FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Atlas
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
1919
1919 - 0174.PDF
m ierioJ The " Buffalo." (February 19, 1918) This machine, fitted with a B.R. 200 h.p. engine, was designed primarily for reconnaissance and contact patrol work, with a view to armouring the pilot, observer and fuel tanks against enemy attack. The construction of the fore part of the fuselage was similar to the " Salamander." It was fitted with one synchronised gun firing forward and one Lewis gun on a Scarfe ring mounting firing aft. The experi ments with this machine were highly successful, and it was on the point of being put into quantity production when the Armistice was signed. The " Salamander." (April 26, 1918) In general lines this formidable aeroplane is modelled upon its prototype, the " Snipe," but its function is of a totally different character, as it was designed primarily as a trench FEBRUARY 6, 1919 fighter, for which purpose it is armed with two fixed machine guns and protected with armour plating. The latter forms the front of the fuselage from a point immediately in the rear of the engine (a B.R. of 200 h.p.), and extends to the rear of the pilot's cockpit. This plating was not added to an existing frame, but had a structural as well as a protective function, and itself formed the front portion of the fuselage. It will be noticed that the faired cowling behind the engine is added above the armour. A small variation from " Snipe " detail is seen in the tapering spine serving to fair off the pilot's head. This being bullet-proof, gave him a consider able means of protection against attack from the rear. The total weight of the armour is 650 lbs., and, in addition to this extra load, 2,000 rounds of ammunition were carried for the guns. Type of machine. Tabloid .. Gnn 'bus.. Baby sea plane .. ij strutter Pup Triplanet Camel Snipe Dolphin .. Cuckoo .. Buffalo .. Salamander 0" a te •4 ft. in. 20 4 32 6 22 10 *5 4 19 4 18 10 18 9 19 10 22 3 28 6 23 3i 19 6 Wing span. 6, 0 ft. ^ so *3 33 to 26 xfl M 1* 46 J4 31 in. 6 0 8 b 6 b 0 1 b 0 t> *l CO ft. »1 SO 25 33 •e 2b 2V, W *s 4t> M S<> in. b 0 8 6 b b 0 0 6 9 b 1* Wing chord. a. 0 H ft. • 1 5 5 .? 1 4 5 4 b 5 5 in. IA 14 2 b l* 3 t 0 b 9 0 0 Table *J c n ft. 3 5 5 5 5 .5 4 5 4 b S 5 in. 1* ll 2 b N 3 6 0 0 9 0 o of dimensions Wing area.* d 0 H • S 1 0 H square feet. 128-3 24b 128 183 1| 125 138 132 290 162 '39 "3 228 112 170 122 75 "5 133 131-23 27b 164 133 241-3 474 240 353 254 231 240 271 263-25 566 326 272 Of Inci dence. d 0 H 0 I-O 4-o »•• 2-45 I-J 2-0 2-0 1-8 2-0 30 1-8 1-8 . 0 0 I-O 4-0 3-0 2-45 *-5 2-0 2-0 1-8 2-0 VO 1-8 1-8 Sop with machines. 0. O it. in. 4 6 5 6 4 6 5 5 4 3 3 0 t 4 3 4 3 b 0 4 6 4 3 w Hi i ft. in. 0 11 i 0 0 8 2 0 1 6 1 b 1 6 1 4 -1 0 0 0 I 9 • 5 M 0 2 a. m i " 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Dihedral. si 1 Q 1-5 3-5 2-o 2-45 3-o 2-5 o-o 40 2-3 2-5 2-5 4-o - t O IS 3*3 2-0 2-45 TO 2-5 5-0 40 2-5 2-"i 2-5 4-0 1 area . • | sq.ft. 28 60 0 52 22 34 36 45 3« 80 44 51 Area. T: 2 H-S. A'j «s 3 0 square feet. II-8 28-0 140 35-5 23-0 14-0 140 15-0 17-0 35-6 23-0 150 II-8 28-0 12-0 215 n-8 9-6 10-5 II-O 13-5 18-0 15-8 n-o 23-6 5b-o 26 57 34-8 23-6 24-5 26-0 30-5 53-6 38-8 26-0 Area. E i 3 as 1 £ square feet. 1-8 8-75 2-7 3-5 35 4-5 3° 2-75 3-5 5-7 40 2-75 4-27 13 -o 6-5 7-25 4-5 4-5 4-9 9-0 8-0 80 »-o p-o 1 b-o7 21-75 9'2 IO-75 8-0 6-5 7*9 "-75 "•5 13-7 13-0 "•75 * Including ailerons. t Middle plane : Span 2b ft. 6 ins., chord 3 ft. 3 ins., area 72 sq. f t. J 5 ft. at root, 4 ft. at tip. Table of weights, etc., and performance of Sopwith machines Type of machine. Engine. Type. ! H.P. Weight of machine. - - - 7 •S lbs. « Tabloid Gun 'bus Baby Seaplane i| Strutter i\ Strutter Pup Pup Triplane Camel Camel Camel Camel Camel Camel Camel Snipe Dolphin Dolphin Cuckoo Buffalo Salamander G. S. c. Le Rh. C. LeRh. G.M. C. Le Rh. G.M. C. G. A.R.i B.R.i B.R.1 B.R.2 H.S. H.S. H.S. B.R.2 B.R.2 80 150 100 no 130 80 100 130 no 150 130 100 150 150 150 230 200 300 200 230 230 730 1,120 245 320 1,281 1,316 787 856 1,103 889 993 929 882 977 1.036 1,310 1,406 1,566 1,840 2,230 1,844 i 2,205 2,342 1.225 1,297 1,543 1,422 1,523 1,453 1,387 1,508 1,470 i.53o 2,020 1,881 2,358 3.370 3,ioo 2,510 404 502 178 181 180 252 243 224 250 223 343 194 504 380 258 320 190 3io 33o 275 300 300 290 310 370 230 290 420 275 G= Gnome. G.M. H.S. Hispano Sniza Gnome monosoupape. * At full speed. § At 5,000 ft. 92f 102 106.5 107 112.5 116.5 i3i-5 1 oof 123 1 103 98.5 IO4.5 IO4 IO6.5 H8.5 "7-5 "3 106 in 121 118 121 128.5 140 100 117 s <$> <S> Sunbeam. t At ground level !1 To 3,000 ft. At 16,400 ft. f To 5.000 ft British Air Service Losses THE casualties in the Royal Air Force from April 1, 1918 (the date of the fusion of the R.N.A.S. and the R.F.C.), to November n, 1918 (the date of the signing of the Armistice), have already been announced. These figures are recapitu lated as follows :— <3> <i> Officers .. Other ranks Killed. •• i.55i .. 1,129 Wounded. ' 2,357 631 Missing, including Prisoners. . 1,612 225 Interned 45 39 Total .. 2,680 2.988 1,837 84 The grand total of the above casualties is 7,589, and it is this total which has to be added to the naval and military casualties, already published by the Admiralty and War ortice, in order to get the aggregate war casualties. The R.N.A.S. casualties and R.F.C. casualties to March 31, 1918, are included in the totals published by the Admiralty and War Office. The casualties in the Flying Services for the whole period of the War, both before and since the amalgamation of tht R.N.A.S. and the R.F.C., are as follows :— Missing, — Killed. Wounded including Prisoners. Officers .. 4,579 5,369 2,794 Other ranks 1,587 1,876 334 In terned 45 39 Total 12,787 3.836 Total .. 6,166 7,245 3,128 84 16,623 The casualties shown in these totals include all officers and other ranks serving with the Flying Services during the War. I/-4
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
