Sopwith Tabloid: Difference between revisions
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|crew= one, pilot |
|crew= one, pilot |
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|capacity= |
|capacity= |
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|length main= |
|length main= 7.02 m |
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|length alt= |
|length alt= 23 ft |
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|span main= |
|span main= 7.77 m |
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|span alt= |
|span alt= 25 ft 6 in |
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|height main= |
|height main= 3.05 m |
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|height alt= |
|height alt=10 ft |
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|area main= |
|area main= 22.39 m² |
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|area alt= |
|area alt= 241 ft² |
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|airfoil= |
|airfoil= |
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|empty weight main= |
|empty weight main= 545 kg |
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|empty weight alt= |
|empty weight alt= 1,200 lb |
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|loaded weight main= |
|loaded weight main= |
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|loaded weight alt= |
|loaded weight alt= |
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|useful load main= |
|useful load main= |
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|useful load alt= |
|useful load alt= |
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|max takeoff weight main= |
|max takeoff weight main= 717 kg |
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|max takeoff weight alt= |
|max takeoff weight alt= 1,580 lb |
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|more general= |
|more general= |
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|type of prop=9-cylinder rotary engine |
|type of prop=9-cylinder rotary engine |
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|number of props=1 |
|number of props=1 |
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|power main= |
|power main= 75 kW |
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|power alt= |
|power alt= 100 hp |
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|power original= |
|power original= |
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|max speed main= |
|max speed main= 148 km/h |
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|max speed alt=92 mph, |
|max speed alt=92 mph, 80 knots |
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|cruise speed main= |
|cruise speed main= |
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|cruise speed alt= |
|cruise speed alt= |
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|never exceed speed main= |
|never exceed speed main= |
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|never exceed speed alt= |
|never exceed speed alt= |
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|stall speed main= |
|stall speed main= |
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|stall speed alt= |
|stall speed alt= |
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|range main= |
|range main= 510 km |
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|range alt= 315 miles, |
|range alt= 315 miles, 275 nm |
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|ceiling main= |
|ceiling main= 4,600 m |
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|ceiling alt= |
|ceiling alt= 15,000 ft |
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|climb rate main= |
|climb rate main= |
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|climb rate alt= |
|climb rate alt= |
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|loading main= |
|loading main= |
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|loading alt= |
|loading alt= |
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|thrust/weight= |
|thrust/weight= |
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|power/mass main= |
|power/mass main= |
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|power/mass alt= |
|power/mass alt= |
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|more performance= |
|more performance= |
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|armament= |
|armament= |
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Revision as of 12:17, 5 July 2007
The Sopwith Tabloid was a biplane sports aircraft, one of the first to be built by the Sopwith Aviation Company. Named the "Tabloid" because of its small size, its performance caused a sensation when it first appeared, surpassing the existing monoplanes of the day.
The original Tabloid, which first flew in November 1913, was a two-seater with a side-by-side configuration — unusual for the time. It had no ailerons, using wing warping for lateral rolling. It was originally powered by an 80 hp (60 kW) Gnôme Monosoupape rotary engine and when tested by Harry Hawker at Farnborough the Tabloid reached 92 mph (148 km/h) while carrying a passenger. It took only one minute to reach 1200 ft (366 m).
On 20 April 1914, a version of the Tabloid, known as the Sopwith Schneider, equipped with floats and powered by a 100-hp (75 kW) Gnôme Monosoupape engine, won the Schneider Trophy in Monaco.
Single-seat variants of the Tabloid went in to production in 1914 and 36 eventually entered service with the Royal Flying Corps and Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS). Deployed to France at the outbreak of the First World War, Tabloids were used as fast scouts. Some naval aircraft were armed with a Lewis gun on the top wing, firing over the propeller arc. One other aircraft used a Lewis gun firing through the propeller arc with deflector wedges mounted on the propeller blades.
The Tabloid also operated as a bomber. On 22 September 1914 they mounted the first raid by British aircraft on German soil. In their most famous mission, two RNAS Tabloids flying from Antwerp on 8 October 1914, raided the German Zeppelin sheds at Cologne and Düsseldorf. The Cologne target was not located, the railway station being bombed instead, but the shed at Düsseldorf was struck by two 20 lb bombs dropped from 600 ft and the Zeppelin Z.IX was destroyed.
Attempts were made to operate floatplanes, based on the Schneider, from seaplane carriers, including the HMS Ben-my-Chree, but these were unsuccessful. Modifications were made, including a 110 hp Clerget engine, and the resulting floatplane, the Sopwith Baby, had a successful service career.
The Tabloid was withdrawn from service in early 1915. A total of 40 had been built.
Military operators
Specifications
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General characteristics
- Crew: one, pilot
Performance
Armament
Related content
Related development
- Sopwith Schneider
- Sopwith Baby