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Sopwith 2F.1 Camel

The Sopwith F.1 Camel was developed to replace the Sopwith Pup. Camels began to enter the Royal Flying Corps and the Royal Naval Air Service in the middle of 1917 and met with immediate success. Although mainly used in western Europe, Camels also served in Italy. Some Camels were assigned to home defence, with the cockpit positioned further back and guns placed on the upper wings. The 2F.1 Camel was produced for the RNAS with more powerful engines and modified armament. A total of 5 490 Camels were built.

The name “Camel” was derived from the hump-shaped cover over the machine guns. In order to combat Zeppelins, 2F.1 Camels were flown from barges towed behind destroyers, from platforms on the gun turrets of larger ships as well as from early aircraft carriers. A 2F.1 successfully flew after being dropped from an airship, an experiment testing an airship’s ability to carry its own defensive aircraft. An armoured trench-fighting version was flown, but did not go into production.

A Canadian pilot, Major W.G. Barker, destroyed 41 enemy aircraft while flying Camels.

Museum Example

The Museum specimen was built in late 1918 and did not serve in First World War. It was purchased by the RCAF in 1924 and used for demonstration flights and as a training airframe. It was loaned to the Canadian War Museum in 1957 then stored and displayed at National Research Centre, Ottawa. It underwent RCAF restoration in 1958–59 and an additional restoration to flying condition in 1966–67. Flown during May and June 1967, it has since remained on display.

Specifications

Wing Span:
8.2 m (26 ft 11 in)
Length:
5.6 m (18 ft 6 in)
Height:
2.8 m (9 ft 1 in)
Weight, Empty:
434 kg (956 lb)
Weight, Gross:
691 kg (1,523 lb)
Cruising Speed:
Unknown
Max Speed:
184 km/h (114 mph)
Rate of Climb:
1,980 m (6,500 ft) / 6 min 25 sec
Service Ceiling:
5,790 m (19,000 ft)
Range:
2.5 hours (Endurance)
Power Plant:
one Clerget 9B, 130 hp, rotary engine

Additional Photographs

The Canada Aviation Museum’s Image Bank contains additional photographs of this aircraft. Images are provided for non-commercial study or research purposes only and may not be reproduced or published without the prior consent of the Canada Aviation Museum.

Find out more about our Image bank here.