Sopwith Triplane "Tripe"

The triple wing of the Sopwith Triplane made it possible to reduce wingspan while increasing lift. This configuration made the Tripe handle better and climb faster than most biplanes of the time and is said to have been the inspiration for the more famous German Fokker Triplane.

A major drawback of the Sopwith Triplane was the difficulty of repair. The structural members to support the wing made it difficult for mechanics to reach parts of the plane without disassembly. Nevertheless, the Tripe had a distinguished, but brief, career as a fighter.

This plane carries the markings of the French Aviation Maritime, Dunkerque Escadrille.

This aircraft was also flown by:
  Great Britain
Specifications
Country of Manufacture Great Britain
First Year of Service 1916
Wing Span 26 ft 6 in | 8.07 m
Length 18 ft 10 in | 5.73 m
Height 10 ft 6 in | 3.2 m
Weight 1541 lbs | 698 kg
Engine Clerget, 9 cylinder air-cooled rotary engine, 130hp
Top Speed 117 mph | 188 km/h
Range 280 miles | 450 km
Armament 1 Vickers .303 machine gun
Crew 1

 


Notes:
Technical Notes:
Made with Autodesk 3D Studio Max - Airplane not including background, 44515 vertices, 49741 faces - All aircraft insignia are modeled as part of the mesh.
Historical Notes:
The instruments in the cockpit are conjecture.
References:
http://www.theaerodrome.com/aircraft/gbritain/sopwith_triplane.php
http://aviastar.org/air/england/sopwith_triplane.php
http://www.aviation-history.com/sopwith/triplane.html