Sopwith 1½ Strutter

Sopwith 1½ Strutter
Country	UK
Role	Biplane general purpose aircraft
First flight	December 1915
Built	4500 France & 1439 Great Britain

The Sopwith 1+1⁄2 Strutter was a British single- or two-seat multi-role biplane aircraft of the First World War. It was the first British two-seat tractor fighter and the first British aircraft to enter service with a synchronised machine gun. It was given the name 1+1⁄2 Strutter because of the long and short cabane struts that supported the top wing. The type was operated by both British air services and was in widespread but lacklustre service with the French Aéronautique Militaire.

Source: Sopwith 1½ Strutter on Wikipedia

Sopwith 1A2 Strutter Walk Around
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Localisation	Unknow
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General Characteristics

The Sopwith 1½ Strutter was a British single- or two-seat multi-role biplane used by the RFC and RNAS during World War I. It was highly significant as the first British aircraft to enter service with a synchronized machine gun firing through the propeller arc. It earned its unusual nickname, “1½ Strutter,” due to the configuration of the short and long cabane struts supporting the center section of the upper wing. The aircraft served in many roles, including fighter, reconnaissance, and bomber.

Property	Typical Value (Two-Seater)
Official Designation (French)	Sopwith 1.A2 (Two-seat Reconnaissance)
Role	Fighter, Reconnaissance, Light Bomber
Manufacturer	Sopwith Aviation Company
First Service	April 1916
No. Built	~6,000 (Over 4,500 licensed built in France)
Crew	2 (Pilot and Observer/Gunner) or 1 (Bomber version)
Length	7.70 m (25 ft 3 in)
Wingspan	10.21 m (33 ft 6 in)
Max Takeoff Weight	975 kg (2,150 lb)

Powerplant and Design

Engine: One Clerget 9B 9-cylinder air-cooled rotary engine (or Clerget 9Z or Le Rhône 9J).
Power Output: 97 kW (130 hp) (Clerget 9B).
Maximum Speed: Up to 171 km/h (106 mph).
Endurance: Up to 4.25 hours.
Innovative Features: It was one of the first aircraft to feature a variable-incidence tailplane (adjustable in flight) and airbrakes on the lower wings to aid landing.

Armament and Service

Pilot’s Armament: 1 x 7.7 mm (.303 in) fixed, forward-firing Vickers machine gun (synchronized).
Observer’s Armament: 1 x 7.7 mm (.303 in) flexible Lewis machine gun mounted on a Scarff ring (a new, standardized mounting).
Bomb Load (Two-Seater): Up to 60 kg (130 lb) of bombs on underwing racks.
Bomber Variant: The single-seat bomber version (French designation 1.B1) eliminated the observer cockpit, allowing for a larger internal bomb bay or increased fuel capacity.
Combat History: Highly effective upon its introduction in 1916, helping to end the “Fokker Scourge.” However, its stable design and low power made it increasingly vulnerable to newer German fighters like the Albatros during “Bloody April” 1917, after which it was largely relegated to training, home defense, and shipboard duties.