RODEN 609 SOPWITH TRIPLANE WWI BRITISH FIGHTER of the ROYAL FLYING CORPS
1/32 SCALE
DESCRIPTION:
At the beginning of 1916 the British aircraft manufacturer Sopwith produced a very successful single-seat fighter, enshrined in the history of aviation with the short and succinct name of Pup. This type quickly became a favorite mount of British pilots and was built in sizeable numbers for a while. When an aircraft was first introduced into front line squadrons, one of the main criteria of its fighting ability was not only speed, but also maneuverability - it was of crucial importance in dog fight conditions when large groups of British and German pilots faced each other in the air. Biplanes were obviously much more maneuverable in comparison with clumsy monoplanes, and were normally preferred, but in their constant effort to improve every important aspect of maneuverability, the designers of the Sopwith Company decided to risk fitting an additional third wing to the well designed and combat tested Pup. Multi-planes were not unknown, even before the war; however they were isolated and experimental designs. Now the intention was to put such an aircraft into production, one which could compete on equal terms with the latest developments of the enemy. At first, the construction of the Pup's fuselage was to be unchanged, but the firm's chief engineer Herbert Smith decided to modify it. The new development with three wings inherited from the Pup only its horizontal and vertical tail assembly. Its wings had an unusually low chord in comparison with the Pup (which would improve the pilot's view from the cockpit), and ailerons on each of the three wings. A powerful Clerget 9Z engine of 110 hp was fitted to the plane, which was changed once production was underway for a Clerget 9B of 130 hp. The armament of the fighter consisted of a single synchronized Vickers machine gun (but at least six machines later boasted two machine guns). At a later stage of production the tailplane of the aircraft was given a new form and it now little resembled its predecessor. The first test flight of the new aircraft was in May 1916. The results were simply spectacular, especially as regards its maneuverability and rate of climb. The Sopwith Triplane (as the fighter was now known) was immediately sent to undergo military trials in France, and later the second pre-production machine was sent to the front.
FEATURES:
* Brand: Roden
* Title: Sopwith Triplane
* Number: 609
* Scale: 1/32
* Type: Full kit
* Released: 2010 New tool
* Topic: Sopwith Triplane » Propeller (Aircraft)
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