Sopwith Swallow

Sopwith Swallow

In 1918, a new German fighter, the Fokker D.VIII, appeared over the front. This aircraft was a monoplane in an upper-plane configuration. Therefore, Sopwith was commissioned to investigate the above concept. However, Sopwith had already produced a similar aircraft, it was a Scooter sport aircraft. Therefore, it was decided to modify this aircraft. As with the Scooter type, the new aircraft used the fuselage and tail surfaces of the successful Camel type. The wing was enlarged compared to its predecessor and perched higher from the fuselage for the pilot's vision. The twin-beam wing with a slight sweep of 8 degňs was strengthened by a special parasol-like structure. The aircraft was first designated Sopwith Monoplane No 2. However, as it was to be a deck fighter for the newly built aircraft carrier Furios, the Army chose the name Swallow. The armament consisted of 2 Vickers machine guns of 7.7mm calibre, which were ďale farther apart so that they no longer formed the hump characteristic of the Camel. It was powered by an available Le Rhone 9J rotary engine (110 hp). Harry Hawker (who was also the originator of the whole idea) flew it in September 1918 and it was available at Martlesham Heath for official Army trials on 29 October. Here it was given a military protective paint job and serial number B9276. It was subsequently tested landing and taking off aboard an aircraft carrier (probably HMS Argus). Later performance tests followed, but during these a major problem with the fuel system occurred and they had to be aborted for a time. After the engine was revised, the tests were resumed, but interest in the aircraft was lost after the end of World War I. Thus, in early 1920, the only prototype was scrapped.

source:
avia.russian.ee
L+K 11/2007[/i]