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Sopwith 1½ Strutter

Serial No:	A8226
Period:	WWI
Reference:	81/A/212

Museum:	Midlands
Location:	War in the Air
On Display:	Yes

The Sopwith two-seater, quickly named the 1½ Strutter because of the unusual arrangement of its central mainplane bracing struts, was designed in 1915 as a high performance fighting aircraft. It was ordered in large numbers for both the Royal Flying Corps and the Royal Naval Air Service and it was widely used by escadrilles of the French Aviation Militaire as well as Belgian and United States air forces.

French production of the aircraft considerably exceeded the numbers of British built 1½ Stutters. A single-seat bomber version was used by the Royal Naval Air Service and by French units. Single and two seat 1½ Strutters equipped the first unit ever formed as a strategic bombing force; No.3 Wing Royal Naval Air Service.

This aircraft was built to original Sopwith factory drawings and flown in 1980. It bears the markings of A8226, which was initially allotted to the Royal Flying Corps in France on 25 April 1917 and was used by C Flight of No.45 Squadron. Its operational career ended on 27 May 1917 while being flown by Captain L.W. MacArthur with 2nd Lt A.S. Carey as his observer The aircraft was shot down by Leutnant Max von Muller of Jagdstaffel 28 as his thirteenth combat victory.

Sopwith 1½ Strutter

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