Sopwith Triplane – Photos & Videos

O Sopwith Triplane was a British single seat fighter aircraft designed and manufactured by the Sopwith Aviation Company during the First World War. It has the distinction of being the first military triplane to see operational service. The Triplane was developed by the firm’s experimental department as a private venture, the project was headed by the designer Herbert Smith. Aside from its obvious difference in wing configuration, the aircraft shared many similarities with the company’s successful biplane fighter, the Sopwith Pup. The prototype Triplane performed its maiden flight on 28 May 1916 and was dispatched to the French theatre two months later, where it garnered high praise for its exceptional rate of climb and high manoeuvrability. During late 1916, quantity production of the type commenced in response to orders received from the Admiralty. During early 1917, production examples of the Triplane arrived with Royal Naval Air Service squadrons.

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The Sopwith Triplane was a remarkable fighter aircraft that made its debut in the First World War. It was designed and manufactured by the Sopwith Aviation Company, a British firm that produced many successful aircraft during the war. The Triplane had three narrow wings that gave it a superior climb rate and maneuverability over its enemies. It was powered by a rotary engine that produced 110 horsepower and could reach a top speed of 117 mph. The Triplane was armed with a single Vickers machine gun that fired through the propeller using an interrupter gear.
The Triplane was first flown by Harry Hawker, a famous test pilot, on 30 May 1916. He impressed the spectators by performing three loops on the maiden flight. The Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) quickly ordered the Triplane and sent it to France in June 1916 for operational trials. The pilots of the RNAS loved the Triplane and nicknamed it the “Tripehound” or simply the “Tripe”. The Triplane proved to be very effective in combat, especially against the German Albatros fighters that dominated the skies at the time. The Triplane also inspired the Germans to develop their own triplane fighters, such as the Fokker Dr.I.
The Triplane was only used by the RNAS, as the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) preferred to use biplanes. The Triplane was also built in limited numbers, only 147 were produced, compared to thousands of other fighters. The Triplane was soon replaced by newer and faster aircraft, such as the Sopwith Camel, by late 1917. However, the Triplane had made a lasting impression on aviation history as the first and only operational triplane fighter of Britain.