Nederlandse Modelbouw en Luchtvaartsite

Dutch Modelling and Aviation

In Memoriam

Klaas Willem Jonker
(Wilko)
† April 30, 2018

On Monday 30 April 2018, Wilko Jonker died after a long illness at the age of 58. He leaves behind a wife and two children. The Dutch military aviation and plastic modeling were his hobby and on this website he shared all the knowledge he has collected over the years. His hobby has been able to distract him from the persistent disease in his body until the last week of his life. The contacts with other hobbyists were a major support for him.

This website will be maintained by different people for as long as possible, so that other enthusiasts can continue to benefit from extensive content.

History

In 1915 Sopwith built a personal aircraft for their test pilot Harry Hawker. This aircraft a single seat biplane with a 50 hp Gnome rotary engine was soon nicknamed "Hawker's Runabout".
Four similar aircraft were built under the designation Sopwith Sparrow.

Sopwith developed the Sparrow to a somewhat larger fighter with more powerful engine and with ailerons, Sopwith Pup.
The prototype and also most production aircraft were equipped with a 80 hp LeRhone rotary engine and an armament of one synchronised Vickers .303 inch machine gun.
The prototype was finished February 1916 and made its first flight in March 1916.

The Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) ordered two other prototypes and soon a production order followed.
Sopwith was already producing 1½ Strutter and built just a few Pups.
The Royal Flying Corps ordered also large amounts of the Pup; Sopwith built 96 examples, Standard Motor Co. built 850 examples, Whitehead Aircraft built 820 examples and William Beardmore & Co built 30 Pups.

 

Technical information
Dimensions:
Length: 5,9 m Wingspan: 8,1 m
Height: 2,9 m Wing area: 23,6 m2
Weights:
Empty weight: 388 kg Max. start weight: 556 kg
Performances:
Max. speed: 171 km/hr Rate of climb: - m/min
Range: 3 hour Service ceiling: 5600 m
Miscellaneous:
Engine type: One Le Rhône 9C rated 80 hp
Crew: One
Armament: One fixed forward firing .303" (7,7 mm) Vickers machine gun