Sopwith Camel

The Sopwith Camel was an agile, highly maneuverable plane and was the top fighter of Allied forces in World War I. It got its name from the "hump" in the fuselage which enclosed the guns.

The Camel was a difficult plane to fly because the engine developed such high torque that the plane tended to pull to the right until it reached cruising speed, making take-offs and landings hazardous. Nearly as many pilots died from accidents as died in combat while flying the plane.

The 17th Aero Squadron of the American Expeditionary Forces was attached to a British Squadron. This plane carries the markings of the British No. 41 Squadron but with American roundels.

This aircraft was also flown by:
  Belgium
  Great Britain
  Greece