With the completion of his Sopwith Pup replica, American Robert Baslee is well on his way to recreating all the major aircraft of World War 1.

At 698lb, the Pup is the 17th in his series of modern internal designs for exterior duplicates of the vintage aircraft, which he sells as kits.

Airdrome Aeroplanes and owner Baslee have reproduced an aircraft every year, he says, and of the main WW1 types, only the Spad remains, he says.

“I’d liked the Pup for a long time. It could lead into a Sopwith triplane,” he says. His aircraft are usually 65% of the weight of the originals. The Pup’s replica machine gun weighs about 14lb, he says, but the 1,000hp engine weighs less than 700lb, while the original 50hp engine weighed more than 1,000lb. The only welding needed on this $12,500 pop-riveted kit is on the gas tank.

Source: Flight International