Sopwith 1/2 Strutter of Signal Corps

Didier Lecoq · 9 November 2007, 11:00 AM

These are Sopwith 1/2 Strutter of Signal Corps at Tours (2nd AIC). Some seem to have French colors, others are American. Is it a new US squadron before to go on the front ? Or planes to 3rd AIC of Issoudun (there are a big number on the aircrafts)?
thank's for your help
Didier
L'histoire de l'aviation en Touraine

Cliff · 9 November 2007, 06:18 PM

Didier

The large black and white numbers on the fuselages indicate American training aircraft, probably at Issoudon by the look of the hangers in the background.
'Wings Of Honor' says the Strutters were obtained in Feb & Mar 1918 from the firms : Loire et Olivier and Hanriot et Cie.

Cliff

StephenLawson · 9 November 2007, 08:37 PM

If it says Tours its probably one of the 2 seater training units there. The Americans had had aviation sections there. Hence the 2 AIC nomeclature.

Didier Lecoq · 10 November 2007, 12:34 AM

Merci pour votre rapidité
This photo has been made in Tours. But these planes was not 2nd AIC's planes. There was no Strutter in Tours. The U.S. Air Service has used the aircraft that were already there when the base became american (November 1, 1917). The Caudron G3 and G4, for the preliminary training. Later, with the training of observers and the school of photography, these are Curtiss Jenny who were in Tours.
Thanks again
Didier

StephenLawson · 10 November 2007, 01:56 AM

If it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck. . .

Later in April 1918 when America entered the war French built Sopwith 1 1/2 Strutters may have been a later purchase. The Caudron G3 and G4 would not have been used much passed the first part of 1918. Do we know when the purchase took place for the Sopwiths? I'll check with Alan Toelle and see if he has a listing for Tours.

Tell me more about the Curtiss Jennys at Tours?

Didier Lecoq · 10 November 2007, 03:42 AM

Sorry Stephen
I wrote too quickly. They are not Jenny but DH4 on Tours. And indeed, it is possible that these are Strutter of 2 AIC. I found that five Strutter came to Tours in February 1918. Others have followed. If you have any information on the Sopwith 2nd AIC, thank you in advance. All informations on Tours interest me.
Didier

Cigogne · 15 November 2007, 02:55 PM

Perhaps the shot is taken at Amanty. There were many American bomber crews trained on Sopwith and AR.1 aircraft as well as Breguet 14.E2s there.

Cliff · 16 November 2007, 09:15 AM

I note that the hangers are joined and numbered 5 to 8.
They are quite distinctive, as well as the water tower behind.
Does anyone have any more pics, from the ground or air that shows them?
'Wings Of Honour' has a few shots of similar hangers - but NOT the same!! It would be nice to figure out which American field is which.

Cliff

Didier Lecoq · 16 November 2007, 03:45 PM

Bonsoir,
it's Tours, I am absolutely certain. These hangars was in the south. You can see hangars and water castle here :
L'école américaine d'aviation de Tours
Thanks
Didier

Frederic Mason · 16 November 2007, 06:56 PM

Yes, I believe this is a photo taken at Tours. I copied this photo and several others in this set at the NMUSAF in September while at the Dawn Patrol show. The large numbers suggest a training unit at Tours. Some of the observation sqds. had Sopwith 1 1/2s early on. This may be a batch going to those sqds. The set was probably taken for publicity purposes for some such occasion. If I could figure out how to post a photo to this site without learning rocket science, I'd post the rest of the set. Not the best techno site on the web??