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mdiam · 3 February 2004, 05:02 PM

I have a question for all you experts out there; I have always been interested in the Sopwith Pup, and the construction method used in the fusalage was the wire braced wooden truss method.

Does anyone know if there was significant stretching of the wire bracing over time, and if so, how often it needed to be adjusted or replaced.

I realize the answer has a lot to do with how the aircraft is used, acro, combat maneuvering versus low stress straight and level flight. But since that construction technique was very common in the WW1 era (not just Sopwith) there should be a lot of history to go by.

I've always wondered how much of a maintenance issue that is/was.

Thank you all in advance for all your help!

Mike D.

3 February 2004, 05:02 PM	#1 (permalink)
mdiam Observer Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 8	I have a question for all you experts out there; I have always been interested in the Sopwith Pup, and the construction method used in the fusalage was the wire braced wooden truss method. Does anyone know if there was significant stretching of the wire bracing over time, and if so, how often it needed to be adjusted or replaced. I realize the answer has a lot to do with how the aircraft is used, acro, combat maneuvering versus low stress straight and level flight. But since that construction technique was very common in the WW1 era (not just Sopwith) there should be a lot of history to go by. I've always wondered how much of a maintenance issue that is/was. Thank you all in advance for all your help! Mike D.