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History
The Camel was developed to succeed the Sopwith Pup and made its maiden flight in December 1916.
The prototype was equipped with a 110 hp LeClerget 9Z rotary engine. The Camel had two fixed synchronized .303 inch Vickers machine-guns.
Its nick name "Camel" referred to the double curved panel over both machine-0guns.
The Camel was uneasy to fly with. Inexperienced pilots had great difficulties with the aircraft especially with the engine which was very difficult to handle. It's manoeuvrability was caused to the fact that engine, pilot, armament and fuel tank were concentrated in the front section of the aircraft.
In the end about 5490 examples were built with a large variety of engines:
- 130 hp Clerget 9B (standard engine)
- 140 hp Clerget 9Bf
- 110 hp Le Rhône 9J
- 150 hp Bentley BR1
- 100 hp Gnome Monosoupape 9B-2
- 150 hp Gnome Monosoupape 9N
Versions.
- Sopwith Camel F.1: single seat fighter; main production version;
- Sopwith Camel 2F.1: carrier aircraft; smaller wingspan; Lewis machine gun on upper wing and a 150 hp Bentley BR1;
- Sopwith Camel "Comic" Night fighter: Pilot was moved backwards; guns were replaced with two Lewis machines guns on the upper wing.
- F.1/1 version with tapered wings;
- (Trench Fighter) T.F.1: experimental armoured aircraft with downward pointing machine guns for improved strafing..
| Dimensions: | |||
| Length: | 7,01 m | Wingspan: | 7,82 m |
| Height: | 3,05 m | Wing area: | 22,29 m2 |
| Weights: | |||
| Empty weight: | 556 kg | Max. start weight: | 777 kg |
| Performances: | |||
| Max. speed: | 160 km/hr | Rate of climb: | 330 m/min |
| Range: | 485 km | Service ceiling: | 6400 m |
| Miscellaneous: | |||
| Engine type: | One Le Rhône 9B rated 130 hp | ||
| Crew: | Two men: one aviator plus one observer/air gunner | ||
| Armament: | Two synchronized fixed forward firing Vickers .303 inch machine-guns. | ||
| The Camel F.1 was a single seat fighter version of the two seat Camel. | |||
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