Great War trio charts development of military aviation
Welcome to this latest edition of our Workbench blog and all the news, updates, and modelling exclusives from the fascinating world of Airfix.
In this latest edition of our Workbench blog, we will be attempting to chart the early development of military aviation through the medium of impending new model kit releases to the current Airfix range, as we have a trio of Great War related releases scheduled for imminent arrival. All three aircraft were introduced over a 30 month period from the period just prior to the outbreak of war, with each one highlighting the increasing influence of aviation on military thinking and ultimately, how the aeroplane transformed from an aerial observation platform, into a deadly dominator of the skies.
As we take this opportunity to feature three Airfix kits which in themselves span 40 years of Airfix kit tooling development, two of which actually featured in the very first edition of Workbench, we will also be taking a welcome historic detour into the very early days of aviation, when the sound of the wind passing over bracing wires proved to be the symphony of the aeroplane.
We have three kit releases to cover in a single blog posting in this latest Great War aviation edition of Workbench.
A bird’s eye view of the battlefield
The ability to obtain an aerial view of the battlefield became a strategic priority during the attritional warfare of the Great War.
With the Wright Brothers only making their famous first flight in December 1903, it’s probably not too surprising to learn that even though the world was heading towards a devastating war in the summer of 1914, the age of the aeroplane was still very much in its infancy. The Royal Flying Corps had been established two years earlier, and pioneering aviators were attempting to highlight the potential the aeroplane possessed in military applications. Unfortunately, at that time, traditional military doctrines of the past were still very much the order of the day, and air minded people of influence would have to bide their time, but there was no doubting that war in the air was here to stay.
The benefits of having eyes in the sky was already becoming a crucial part of military planning during the early battles of the Great War, with balloon units being positioned as close to the front lines as possible, allowing observers the opportunity to view enemy positions and troop movements, quickly reporting their findings back to High Command. Bombs were even dropped from these observation balloons and rifles fired, as denying your enemy the ability to take up similar positions, became as important as gathering this information for yourself.
Airships were another high profile use of air power at the time, with these mighty craft possessing the potential to spread fear and panic throughout the population of your enemies, as they were virtually invulnerable to attack themselves, but could wreak absolute havoc from the air. Both Airships and Balloons did have many drawbacks to their operation though, limitations which aeroplanes didn’t suffer from, and as their potential slowly dawned on those in power, so development funding for new projects began to flow.
The Royal Aircraft Factory BE2c
With the declaration of war in August 1914, any previous War Office reluctance in funding aeroplane development and production was finally removed, with manufacturers now encouraged to develop new machines at speed. Unfortunately, that initial lack of foresight meant that only experimental aeroplane designs, or existing airframes could be rushed into production, aircraft which would immediately have to go to war. One of the most interesting aircraft designs to emerge from this period was the Royal Aircraft Factory BE2c, an aircraft known for its stable handling characteristics.
When looking at the development of the Royal Aircraft Factory BE2c and the reputation it would go on to inherit, it’s difficult to see how its designers could have done anything differently. Back then, and a major factor in the design of the new aircraft, the ability to effectively conduct aerial reconnaissance and surveillance operations was absolutely the military ‘be all and end all’, not to mention the fact that aviation technology was still very much in its infancy then. The requirement to overcome fast and deadly enemy pursuit aircraft simply wasn’t in their design brief, so could they really be blamed for designing an excellent aerial reconnaissance platform that was inherently stable?
Designed to be inherently stable, the heavily produced Royal Aircraft Factory BE2c was an ideal aircraft from which to take surveillance pictures, and for training novice airmen.
A brilliant aircraft designer and mathematician, Edward Teshmaker Busk had recently joined the Royal Aircraft Factory staff, and was certain that he could make a significant contribution to future aircraft designs. Early aeroplanes were particularly twitchy and relatively unstable, however Busk was determined to do something about this – reconnaissance and the ability to take clear aerial photographs of enemy positions was the most important attribute required of the aeroplane at this time, so stability was the key to success.
Busk was an extremely talented designer and he immediately embarked on a major re-design of the BE2 airframe, with a view to making the new aircraft much more stable in flight and therefore, more surveillance friendly. He cleverly re-imagined many aspects of the aircraft’s design, after considering how each component would interact with other parts around it, with the result of this painstaking work being that the BE2c would prove to be an incredibly stable aeroplane. The weight distribution was such that under most flights circumstances, the aircraft would tend to almost right itself to level flight, without any major input from the pilot – this aircraft would almost fly itself, whilst the crew took their all-important photographs.
It is important to acknowledge that from a project perspective, what Busk achieved with the flight characteristics of the BE2c was nothing short of spectacular, an aircraft which excelled in the role for which it was intended. He created a reconnaissance aircraft which was extremely stable and would allow crews to achieve their mission objectives much more successfully than any aircraft currently in service on the Western Front.
That being the case, it isn’t surprising to learn that the service introduction of the aircraft was initially rather successful, with it even taking on some light bombing and scouting duties, however, things were about to take a turn for the worse for BE2c crews and their aircraft, as a new adversary would have them squarely in their sights. The equally important need for German forces to deny Allied airmen the ability to gather surveillance information, brought about the introduction of a devastating new aircraft type, arguably one of the most significant aircraft in the history of aviation, and one designed from the outset to hunt other aeroplanes.
Unfortunately for BE2c crews, the introduction of the Fokker Eindecker would prove devastating for them and their aircraft, and whilst it had initially been regarded as a resounding success, was soon castigated as nothing more than Fokker fodder, an aircraft incapable of defending itself in contested airspace. So began the struggle for aerial supremacy which continues to this day, one which was initially fought over the trenches of the Western Front.
As modern digital box artwork goes, this has to be regarded as a classic!
One of the most fascinating aspects of the Great War air war was the Zeppelin bombing campaign against Britain – the first Blitz. These mighty airships launched raids against the UK from bases on the Northwest coast of Germany, and often in some numbers. Significantly at the time of those first raids, Britain had very little defence against these incursions, certainly few which could hope to have any chance of success. The British public to that point had only read about the horror of war in the daily newspapers, but now, they were under direct attack in their own homes and to say they were petrified was an understatement.
What made the Zeppelin raids even more sinister for those on the receiving end was the fact that these leviathans of the air came out of the dark night skies, and if the ship’s commander turned his machine’s engines off, they were almost silent, until the bombs started to impact, which really did increase the terror factor of these mighty weapons possessed. Although initial damage from these raids was only slight, casualty numbers soon began to increase, and the population at large began referring to the Zeppelin raiders as ‘Baby Killers’, after reports carried in the national press. The population demanded that the government act to protect them against this silent night terror.
The War Office were quick to act, fearing unrest at home may affect the morale of those fighting in Europe, and even though these measures weren’t particularly effective against the feared night raiders, they were effective in providing the reassurance the civilian population needed.
Searchlight batteries and anti-aircraft guns were positioned at strategic sites around the country, and aircraft were recalled from the Western Front, to form a new night-fighter force, tasked with combating the challenge posed by the marauding Zeppelin raiders. It wouldn’t be until early September 1916 that a home defence aircraft shot down the first Zeppelin, however, this was celebrated as a spectacular success in Britain, with our aeroplanes overcoming one of these feared silent killers in the dark.
On the night of 2/3rd September 1916, Lieutenant W.L Robinson took off from his home airfield of Suttons Farm, near Hornchurch in a converted BE2c nightfighter, and climbed to meet a reported Zeppelin raid. Little did he know that over the course of the next few hours, his life would never be the same again, and he would become the most famous man in the Commonwealth, and a national hero!
On that night, no fewer than 16 German airships had left their respective bases, for a large scale raid against Britain, and although a number would subsequently turn back having suffered technical issues, this was the first time that Army and Navy units had combined to mount a big attack. To say that the airships had strategic targets would be a little fanciful, as this type of raid was subject to several factors, all of which dictated that they were of a rather indiscriminate nature, but something which only increased their impact on the population below.
It also has to be stressed that to the British public, all German airships were Zeppelins, even though this was just one of a number of airship manufacturers at the time, but as Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin was the pioneer of this type of aircraft, it seemed to be a rather appropriate name, and it certainly stuck.
As this was going to be a night patrol, Lt. Robinson had put his flying suit and over-jacket over the top of his pyjamas and smeared whale oil all over his face, in an attempt to afford him some protection against the cold air he would be flying in. His Lewis machine gun was loaded with the new Brock and Pomeroy incendiary ammunition, which was filled with nitro-glycerine, designed specifically to ignite the gas which kept airships in the air. The BE2c took off from Suttons Farm and headed for its allotted patrol area.
At 1:15am on Sunday 3rd September 1916, flying through intermittent cloud cover, Lt. Robinson spotted the German Airship LZ38, which had just released its payload of bombs over the Dungeness area. Lightened by releasing its bombs, the airship started to climb steadily and as Robinson closed in for an attack, the airship entered cloud and disappeared from view. Frustrated, Robinson searched the area for some time, but to no avail, the airship had escaped him.
Undaunted, he was determined to find a craft to attack and even though he had already exceeded his intended patrol time, Robinson turned his aircraft in the direction of London. Attracted by search light beams and the flash of explosions, Robinson headed in the direction of the capital, hoping that the city’s searchlight batteries would illuminate another airship target for him. Sure enough, his hunch paid off and he spotted airship SL.11 caught in the searchlights, a Schutte-Lanz produced wooden framed machine. Despite the heavy ground barrage being hurled at the night raider, Robinson flew straight towards it, determined not to let this second airship escape his attentions.
As SL.11 was caught firmly in London’s defensive searchlight beams, it was forced to manoeuvre violently in an attempt to escape, once again attempting to find any available cloud cover for protection. Robinson was fearful that he was about be thwarted for a second time, but as the anti-aircraft guns fell silent, he continued to search for his lumbering prey.
Full scheme details for this incredibly historic, VC winning aircraft.
From the ground, thousands of people had been disturbed by the commotion and had come outside to stare skyward at the drama taking place high above them – they all appeared oblivious to the threat of being killed or injured by bombs, debris or shrapnel, feeling that this was a show too good to miss!
Lt. Robinson’s persistence paid off and as the airship emerged from the clouds once more, the anti-aircraft guns burst in to action again. To prevent damage to his own aircraft, he fired off a red Very flare, to alert the gunners of his intention to attack, and the guns fell silent once more and as the onlookers on the ground held their breath, Robinson took his chance.
Cocking his Lewis gun, he dived underneath the huge airship and commenced his attack, using a tactic developed following a number of previously unsuccessful night fighter attempts to bring down a mighty Zeppelin. The Lewis gun on his BE2c was situated above his head and angled upwards at approximately 45 degrees, which allowed the pilot to attack the airship from below. Using the new incendiary ammunition, Robinson flew below the airship, down the length of its belly and discharged a full magazine into this flying whale, but to no avail, the airship continued on its course.
Robinson quickly loaded a second ammunition drum on to his gun and positioned his aircraft for another attack run. Once again flying right underneath the airship along its entire length, he fired another full drum of ammunition, but again, without having any noticeable impact. The report he later filed stated that he did not think the crew of the airship even knew he was there, as they made absolutely no attempt to defend themselves during the entire engagement.
Robinson had just one ammunition drum remaining, but immediately attached it and prepared for one final attack run. This time, he decided to try a different tactic, that of emptying the entire magazine into the same area on the airship. He dived beneath the raider once more and pulled the trigger – every bullet entered the massive bulk of the airship in a much more concentrated area, and he looked back for any signs that he had been successful. Initially, the airship still appeared to have survived his attack, but then he noticed a pale glow, deep inside the belly of the monster.
Within seconds, that glow had grown into a bright red fireball, which grew larger with every passing second – he had done it, he had his victory! In what must have made for a spectacular, if slightly macabre sight in the dark night sky, the burning airship initially continued to fly on in a slow, almost majestic manner, as if totally oblivious to its impending doom. Burning strips of fabric began to fall from the structure, as the fireball grew in intensity, illuminating the fabric-covered wings of the BE2c, so they almost appeared translucent. It must have been a spectacular sight for sure, which masked the terror for the crew on board, none of whom would survive the ordeal. Slowly, the entire structure became engulfed in flame, and it slowly began to sink earthwards.
Zeppelin success for William Leefe Robinson
Worth another look. This incredible incident has been digitally immortalised as box artwork for this fabulous Great War aircraft kit release.
For people viewing this incident from the ground, it would have made for a spectacular sight. The huge fireball in the sky would have illuminated everything for miles around, and would have been visible to many thousands of onlookers. When considering that the German airship raiders had instilled such terror and panic amongst the population for months, it’s probably understandable that the destruction of SL 11 was met with cheers of approval. A spontaneous cacophony of cheering and clapping broke out, with many shouting “God save the King”, as the flames finally subsided. This was soon joined by the sound of train whistles blowing, factory hooters sounding and riverboat sirens all making their own contributions to the sounds of approval. A terrified civilian population had their long awaited vengeance over the feared Zeppelin night raiders.
The increased duration of this eventful patrol had left Robinson’s BE2c dangerously low on fuel and engine oil, indeed, as he brought the aircraft in for a landing back at Suttons Farm at 02:45 that morning, he only had half a pint of fuel remaining in his tanks. Frozen with cold and completely exhausted, Lt. Robinson brought his aircraft to a halt, with the only thing now on his mind being to catch up on some well-earned sleep. Unfortunately for him, the extraordinary drama of the nights events was already having an impact, and he would be required to play a fulsome part in the proceedings.
Airfield personnel quickly surrounded his aircraft and there was more shouting, cheering and unbridled joy, as the flight had just scored its first victory against the dreaded Zeppelin raiders. Robinson was pulled from the cockpit and carried shoulder high in triumph by his comrades. By the time they eventually reached the flight office, the squadron telephone was already ringing, with the senior area commander offering Robinson his hearty congratulations. Unfortunately for the exhausted Lt. Robinson, his commander also demanded a full written report of the incident, knowing that he would be required to supply said report to his own superiors later that morning. Robinson duly complied with the request, before finally diving beneath the covers of his bed, and the sanctuary of sleep, clearly not thinking that he was already established as a national hero, and how his life would never be quite the same again.
Two days later, the national press carried the news that Lieutenant William Leefe Robinson, the Zeppelin killer, had been awarded the Victoria Cross for his most conspicuous bravery in bringing down the hated enemy craft. On hearing this news, the nation celebrated once more!
Lt. Robinson was the first pilot to bring down a German Airship over Britain and the first recipient of the VC for actions in the UK. For many within the civilian population of Britain, this was the most memorable event of the entire war, and Robinson would enjoy something of celebrity status from a grateful nation.
If that isn’t a story to inspire a modelling project, then I don’t know what is.
The Royal Naval Air Station at East Fortune has a truly fascinating history, not just because it is the current site of the fantastic Museum of Flight, but because it was an important base for military operation from the very early days of powered flight. With its position on the North Sea coast and covering the Firth of Forth, the base was uniquely positioned for mounting naval cooperation flying, with the first fixed wing aircraft arriving in October 1915.
These aircraft embarked on a period of intense training, but were soon called upon to add to their skillset, as German Zeppelin raiders started to target the area. Aircraft were called upon to quickly develop effective interception methods to bring down these mighty raiders, but soon also had to take on a new role, that of anti-submarine operations. The number of naval and merchant vessels operating in the area attracted the attentions of German raiders in the air, on and under the sea, and this busy station was tasked with dealing with them.
Although fixed wing aircraft were ideal for taking on the Zeppelin menace, they were much less suitable for mounting long standing patrols on the lookout for enemy U-boats, a task an airship force was eminently better suited to. With that being the case, the Station at East Fortune was unusual in supporting fixed wing operations against enemy airships, whilst at the same time, supporting the operation of their own airship force in a coastal defence role.
The aircraft based at East Fortune airfield played an important role in the home defence of the nation during the First World War.
In addition to fighting on the home front, the airfield at East Fortune operated fixed wing aircraft in a training role for virtually the entire war, and is regarded as one of the most important bases of its kind to be found on the UK mainland.
The Royal Aircraft Factory BE2c which inspired this second scheme option is fitted with ten Le Prieur rockets, which were attached to the outer wing struts of the aircraft and were intended for use against the hated Zeppelin raider menace. Unfortunately, these unguided and rather basic weapons proved to be ineffective against these silent night raiders, with their use being much more of a visual threat than actually proving effective. Having said that, they do help to illustrate how Britain began to use aeroplanes as an effective home defence weapon, and how both airmen and their aeroplanes were quick to adapt to any operational requirement.
The age of the aeroplane had arrived.
Fokker Eindecker – The hunter of aeroplanes
One of the most significant aircraft in the history of aviation, the Fokker Eindecker was designed specifically to hunt aeroplanes, changing aerial warfare forever.
As the savage fighting on the Western Front continued to demonstrate its insatiable appetite for claiming the lives of young men from all the combatant nations at an alarming rate, a new type of war being waged in the skies above the trenches was about to take a similarly sinister turn. With their understanding of the absolute necessity to gain a control of the air and the wider implications this would have for the future of the entire conflict, the German High Command instructed its aircraft manufacturers to develop a completely new kind of aeroplane, one which was designed from the outset to hunt other aeroplanes and to shoot them down.
The result of that work would be the Fokker Eindecker, a monoplane fighter aircraft which represented the very pinnacle of aviation technology at that time, one which incorporated all the flight research data designers had available to them, and utilising all the very latest technological advances the world of aviation had to offer.
With the ability to fire its machine gun through the arc of the propeller utilising a clever engine driven machine gun synchronisation mechanism known as interrupter gear, all the pilot of an Eindecker had to do was to aim the nose of his aircraft in the direction of his target in his line of sight and fire, something which was a revolutionary concept in aviation at that time, but one which wasn't as simple as this description suggests.
It has to be remembered that the aeroplane was still in its relative infancy at that time the Eindecker was being developed and even though it was something of a technological marvel, it was still rather primitive and relatively underpowered, making the airmen who flew them true pioneers in the art of aerial combat. If they were competent enough to manoeuvre their aircraft into an attack position behind an enemy aircraft, the rudimentary wing warp flight control method could soon have them in a whole heap of trouble.
If they let the thrill of combat overtake their judgement, a tight turn to stay on the tail of their intended victim could see them entering into a dangerous spin, losing valuable combat altitude at best, and at worst, not stopping until the aircraft hit the ground. Early Eindecker pilots were essentially writing the rules of aerial combat as they attempted to control the skies, and with each hunting unit only usually being allocated three or four of the new fighters, they were still quite an exclusive group of airmen. Armed with their capable new aircraft, they did learn quickly, and Allied aircrews soon began to feel like they were nothing more than airborne prey.
Profile artwork and a selection of model images finished in the markings of this interesting release.
This period would create the legacy of some of the most influential airmen in the history of aviation, impressively capable airmen who would use their experiences to pass on vital information and combat manoeuvres to their fellow airmen, doctrines which in some cases are still used to this day.
Occupying its position as the first true fighting aeroplane (fighter aircraft) the world had seen, the Fokker Eindecker is widely regarded by historians as the most influential military aircraft in the history of flight. Even though the period referred to by the Allies as the 'Fokker Scourge' only lasted for a relatively short period of time, the Eindecker had already made its significant contribution to aviation history, and stimulated an airborne arms race which continues to this day.
Relegated to non-combat and reserve roles by 1917, the Fokker Eindecker would also be used by the first fighter pilots of the Austro-Hungarian and Turkish air forces during the Great War.
Initially, Eindecker crews were only sent to provide protection for Luftstreitkräfte surveillance aircraft and were usually only deployed in small numbers. Once they were released to operate in hunting groups, the true potential of the aircraft could be seen, and the birth of the air superiority fighter was evident for all to see. Something had to be done about this threat, and the Allies set about introducing their own hunting aeroplanes.
At first, the Germans were fearful of allowing the Eindecker to operate over enemy lines, worried that one might fall into enemy hands, allowing them to discover all their secrets, something which definitely limited its already devastating impact. Had they been made available in larger numbers, and had they been allowed to hunt freely from the start, their impact would have been even more devastating, and more people would have been only too aware of the Focker Eindecker.
As it was, only 416 of this historic aircraft were ever produced, which when compared to the 3,500 BE2 aircraft produced, really does put the impact the Focker Eindecker had on the aviation world into perspective.
Few aeroplanes have had such a dramatic impact on the history of aerial warfare as the Fokker Eindecker series of monoplanes, aircraft which have to be regarded as the first true fighter aircraft in the history of aviation. It was not that these single-wing aircraft were such advanced aeronautical designs, as many of the world’s successful early aircraft were monoplanes (such as the Bleriot XI which crossed the English Channel in 1909), but more that they were designed to utilise of a particularly sinister innovation.
The introduction of interrupter gear synchronised the aircraft’s machine-gun to fire through the arc of the propeller, only allowing it to fire a round once the blade was clear and crucially, in the pilot’s direct line of sight. For the first time, an aeroplane had been specifically introduced to hunt and destroy other aircraft, and the use of aeroplanes in wartime would never be the same again. Despite having a dramatic impact on the Western Front, the Eindecker was still a relatively primitive aircraft and required an immense amount of skill in order to be flown well.
Full scheme details of this equally historic release, one of the most important aircraft in the history of flight.
Scourge of Royal Aircraft Factory BE2c crews, the Fokker Eindecker was developed and introduced to hunt enemy aircraft.
This was illustrated by eager young Luftstreitkräfte pilot Baron Kurt von Crailsheim, who on being posted to FFA 53 in the summer of 1915, claimed his, and indeed his new unit’s first aerial victory by 22nd September. Just a few days later, he crashed the twitchy Eindecker whilst attempting to land back at Monthois airfield, resulting in his fighter being written off. On the receipt of a new replacement aircraft, he once again painted in his personal colours, but this was to be the machine which would claim his life. Writing off the aircraft in a similar, but more catastrophic landing accident on 30th December 1915, his injuries proved so severe that he lost his battle for life in hospital five days later.
This illustrates that whilst the Eindecker is regarded as one of the most influential aircraft in the history of flight, it was still a relatively primitive design, and fighter aircraft development still had a long way to go.
These two historic Great War combatants will be joining the current Airfix range from the middle of this month, adding some aviation subject matter from the very earliest days of military aviation to the Airfix website. From a build project inspiration perspective and classic aeroplanes are your thing, can you think of a more appropriate model pairing than these two?
Sopwith Pup – A superb fighting aeroplane
When it comes to the classic Airfix Sopwith Pup model kit, there’s only one place to start, and that’s with classic Roy Cross box artwork.
The third of the new Great War aircraft models about to join the current Airfix range is one which followed both the Eindecker and BE2c into service on the Western Front, but one which serves as a perfect example of the aviation arms race the introduction of the Fokker monoplane stimulated, the Sopwith Pup. The Pup was a development of the heavily produced Sopwith 1½ Strutter which preceded it, a relatively large one or two man aircraft which could easily be described as a multi-role aircraft.
The first British two seat tractor aircraft to enter service featuring synchronised machine guns firing through the propeller, almost 6,000 of these aircraft would eventually be produced, with the majority being manufactured in France, and used right through until the end of the war, although by that stage mainly in training and support roles. The aircraft was given its unusual name by virtue of the long and short strut arrangement which supported its top wing, as if it had 1½ struts.
One of the two scheme options available with the Vintage Classics introduction of the Sopwith Pup.
Using the design experience gained during the production of this successful aircraft, the Sopwith Company set about producing an effective fighting scout, one based around the readily available 80hp Le Rhône 9C rotary engine, and equipped with a single forward firing synchronised Vickers machine gun.
The name ‘Pup’ was not favoured by military officials though, who thought this to be a demeaning and undignified name, one which was not befitting a fighting aeroplane which was earning a stellar reputation for itself – they stuck steadfastly to its official name of ‘Scout’. The name itself was thought to have been a colloquialism used by airmen and ground crews who had spent time on the larger 1½ Strutter, and thought that the new aircraft was a smaller version of its predecessor – its pup.
Entering service on the Western Front in the Autumn of 1916, the nimble Scout/Pup immediately presented Allied airmen with an aircraft to preserve their hard won superiority of the skies. Blessed with exceptional manoeuvrability and being aerobatic up to 15,000 ft, the Pup was a fighter pilots dream of an aircraft, with a climb rate unmatched by any enemy aircraft and the ability to out-turn any adversary.
Sopwith Pup which served with No.46 Squadron RFC during 1917.
The great Manfred von Richthofen is reputed to have described the Pup as a superior aircraft in every respect to anything the Germans had available to them, after facing one in combat, and Allied Ace James McCudden simply loved the little fighter. He described it as a remarkably fine machine for all-round flying, being so light and responsive that one could land it on a tennis court. This comment must have been something of a premonition, because on 2nd August 1917, a Sopwith Pup flown by Cdr Edwin Harris Dunning became the first aircraft to land on the deck of a moving ship at sea, when he successfully brought his aircraft down on the deck of HMS Furious.
At its peak operational deployment, the Sopwith Pup only equipped four Royal Naval Air Squadrons and three Royal Flying Corps units, and by the spring of 1917, the introduction of more capable German aircraft types meant that the advantages previously enjoyed by this diminutive fighter had been overtaken, which saw aircraft starting to be withdrawn. The RFC did continue to operate the Pup for a while, however, mounting losses meant that they were more than happy to replace what they had left with the new Sopwith Camel.
This latest kit introduction to the Vintage Classics range really is a classic, first entering an Airfix range back in 1975, the same year that the classic box art was created by the one and only Roy Cross. This release allows one of two different Sopwith Pup/Scout schemes to be modelled, the details of which are as follows:
Scheme A – Sopwith Pup N6185, No.4 Squadron Royal Naval Air Service, 1917.
This was thought to have been just the eighth Sopwith Pup produced, and was flown by 21 year old Australian pilot Flight Sublieutenant Charles J Moir during the spring of 1917. He used this aircraft to score at least two confirmed victories over enemy aircraft, but was himself shot down during a bomber escort mission near Zeebrugge on 10th May 1917. The aircraft originally carried the unit letter ‘A’, but had the additional letters NZAC added later, in recognition of the young pilot’s heritage.
Scheme B – Sopwith Pup A7325, ‘B’ Flight No.46 Squadron, Royal Flying Corps, 1917.
This second Pup scheme is an interesting case which calls into question the authenticity of information relating to details from over a century ago, during the fog of war. This aircraft was reputed to have been used by 2nd Lt Norman ‘Normie’ Dimmock of No.46 Squadron, who used this aircraft to bring down an Albatros fighter during his time on the Western Front. One of his first flying duties on arriving with his unit in France was to drop letters from German prisoners of war over enemy lines, in an attempt to demoralise the troops who opened and read them.
He would later be transferred back to England to fly home defence sorties, where he rose steadily through the service ranks.
Other information describes how this fighter was also flown by Dimmock’s squadron mate Cecil James ‘Chaps’ Marchant, a man who was given his nickname due to his cheery demeanour and the way he would usually greet his comrades. In a successful career, he would also spend time serving with home defence units, before returning to No.46 Squadron in France in February 1918.
This second period in France would prove spectacularly successful for ‘Chaps’ Marchant, as he would become an ace pilot with nine aerial victories to his name, all of which were scored whilst flying Sopwith Camels, with aircraft B9211 being his preferred and most successful mount.
Of course, it isn’t inconceivable that the aircraft could have been flown by both pilots, as they learned their trade as Fighter pilots with No.46 Squadron over the Western Front.
A true Airfix kit classic, the Sopwith Pup will be in stock and available from early next week.
The third of our trio of impending Great War aviation kit additions to the range, we’re expecting the delightful little Sopwith Pup to be in our warehouse and available on the Airfix website by early next week.
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Related Products
Royal Aircraft Factory BE2c
A02101 |
1:72 Scale
Fokker E.II Eindecker
A01086 |
1:72 Scale
Further Reading
Related Products
Royal Aircraft Factory BE2c
A02101 |
1:72 Scale
Fokker E.II Eindecker
A01086 |
1:72 Scale
Further Reading
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