Another new series of posts I am trying to put together take a look at the begining and end of key stages of fighting aircraft. These "handover" points can be seen in a number of key designs in history. The end of the great war saw favour change from the rotary unstable scout, which to … Continue reading A New Age of Fighters – Part 1 – Royal Aircraft Factory SE5a
The Sopwith aviation company left a long lasting mark on the landscape of military aviation and their final scout of the war was every bit as memorable. Following the design departure of the Dolphin, which, while very successful wasn’t widely accepted, Sopwith opted to return to their more familiar rotary powered designs. Conceived as a replacement … Continue reading Sopwith’s First World War – Part 8: The Snipe
The Best of British show at Shuttleworth in July this year was a real shining light of the airshow season. There were countless memorable set pieces and visitors but the undoubted had to have been the great war finale. This saw all of the collection's First World War aircraft take to the skies in the … Continue reading Airshow Moments 2015 #13 – WW1 Heaven in Bedfordshire
As well as interviews with modern day pilots and engineers of these historic aircraft I also wanted to focus in on the people who flew these aircraft while still in service. Sadly of course in a number of cases the opportunity to interview is no longer available, but where possible I have tried to delve into … Continue reading Warbird People: Frederick Dudley Travers DFC WW1 Ace and Flying Boat Pioneer
I was able to make a brief visit to Stow Maries last Saturday as I was in the area. This was my first time visiting the site and the place is clearly a time capsule and a gem! You can feel the history and atmosphere as soon as you turn on to the narrow approach … Continue reading Stow Maries Autumn Fly In – 5th September 2015
"A Machine of few vices and very capable is all aspects of flight” - Captain Crundall By 1917 Sopwith had laid some impressive foundations for fighting aircraft, providing many of the key aircraft of the war. Most of these types had all been based around the same basic design of the Tabloid from 1913. While … Continue reading Sopwith’s First World War – Part 7: The Dolphin
“Its tricks took some learning……it really had people frightened.” - Arthur Cobby At last this Sopwith story reaches the crucial stage, where Sopwith went from being just one of a number of aircraft manufacturers, to being the one name everyone associates with the conflict. This time we take a look at the “Spitfire of the … Continue reading Sopwith’s First World War – Part 5: The Camel Part 1 – The Legend
Following on from my first post looking at the pioneering engines of the pre war period, this week it is time to turn attentions to those engines that were developed during the war. Much like the aircraft designs of the period engine design developed quickly as well. A number of designs and manufactures featured in … Continue reading Aero Engines of History Part 2: 1914-1918
Following the early success brought about by the Tabloid, Schneider and Baby designs utilised in 1914 and 15, it was time for Sopwith's attentions to turn to a new design to meet the Royal Flying Corps needs. While those early designs had performed well they were still essentially a pre-war sports aircraft adapted to suit. … Continue reading Sopwith’s First World War Part 2: The Sopwith 1 1/2 Strutter
Sopwith History: 1913 was an important year for aviation, December especially, as it marked 10 years since the Wright Brothers had made that first daring leap into the sky and changed the world. It was by this time that Thomas Sopwith had also begun to make his name. After his first flight in a Farnham … Continue reading Sopwith’s First World War Part 1: The Tabloid
Warbird Tails 