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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:

 

Versions.

 

Technical information
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.

 


On October 7, 1918 a Sopwith Camel, with registration E1537, from RFC no. 65 Squadron, with airman luitenant B. Lockey, landed near Groede.
It was interned with registration S226, though it was under repair, but never completely finished.

Sopwith F.1 Camel F1542 van RAF no. 65 Sq, neergestort te Waterlandkerkje op 28 september 1918. De piloot was lt. D.M. John.
Sopwith F.1 Camel F1542 of RFC no. 65 Sq, crashed near Waterlandkerkje op September 28, 1918. The airman was lt. D.M. John.
[Enclosed photo from BeeldBank NIMH. Click on photo for ordering information]
Sopwith F.1 Camel E1537 van RAF no. 65 Sq, geland te Groede op 7 oktober 1918. Neergestort te Waterlandkerkje op 28 sept. 1918. Piloot was luitenant B. Lockey. Het toestel is in reparatie genomen, maar niet gereed gekomen. Vermoedelijke LVA-registratie S226.
Sopwith F.1 Camel E1537.
[Enclosed photo from BeeldBank NIMH. Click on photo for ordering information]

 


Serial RFC Serial Date in service Date out of service Notes
S226 F1537 17-10-1918    

 


1/72nd Scale

Kits

 

A model of a Sopwith Camel, built by Peter Banis.

Sopwith Camel PBanis 1 Sopwith Camel PBanis 2 Sopwith Camel PBanis 3 Sopwith Camel PBanis 4

 

Modelling add-on

Decals

Schaal 1/48

Bouwpakketten

Modelling add-on

Decals

 


Scheme Colour name FS-number BS-number Humbrol XtraColor Vallejo Model Color Vallejo Model Air
Standard #1 Fuselage PC10 ~4086   108 X144 70.830?  
Linen parts Doped ~3531   121 X105 70.819 71.028
Wooden and metal parts Varnish            

Check www.paint4models.com for an extensive conversion table with lots of colour and paint systems.

 


Literature.

Van Brik tot Starfighter 1 H. Hooftman Pag. 1965  
KLu Vliegtuigen: De vliegtuigen van de Koninklijke Luchtmacht vanaf 1913 Wim Schoenmaker & Thijs Postma Pag. 23 1987 Uitgeverij De Alk, Alkmaar
Vintage Warbird no 1: The Royal Flying Corps in worldwar One Raymond Laurence Rimell pag. 56 - 60 1987 Uitgever Arms and Armour Press, Poole, Dorset
Aircraft Archive: Aircraft of World War One; Volume 2.   Pag. 32 - 34 1989 Uitgever Argus Books, Hempsted
Vintage Aviation fotofax: Sopwith camel J.M. Bruce   1989 Uitgever Arms and Armour Press, Poole, Dorset
Camouflage en Kentekens J.Greuter e.a.   1997 Bonneville – Bergen (NH)
Air Enthusiast no.80,The Historical Aviation Journal: Unexpected Windfalls Bart van der Klaauw Pag. 54 - 59 1999 Uitgever Key Publishing, Stamford

 

Websites.

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