Sopwith Dolphin

[Albatros_Ace]

Who thinks that the Sopwith Dolphin Was a good aircraft ?

[Pips]

To my mind it was arguably the best of the British aircraft in action during 1918. Every bit as capable as the Se.5a, with a superior high altitude performance allowing it to compete more effectively with the Fokker D.VII. And it was a much better aircraft than the Camel.

It was a mistake IMHO to keep with the Camel, well past it's prime in 1918, rather than go all out and produce the Dolphin as a replacement.

[Albatros_Ace]

i am paticalurly interested in the one that had two guns mounted on the wing outside of the prop arc does anyone have any pics?

[The PIPE]

Dear Albatros Ace:

The PIPE Here again...and twelve years ago, I EXTENSIVELY documented Old Rhinebeck's reproduction Dolphin, to prepare for an eventual RC Giant Scale model of it...even down to MEASURING the fuselage, and shooting MANY photos of the bare structure (both the fuselage AND wing panels).

Also, Windsock Datafile 54 on the Dolphin, the Osprey book on both the Dolphin and Sopwith Snipe Aces, as well as an Aeroplane Monthly issue from a few years ago that had an EXCELLENT multi-part article (WITH a few factory drawings there!) on the Dolphin, are in my documentation file alongside the photo collection I shot at Old Rhinebeck in the autumn of 1996.

Even since I've known for quite some time that pipe smoking/collecting was also popular during the World War I era and before, I was pleasantly surprised to find out that THE Royal Air Force squadron that did the experimental "field mod" of placing their Dolphin's Lewis guns out on the upper surface of the LOWER WING...87 Squadron...ALSO had a fair number of fellow pipe fans "from the past" among their roster.

The 87 Squadron Dolphin (WITH the wing-mounted Lewises) that I've decided to do, as an RC Giant, "someday", was piloted by one pipe-loving Aussie, Arthur Vigers, and was one of the 87 Squadron Dolphins to have the wing-mounted Lewis gun setups on it. I've included photos of both Vigers (with briar...I've got a briar that's very similar in my collection, to the one Art's enjoying in the photo) AND one of the 87 Squadron Dolphins that had the Lewis wing-mount gun setups.

Hope they're viewable here at TheAerodrome....

Yours Sincerely,

The PIPE!

[PfalzPflyer]

Regarding the original question of whether or not the Dolphin was a good fighter, I can only add that the French were sufficiently impressed with the type to consider a 300hp version as an eventual replacement for the Spad XIII.

Dean in Omaha

[SteveS]

If you ever get the chance, pick up a copy of “That’s My Bloody Plane” by Major Cecil Montgomery-Moore, DFC

In it, he give some good insight to flying the Dolphin, his likes and dislikes, his share of engine problems and on how that top mounted gun added little to the fighting ability of the plane. His squadron removed one gun on each ship I would imagine for the weight savings.

Salute,
Steve

[Barrett]

Mannock did.
Read Franks and Saunders' new bio.

[Albatros_Ace]

some pilots had one removed bcuz they thought it was impossible to aim and kept it as a "last resort weapon"

[Albatros_Ace]

Great pic thanks

[Willi Von Klugerman]

Hey,if Cecil Lewis say's its a good aircraft,its a good aircraft!