutter. The first prototype was ready in mid December 1915, undergoing official testing in January 1916.
The 1½ Strutter was of conventional, wire braced, wood and fabric construction. The pilot and gunner sat in widely separated tandem cockpits, with the pilot sitting in front, giving the gunner a good field of fire for his Lewis gun
Lewis Gun
The Lewis Gun is a World War I–era light machine gun of American design that was perfected and widely used by the British Empire. It was first used in combat in World War I, and continued in service with a number of armed forces through to the end of the Korean War...
. The aircraft had a variable incidence tailplane
Tailplane
A tailplane, also known as horizontal stabilizer , is a small lifting surface located on the tail behind the main lifting surfaces of a fixed-wing aircraft as well as other non-fixed wing aircraft such as helicopters and gyroplanes...
that could be adjusted by the pilot in flight, and airbrakes
Air brake (aircraft)
In aeronautics, air brakes or speedbrakes are a type of flight control surface used on an aircraft to increase drag or increase the angle of approach during landing....
under the lower wings to reduce landing distance.
The Vickers-Challenger interrupter gear
Interrupter gear
An interrupter gear is a device used on military aircraft and warships in order to allow them to target opponents without damaging themselves....
was put into production for the Royal Flying Corps
Royal Flying Corps
The Royal Flying Corps was the over-land air arm of the British military during most of the First World War. During the early part of the war, the RFC's responsibilities were centred on support of the British Army, via artillery co-operation and photographic reconnaissance...
in December 1915 and in a few weeks a similar order for the Scarff-Dibovski gear was placed for the RNAS. Early production 1½ Strutters were fitted with one or the other of these gears for the pilot's fixed .303
.303
.303 may refer to:* .303 British, a rifle cartridge* .303 Savage, a rifle cartridge* Lee-Enfield rifle* .303 , a short film...
-in Vickers machine gun
Vickers machine gun
Not to be confused with the Vickers light machine gunThe Vickers machine gun or Vickers gun is a name primarily used to refer to the water-cooled .303 inch machine gun produced by Vickers Limited, originally for the British Army...
; due to a shortage of the new gears some early aircraft were built with only the observer's gun. Later aircraft standardised on the improved Ross gear, although the Sopwith-Kauper gear was also fitted. None of these early mechanical synchronisation gears were very reliable and it was not uncommon for propellers to be damaged, or even entirely shot away.
The Scarff ring
Scarff ring
The Scarff ring was a type of machine gun mounting developed during the First World War by Warrant Officer F. W. Scarff of the Admiralty Air Department for use on two-seater aircraft...
mounting was also new and production was at first slower than that of the aircraft requiring them. Various makeshift Lewis mountings as well as the older Nieuport ring mounting, were fitted to some early 1½ Strutters as an interim measure. The two-seaters could carry four 25 lb (11 kg) bombs underwing, which could be replaced by two 65 lb (30 kg) bombs for anti-submarine patrols.
From the beginning a dedicated light bomber version was planned, with the observer's cockpit eliminated to allow for more fuel and bombs to be carried in the manner of the Martinsyde Elephant and the B.E.12
Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.12
|-See also:-External links:*...
, with an internal bomb-bay capable of carrying four 65 lb (30 kg) bombs.
In British service
The prototype two-seater flew in December 1915 and production deliveries started to reach the RNAS in February 1916. By the end of April, No. 5 Wing RNAS had a complete flight equipped with the new aircraft. The Sopwiths were used both for escorting the Wing's Caudron G.4Caudron G.4
|-References:*Donald, David . The Encyclopedia of World Aircraft. Leicester, UK: Blitz Editions, 1997. ISBN 1-85605-375-X.* Kalevi Keskinen, Kyösti Partonen, Kari Stenman: Suomen Ilmavoimat I 1918-27, 2005. ISBN 952-99432-2-9....
and Breguet
Breguet Bre.4
This article is about an aircraft of World War I. For the pre-war design of the same designation, see Breguet Type IV.This article is about an aircraft of World War I. For the pre-war design of the same designation, see Breguet Type IV....
bombers and for carrying out bombing raids themselves. The War Office
War Office
The War Office was a department of the British Government, responsible for the administration of the British Army between the 17th century and 1964, when its functions were transferred to the Ministry of Defence...
had ordered the type for the RFC in March but because Sopwith's entire production capacity was pre-contracted to the navy, the RFC orders had to be placed with Ruston Proctor and Vickers
Vickers
Vickers was a famous name in British engineering that existed through many companies from 1828 until 1999.-Early history:Vickers was formed in Sheffield as a steel foundry by the miller Edward Vickers and his father-in-law George Naylor in 1828. Naylor was a partner in the foundry Naylor &...
and production from these manufacturers did not get into its stride until August. Since the Somme offensive was planned for the end of June and with the RFC having a shortage of up-to-date aircraft to support the planned offensive, it was agreed that a number of Sopwiths would be transferred from one service to the other, allowing No. 70 Squadron to reach the front by early July 1916, with Sopwith-built Strutters originally intended for the Navy.
At first No. 70 did very well with their new mounts. The period of German ascendency known as the Fokker scourge
Fokker Scourge
The Fokker Scourge was a term coined by the British press in the summer of 1915 to describe the then-current ascendancy of the Fokker Eindecker monoplane fighters of the German Fliegertruppen over the poorly-armed Allied reconnaissance types of the period....
was long over and the 1½ Strutter's long range, coupled with its excellent armament for the period, enabled effective offensive patrolling deep into German held territory. However by the time No. 45 Squadron
No. 45 Squadron RAF
-First World War:Formed during World War I at Gosport on 1 March 1916 as Number 45 Squadron, the unit was first equipped with Sopwith 1½ Strutters which it was to fly in the Scout role. Deployed to France in October of that year, the Squadron found itself suffering heavy losses due to the quality...
reached the front in October the new Albatros
Albatros D.I
|-See also:...
fighters were appearing in the Jagdstaffeln. By January 1917, when No 43 Squadron
No. 43 Squadron RAF
No. 43 Squadron was a Royal Air Force aircraft squadron originally formed in 1916 as part of the Royal Flying Corps. It last operated the Panavia Tornado F3 from RAF Leuchars, Scotland in the air defence role until disbanded in July 2009.-In World War I:...
arrived in France, the type was outclassed as a fighter. While the fitting of a more powerful 130 hp Le Clerget 9B improved performance slightly, this came too late to reverse the situation. It was still a useful long-range reconnaissance aircraft when it could be provided with adequate fighter escort, but was one of the types to suffer severely during "Bloody April
Bloody April
During the First World War, the month of April 1917 was known as Bloody April by the Royal Flying Corps . The RFC suffered particularly severe losses — about three times as many as the Imperial German Army Air Service over the same period — but continued its primary role in support of the ground...
" - No. 43 squadron alone suffering 35 casualties, from an officer establishment of 32.
Like other early Sopwith types, the 1½ Strutter was very lightly built and its structure did not stand up very well to arduous war service. It was also far too stable to make a good dogfighter. The last front line 1½ Strutters in the RFC were replaced by Camels
Sopwith Camel
The Sopwith Camel was a British First World War single-seat biplane fighter introduced on the Western Front in 1917. Manufactured by Sopwith Aviation Company, it had a short-coupled fuselage, heavy, powerful rotary engine, and concentrated fire from twin synchronized machine guns. Though difficult...
in late October 1917.
This was by no means the end of the story as far the Sopwith two seater's service was concerned. The type's long range and stability were good qualities for a home defence fighter and it served with three home defence squadrons, No. 37
No. 37 Squadron RAF
-History:No. 37 Squadron of the Royal Flying Corps was formed at Orfordness, Suffolk, on 15 April 1916 but ceased to exist a month later. In September of that year, it was re-formed, with headquarters at Woodham Mortimer, in Essex. It responsibilities included defending London against aerial attack...
, No. 44
No. 44 Squadron RAF
No. 44 Squadron of the Royal Air Force is no longer operational. For most of its history it served as a heavy bomber squadron.-History:...
and No. 78
No. 78 Squadron RAF
No. 78 Squadron of the Royal Air Force operates the Merlin HC3/3A transport helicopter from RAF Benson.Until December 2007 it was the operator of two Westland Sea King HAR3s from RAF Mount Pleasant, Falkland Islands.-History:No...
Squadrons. Most of the 1½ Strutters supplied to home defence units had been built as two seaters but many were converted "in the field" to single seaters in order to improve performance. Some of these single seaters were similar to the bomber variant but others were of different type, known (like similarly adapted Sopwith Camels) as the Sopwith Comic. The cockpit was moved back behind the wings and one or two Lewis guns, either mounted on Foster mounting
Foster mounting
In early 1916 Sergeant Foster of No. 11 Squadron RFC devised a sliding rail mounting for the upper wing Lewis Gun on a Nieuport 11. It enabled the gun to be pulled down so that its breech was conveniently in front of the pilot, making it much easier to change ammunition drums or to clear stoppages...
s or fixed to fire upwards, outside the arc of the propeller replaced the synchronised Vickers.
The RNAS used most of their 1½ Strutters as bombers (in the Aegean and Macedonia as well as in France) and as shipboard aircraft. In this service it was known as the Ship's Strutter and flew from aircraft carrier
Aircraft carrier
An aircraft carrier is a warship designed with a primary mission of deploying and recovering aircraft, acting as a seagoing airbase. Aircraft carriers thus allow a naval force to project air power worldwide without having to depend on local bases for staging aircraft operations...
s and other warship
Warship
A warship is a ship that is built and primarily intended for combat. Warships are usually built in a completely different way from merchant ships. As well as being armed, warships are designed to withstand damage and are usually faster and more maneuvrable than merchant ships...
s of the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
.
The RNAS and the RFC (and after April 1918 the RAF
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
) used the type as a trainer after its operational days were over. Like the Pup
Sopwith Pup
The Sopwith Pup was a British single seater biplane fighter aircraft built by the Sopwith Aviation Company. It entered service with the Royal Flying Corps and the Royal Naval Air Service in the autumn of 1916. With pleasant flying characteristics and good maneuverability, the aircraft proved very...
, it proved a popular personal aircraft for senior officers.
In French and foreign service
The largest user of the Sopwith was the French Aéronautique Militaire. By May 1916 it was obvious that the pusherPusher configuration
In a craft with a pusher configuration the propeller are mounted behind their respective engine. According to Bill Gunston, a "pusher propeller" is one mounted behind engine so that drive shaft is in compression...
Farman and Breguet
Société Anonyme des Ateliers d'Aviation Louis Breguet
The Société des Ateliers d'Aviation Louis Bréguet also known as Breguet Aviation was a former French aircraft manufacturer. The company was set up in 1911 by aviation pioneer Louis Charles Breguet....
bombers of the time had become obsolete and pending the appearance of French tractor
Tractor configuration
thumb|right|[[Evektor-Aerotechnik|Aerotechnik EV97A Eurostar]], a tractor configuration aircraft, being pulled into position by its pilot for refuelling....
aircraft the Sopwith was ordered in very large numbers from French manufacturers - in three versions, the SOP. 1A2 (two seater reconnaissance), SOP. 1B2 (two seater bomber) and SOP. 1B1 (single seater bomber). For want of a better alternative the French Sopwiths had to soldier on long after they had become obsolete and were not fully replaced by later types until early 1918. Three Belgian and three American squadrons also flew French-built Sopwiths, and surplus French Sopwiths were used by several countries post-war.
Over 100 1½ Strutters were also built in Russia by Duks and Lebedev, supplemented by large numbers delivered directly from Britain and France. The 1½ Strutter remained in large scale use by both the Soviet forces and White Russians
White movement
The White movement and its military arm the White Army - known as the White Guard or the Whites - was a loose confederation of Anti-Communist forces.The movement comprised one of the politico-military Russian forces who fought...
during the Russian civil war
Russian Civil War
The Russian Civil War was a multi-party war that occurred within the former Russian Empire after the Russian provisional government collapsed to the Soviets, under the domination of the Bolshevik party. Soviet forces first assumed power in Petrograd The Russian Civil War (1917–1923) was a...
and Polish-Soviet war
Polish-Soviet War
The Polish–Soviet War was an armed conflict between Soviet Russia and Soviet Ukraine and the Second Polish Republic and the Ukrainian People's Republic—four states in post–World War I Europe...
. Three were captured during this war and used by the Poles in 1919–1920. Other captured ones were used by Baltic states.
Around 1,500 1½ Strutters were built for the Royal Flying Corps
Royal Flying Corps
The Royal Flying Corps was the over-land air arm of the British military during most of the First World War. During the early part of the war, the RFC's responsibilities were centred on support of the British Army, via artillery co-operation and photographic reconnaissance...
and the Royal Naval Air Service
Royal Naval Air Service
The Royal Naval Air Service or RNAS was the air arm of the Royal Navy until near the end of the First World War, when it merged with the British Army's Royal Flying Corps to form a new service , the Royal Air Force...
and between 4,200 and 4,500 were built in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
Variants
Sopwith Type 9400 : Official AdmiraltyAdmiralty
The Admiralty was formerly the authority in the Kingdom of England, and later in the United Kingdom, responsible for the command of the Royal Navy...
designation for two seater version.
Sopwith Type 9700 : Admiralty
Admiralty
The Admiralty was formerly the authority in the Kingdom of England, and later in the United Kingdom, responsible for the command of the Royal Navy...
designation for single seater bomber.
Sopwith Two-seater : Official RFC designation.
Sopwith 1½ Strutter : Universally used but "non-official" name for two-seat fighter-scout, bomber and reconnaissance versions.
Sopwith Comic : Single seat home defence fighter
Ship Strutter : Shipboard version
SOP. 1: French built version.
LeO 1: Lioré et Olivier licence-built version.
So-shiki Model 1 : Japanese licence-built bomber version.
So-Shiki Model 2 : Japanese licence-built LeO 1 reconnaissance version.
Survivors
Belgium : S85, Koninklijk Legermuseum/Musee Royal de l'Armee
Royal Museum of the Armed Forces and of Military History
The Royal Museum of the Armed Forces and Military History The Royal Museum of the Armed Forces and Military History The Royal Museum of the Armed Forces and Military History (or simply the Royal Military Museum (RRM) is a museum that occupies the two northernmost halls of the historic complex in...
, Brussels.
France : No. 556, Sop.1A.2 at Musée de l'Air et de l'Espace
Musée de l'Air et de l'Espace
The French Air and Space Museum is a French museum, located in the south-eastern edge of Le Bourget Airport, north of Paris, and in the commune of Le Bourget. It was created in 1919 from a proposition of Albert Caquot .-Description:Occupying over of land and hangars, it is one of the oldest...
, Paris Le Bourget airport.
France : No. 2897, Sop.1B.2 at the Association Memorial Flight, La Ferté-Alais
La Ferté-Alais
La Ferté-Alais is a commune in the Essonne department in Île-de-France in northern France. It is south of Paris.Its airfield , hosts a world-famous air show for vintage World War I and WWII aircraft and a museum of such aircraft....
near Paris (under restoration 2009).
New Zealand :A former Argentinian machine formerly in the possession of Kermit Weeks
Kermit Weeks
Kermit Weeks is an aviation enthusiast, pilot, and aircraft collector. He was recently inducted into Florida's Aviation Hall Of Fame for his services to Florida's aviation history.Weeks was twice U.S. National Aerobatic Champion...
' Fantasy of Flight
Fantasy of Flight
Fantasy of Flight is an aviation-related attraction in Polk City, Florida, USA that takes visitors back to the pioneering days of early flight, World War I, World War II and beyond. The attraction opened in November of 1995, and houses the world's largest private aircraft collection on display...
museum at Polk City, Florida
Polk City, Florida
Polk City is a city in Polk County, Florida, United States. The population was 1,516 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 1,515. It is part of the Lakeland–Winter Haven Metropolitan Statistical Area...
is under restoration with Peter Jackson
Peter Jackson
Sir Peter Robert Jackson, KNZM is a New Zealand film director, producer, actor, and screenwriter, known for his The Lord of the Rings film trilogy , adapted from the novel by J. R. R...
's firm The Vintage Aviator Limited in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
.
Military
Afghanistan
- Afghanistan Air Force acquired a few aircraft from 1921 and retired in 1925.
- Australian Flying Corps
- No. 2 Squadron AFCNo. 2 Squadron RAAFNo. 2 Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force squadron. From its formation in 1916, it has operated a variety of aircraft types including fighters, bombers, and Airborne Early Warning & Control.-World War I:No...
operated one aircraft for training only. - No. 4 Squadron AFCNo. 4 Squadron RAAFNo. 4 Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force squadron responsible for training forward air controllers. The squadron was previously a fighter and army co-operation unit active in both World War I and World War II.-World War I:...
used Strutters for training. - No. 6 (Training) Squadron AFCNo. 6 Squadron RAAFNo. 6 Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force training and bomber squadron. The squadron was first formed in 1917 and served as a training unit based in England during World War I. It was disbanded in 1919 but re-formed at the start of 1939...
in the United KingdomUnited KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
- No. 2 Squadron AFC
- Aviation Militaire BelgeBelgian Air ForceThe Air Component, formerly the Belgian Air Force, is the air arm of the Belgian Armed Forces. Originally founded in 1909, it is one of the world's first air forces, and was a pioneer in aerial combat during the First World War...
.- 2ème Escadrille
- 3ème Escadrille
- 4ème Escadrille
- 6ème Escadrille
- Escola de Aviação Militar used three aircraft for liaison and army co-operation duties.
- Estonian Air ForceEstonian Air ForceThe Estonian Air Force is the name of the unified aviation forces of Estonia.The Õhuvägi is the main arm of the Estonian aviation forces. The average size of the military formation in peacetime is about 210 men. The Estonian Air Force is tasked with dealing with political, military, economical,...
operated a single ex-Soviet aircraft.
- Aéronautique MilitaireHistory of the Armée de l'Air (1909-1942)The Armée de l'Air is the name of the French Air Force in its native language. It has borne this name only from August 1933 when it was still under the jurisdiction of the army...
A total of 72 EscadrillesSquadron (aviation)A squadron in air force, army aviation or naval aviation is mainly a unit comprising a number of military aircraft, usually of the same type, typically with 12 to 24 aircraft, sometimes divided into three or four flights, depending on aircraft type and air force...
equipped either wholly or partly. - Aeronavale
- Hellenic NavyHellenic NavyThe Hellenic Navy is the naval force of Greece, part of the Greek Armed Forces. The modern Greek navy has its roots in the naval forces of various Aegean Islands, which fought in the Greek War of Independence...
- Six aircraft used in the Asia Minor Campaign against Turkey, 1918-21.
- Imperial Japanese Army Air ServiceImperial Japanese Army Air ServiceThe , was the land-based aviation force of the Imperial Japanese Army. As with the IJA itself, the IJAAF was developed along the lines of Imperial German Army Aviation so its primary mission was to provide tactical close air support for ground troops while maintaining a limited air interdiction...
- Latvian Air ForceLatvian Air ForceLatvian Air Force is the aviation branch of the National Armed Forces. The first Air Force units were established 1992. It has no air combat capability, thus the defense of Latvian air space is maintained by NATO, with rotating detachments of four aircraft to Lithuania at four-monthly intervals...
operated at 4 ex-Soviet aircraft. - Latvian National Guard
Lithuania
- Lithuanian Air Force operated a single ex-Soviet aircraft that landed behind Lithuanian lines during the Lithuanian–Soviet WarLithuanian–Soviet WarThe Lithuanian–Soviet War or Lithuanian–Bolshevik War was fought between newly independent Lithuania and the Russian Soviet Federated Socialist Republic in the aftermath of World War I. It was part of the larger Soviet westward offensive of 1918–1919...
. Two others may also have been operated.
- Arma de Aviación MilitarMexican Air ForceThe Mexican Air Force is the aviation branch of the Mexican Army and depends on the National Defense Secretariat . Since 2008, its commander is Gen...
operated one example (TNCATNCATNCA, the Talleres Nacionales de Construcciones Aeronáuticas was an aircraft manufacturer established outside Mexico City in 1915...
registration 1-S-68) from c1920–1924.
- Luchtvaart Afdeling used five 1½ Strutters that forced landed in neutral Holland and were interned and subsequently purchased.
- Polish Air ForcePolish Air ForceThe Polish Air Force is the military Air Force wing of the Polish Armed Forces. Until July 2004 it was officially known as Wojska Lotnicze i Obrony Powietrznej...
operated 3 aircraft captured from the Soviets in 1919–1920.
Kingdom of Romania
- Royal Romanian Air ForceRoyal Romanian Air ForceThe Forţele Aeriene Regale ale României , or simply Forţele Aeriene Române was the Air Arm of Royal Romanian forces in World War II...
- Imperial Russian Air Force and White RussianWhite movementThe White movement and its military arm the White Army - known as the White Guard or the Whites - was a loose confederation of Anti-Communist forces.The movement comprised one of the politico-military Russian forces who fought...
forces
- Soviet Air ForceSoviet Air ForceThe Soviet Air Force, officially known in Russian as Военно-воздушные силы or Voenno-Vozdushnye Sily and often abbreviated VVS was the official designation of one of the air forces of the Soviet Union. The other was the Soviet Air Defence Forces...
A single aircraft acquired from Russia in 1918.
- Royal Flying CorpsRoyal Flying CorpsThe Royal Flying Corps was the over-land air arm of the British military during most of the First World War. During the early part of the war, the RFC's responsibilities were centred on support of the British Army, via artillery co-operation and photographic reconnaissance...
- No. 37 Squadron RFCNo. 37 Squadron RAF-History:No. 37 Squadron of the Royal Flying Corps was formed at Orfordness, Suffolk, on 15 April 1916 but ceased to exist a month later. In September of that year, it was re-formed, with headquarters at Woodham Mortimer, in Essex. It responsibilities included defending London against aerial attack...
- No. 39 Squadron RFCNo. 39 Squadron RAFNo. 39 Squadron of the Royal Air Force operates the MQ-9 Reaper since 2007, operating from Creech AFB, Nevada, USA.-World War I:39 Squadron was founded at Hounslow Heath Aerodrome in April 1916 with B.E.2s and Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.12s in an attempt to defend against German Zeppelin raids on...
- No. 43 Squadron RFCNo. 43 Squadron RAFNo. 43 Squadron was a Royal Air Force aircraft squadron originally formed in 1916 as part of the Royal Flying Corps. It last operated the Panavia Tornado F3 from RAF Leuchars, Scotland in the air defence role until disbanded in July 2009.-In World War I:...
- No. 44 Squadron RFCNo. 44 Squadron RAFNo. 44 Squadron of the Royal Air Force is no longer operational. For most of its history it served as a heavy bomber squadron.-History:...
- No. 45 Squadron RFCNo. 45 Squadron RAF-First World War:Formed during World War I at Gosport on 1 March 1916 as Number 45 Squadron, the unit was first equipped with Sopwith 1½ Strutters which it was to fly in the Scout role. Deployed to France in October of that year, the Squadron found itself suffering heavy losses due to the quality...
- No. 46 Squadron RFCNo. 46 Squadron RAFNo. 46 Squadron of the Royal Flying Corps and the Royal Air Force, formed in 1916, was disbanded and re-formed three times before its last disbandment in 1975. It served in both World War I and World War II.- World War I :...
- No. 70 Squadron RFC
- No. 78 Squadron RFCNo. 78 Squadron RAFNo. 78 Squadron of the Royal Air Force operates the Merlin HC3/3A transport helicopter from RAF Benson.Until December 2007 it was the operator of two Westland Sea King HAR3s from RAF Mount Pleasant, Falkland Islands.-History:No...
- No. 143 Squadron RFCNo. 143 Squadron RAFNo. 143 Squadron RAF was a Royal Air Force Squadron formed as a fighter unit in World War I and reformed as an RAF Coastal Command fighter and anti-submarine unit in World War II.-Formation and World War I:No...
- No. 37 Squadron RFC
- Royal Naval Air ServiceRoyal Naval Air ServiceThe Royal Naval Air Service or RNAS was the air arm of the Royal Navy until near the end of the First World War, when it merged with the British Army's Royal Flying Corps to form a new service , the Royal Air Force...
United States
- Aviation Section, U.S. Signal CorpsAviation Section, U.S. Signal CorpsThe Aviation Section, Signal Corps, was the military aviation service of the United States Army from 1914 to 1918, and a direct ancestor of the United States Air Force. It replaced and absorbed the Aeronautical Division, Signal Corps, and was succeeded briefly by the Division of Military...
purchased 384 two-seat observation aircraft and 130 single seat bombers from France in 1917-18. While mainly used for training, they were used operationally by the 90th Aero Squadron90th Fighter SquadronThe 90th Fighter Squadron is part of the 3d Wing at Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska. It operates the F-22 Raptor aircraft conducting air superiority missions.-Mission:...
as an interim measure, due to a shortage of later types. - United States NavyUnited States NavyThe United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
Civil
Two aircraft registered in 1928. R-105 (later LV-BAA) and R-106 (later LV-CAA). One of these two preserved in Florida.55 aircraft on French civil register in 1922.
At least seven aircraft registered.
Possibly one aircraft from Switzerland in 1926.
Two aircraft, CH-53 registered 9 April 1921, cancelled 9 October 1923. CH-67 registered 5 December 1923, cancelled December 1926 as sold to Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
.
One civil registered aircraft, G-EAVB.