Sopwith Triplane
role : fighter
first flight : 28 May 1916 operational : February 1917
country : United-Kingdom
Nickname : Triple hound
design : Herbert Smith
production : 144 aircraft location : Kingston-on-Thames
general information :
The Sopwith Triplane was delivered November 1916 to the RNAS. The aircraft was
very agile and had a good rate of climb. Because of the small wing chord the pilot had
a good all round view. It could compete with and defeat the Albatros D.I, D.II and D.V
fighters while the Triplane had only 1 machine gun. In the spring of 1917 it slowly regained air superiority and held it till it was replaced by the Sopwith Camel from July 1917 on. The German were impressed by the superior flying qualities of the Triplane and they started the urgent development of there own triplane. 14 companies were involved with own designs and it let to the Fokker Dr.I as the best aircraft which arrived at the front summer 1917.
Only the RNAS used the Sopwith Triplane. The first squadrons equipped with the Triplane get in action for the first time in February 1917. They soon became the scare for the German flyers who upon seeing a Triplane mostly would run away. The Triplane gained fame during the battle of Arras. In October 1917 the last squadron with Triplanes was withdrawn from the front. It was an excellent fighter the only drawback was that it was difficult to maintain.
users : RNAS
crew : 1
armament : 1 Vickers synchronized 7.70 [mm] (0.303 in) machine-gun
engine : 1 Clerget 9b air cooled 9 -cylinder rotary engine 130.0 [hp](95.6 KW)
fighter aircraft Sopwith Triplane **** February 1917
dimensions :
wingspan : 8.07 [m], length : 5.89 [m], height : 3.2[m]
wing area : 21.46 [m^2]
weights :
max.take-off weight : 699 [kg]
empty weight operational : 500 [kg] bombload : 0 [kg]
performance :
maximum speed : 187 [km/u] op 1823 [m]
climbing speed : 323 [m/min]
service ceiling : 6248 [m]
endurance : 2.75 [hours]
estimated action radius : 231 [km]
description :
1-bay triplane with fixed landing gear and tail strut
single spar wings
engines, landing gear, fuel and bombs in or attached to the fuselage
airscrew :
fixed pitch 2 -bladed tractor airscrew with max. efficiency :0.67 [ ]
estimated diameter airscrew 2.76 [m]
angle of attack prop : 20.98 [ ]
reduction : 1.00 [ ]
airscrew revs : 1250 [r.p.m.]
pitch at Max speed 2.49 [m]
blade-tip speed at Vmax and max revs. : 188 [m/s]
calculation : *1* (dimensions)
mean wing chord : 0.89 [m]
calculated wing chord (rounded tips): 0.96 [m]
wing aspect ratio : 9.10 []
estimated gap : 1.71 [m]
gap/chord : 1.93 [ ]
seize (span*length*height) : 152 [m^3]
calculation : *2* (fuel consumption)
oil consumption : 6.0 [kg/hr]
fuel consumption(cruise speed) : 26.6 [kg/hr] (36.3 [litre/hr]) at 58 [%] power
distance flown for 1 kg fuel : 6.33 [km/kg]
estimated total fuel capacity : 113 [litre] (83 [kg])
calculation : *3* (weight)
weight engine(s) dry : 173.0 [kg] = 1.81 [kg/KW]
weight 25 litre oil tank : 2.1 [kg]
oil tank filled with 0.7 litre oil : 0.6 [kg]
oil in engine 1 litre oil : 0.5 [kg]
fuel in engine 1 litre fuel : 0.5 [kg]
weight 15 litre gravity patrol tank(s) : 2.3 [kg]
weight cowling 3.8 [kg]
weight airscrew(s) (wood) incl. boss & bolts : 19.0 [kg]
total weight propulsion system : 200 [kg](28.6 [%])
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fuselage skeleton (wood gauge : 6.57 [cm]): 65 [kg]
bracing : 2.7 [kg]
fuselage covering ( 6.6 [m2] doped linen fabric) : 2.1 [kg]
weight controls + indicators: 5.2 [kg]
weight seats : 3.0 [kg]
weight other details, lighting set, etc. : 5.1 [kg]
weight 98 [litre] main fuel tank empty : 7.8 [kg]
weight engine mounts & firewalls : 5 [kg]
total weight fuselage : 96 [kg](13.7 [%])
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weight wing covering (doped linen fabric) : 14 [kg]
total weight ribs (64 ribs) : 42 [kg]
load on front upper spar (clmax) per running metre : 1116.8 [N]
total weight 6 spars : 42 [kg]
weight wings : 97 [kg]
weight wing/square meter : 4.52 [kg]
weight 2 interplane struts & cabane : 12.8 [kg]
weight cables (25 [m]) : 2.2 [kg] (= 88 [gram] per metre)
diameter cable : 3.8 [mm]
weight fin & rudder (0.8 [m2]) : 3.5 [kg]
weight stabilizer & elevator (2.4 [m2]): 11.1 [kg]
total weight wing surfaces & bracing : 127 [kg] (18.1 [%])
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weight machine-gun(s) : 15.9 [kg]
weight ammunition magazine(s) :1.8 [kg]
weight synchronizing system : 1.0 [kg]
weight armament : 19 [kg]
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wheel pressure : 349.5 [kg]
weight 2 wheels (720 [mm] by 80 [mm]) : 16.2 [kg]
weight tailskid : 2.5 [kg]
weight undercarriage with axle 23.7 [kg]
total weight landing gear : 42.4 [kg] (6.1 [%]
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calculated empty weight : 483 [kg](69.1 [%])
weight oil for 3.3 hours flying : 19.9 [kg]
weight ammunition (400 rounds) : 13.6 [kg]
weight Very pistol with cartridges : 3.6 [kg]
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calculated operational weight empty : 520 [kg] (74.4 [%])
published operational weight empty : 500 [kg] (71.5 [%])
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weight crew : 81 [kg]
weight fuel for 1.5 hours flying : 40 [kg]
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operational weight : 641 [kg](91.7 [%])
estimated bomb load : 25 [kg]
operational weight bombing mission : 666 [kg]
fuel reserve : 33 [kg] enough for 1.24 [hours] flying
operational weight fully loaded : 699 [kg] with fuel tank filled for 88 [%]
published maximum take-off weight : 699 [kg] (100.0 [%])
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calculation : * 4 * (engine power)
power loading (operational without bombload) : 6.70 [kg/kW]
total power : 95.6 [kW] at 1250 [r.p.m]
calculation : *5* (loads)
manoeuvre load : 3.7 [g] at 1000 [m]
limit load : 4.5 [g] ultimate load : 6.8 [g] load factor : 3.2 [g]
design flight time : 2.20 [hours]
design cycles : 568 sorties, design hours : 1250 [hours]
operational wing loading : 293 [N/m^2]
wing stress (3 g) during operation : 194 [N/kg] at 3g emergency manoeuvre
calculation : *6* (angles of attack)
angle of attack zero lift : -1.36 ["]
max.angle of attack (stalling angle) : 11.54 ["]
angle of attack at max.speed : 1.04 ["]
calculation : *7* (lift & drag ratios
lift coefficient at angle of attack 0° :0.12 [ ]
lift coefficient at max. angle of attack : 1.14 [ ]
lift coefficient at max.speed : 0.21 [ ]
induced drag coefficient at max.speed : 0.0029 [ ]
drag coefficient at max.speed : 0.0323 [ ]
drag coefficient (zero lift) : 0.0294 [ ]
calculation : *8* (speeds
stalling speed at sea-level (OW): 74 [km/u]
landing speed at sea-level (OW without bombload): 89 [km/hr]
min.drag speed (max endurance) : 112 [km/hr] at 3124 [m](power :31 [%])
min. power speed (max range) : 121 [km/hr] at 3124 [m] (power:33 [%])
max.rate of climb speed : 113.1 [km/hr] at sea-level
cruising speed : 168 [km/hr] op 3124 [m] (power:54 [%])
design speed prop : 181 [km/hr]
maximum speed : 187 [km/hr] op 1823 [m] (power:78 [%])
climbing speed at sea-level (without bombload) : 350 [m/min]
calculation : *9* (regarding various performances)
take-off distance at sea-level : 143 [m]
lift/drag ratio : 11.53 [ ]
max. practical ceiling : 6375 [m] with flying weight :597 [kg]
practical ceiling (operational weight): 6025 [m] with flying weight :641 [kg]
practical ceiling fully loaded (mtow- 1 hour fuel) : 5775 [m] with flying weight :672 [kg]
published ceiling (6248 [m]
climb to 1500m (without bombload) : 4.72 [min]
climb to 3000m (without bombload) : 11.21 [min]
max.dive speed : 428.5 [km/hr] at 4775 [m] height
load factor at max.angle turn 2.56 ["g"]
turn radius at 500m: 49 [m]
time needed for 360* turn 9.1 [seconds] at 500m
calculation *10* (action radius & endurance)
operational endurance : 2.93 [hours] with 1 crew and 20 [kg] useful load and 93.9 [%] fuel
published endurance : 2.75 [hours] with 1 crew and possible useful (bomb) load : 25 [kg] and 88.1 [%] fuel
action radius : 247 [km] with 1 crew and 20[kg] photo camera/radio transmitter or bombload
max range theoretically with additional fuel tanks for total 157 [litre] fuel : 729 [km]
useful load with action-radius 250km : 36 [kg]
production : 6.08 [tonkm/hour]
oil and fuel consumption per tonkm : 5.36 [kg]
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Literature :
prakt. handb. vliegt. deel 1 page 194,195
jagdflugzeuge WO I page 45
warplanes WOI page 54,56,57f,90,96,97,117
Jane’s FAWOI page 84ft
Fighters 1914-19 page 76
De Groten van het luchtruim page 42,43
DISCLAIMER Above calculations are based on published data, they must be
regarded as indication not as facts.
Calculated performance and weight may not correspond with actual weights
and performances and are assumptions for which no responsibility can be taken.
Calculations are as accurate as possible, they can be fine-tuned when more data
is available, you are welcome to give suggestions and additional information
so we can improve our program.
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(c) B van der Zalm 04 January 2019 contact : info.aircraftinvestigation@gmail.com python 3.7.2(32-bit)