Sopwith Baby

From Wings of Linen
Sopwith Baby
Role Seaplane
Manufacturer Sopwith
Introduction Sept 1915 [1]
Primary user U.K. (RNAS)
Number built 286 [1]-457[2]
Wingspan 7.82 m (25 ft 8 in) [3][4][5]
Engine 110 or 130hp Clerget rotary
Armament fixed, sync. Lewis [note 1][note 2]
2×29 kg (65 lb) bombs
Crew 1
Max Speed 110hp: 148 km/h (92 mph) [1][3]
130hp: 158 km/h (98 mph)[4]-160 km/h (100 mph) [1][7][3][5]
Climb 3,000 m (10,000 ft) in 35:00[1][3][4][note 3]
Ceiling 2,300 m (7,600 ft) [7][5]
Endurance 2:00[7][4] to 2:15[1][5]

The Sopwith Baby was a Sopwith Schneider mounting the 110hp Clerget engine (and later the 130hp model). The change of the engine also forced a change from the pointed nose of the Schneider to a horseshoe cowling. While early Babys used the same gun mount as the Schneider: a top-wing Lewis angled upward to clear the propeller, later Babys used a synchronized Lewis that made for easier aiming.

Like the Schneider, the Baby performed a variety of missions from naval bases and from seaplane carriers in most theatres of the war.[1] Fifty-eight[1] to eighty[8] were still on charge near the end of the war, giving this plane one of the longest service lifetimes of the war.

Sometimes Rankin Darts or Le Prier rockets were used for anti-Zeppelin work, but such was the loading on this light plane that the machine gun had to be left behind on those missions.[8]

For more information, see Wikipedia:Sopwith Baby.

Timeline

Game Data

Wings of Glory

Unofficial Stats
Availability Maneuver Damage Dmg Points Max Alt. Climb
15Q4-18Q4 K A or B 12 8 6

Plane and Crew Cards

Blue Max/Canvas Eagles

Aircraft Chart

Miniatures and Models

1:144 Scale

1:285/6mm/1:288 Scale

1:300 Scale

Resources

Orthographic Drawings

References

Notes
  1. Some still used the Schneider scheme for the Lewis.
  2. Sometimes a second Lewis was carried on the top wing.[6]
  3. with 130hp engine
Citations
  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 Bruce'69, p.532.
  2. Angelucci, p.97.
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Lamberton, pp.214-215.
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Nowarra, pp.202-203.
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Angelucci, p.89.
  6. Guttman'11, p.59.
  7. 7.0 7.1 7.2 Munson'76, p.95.
  8. 8.0 8.1 Nowarra, p.96.
Bibliography
  • Enzo Angelucci, ed. The Rand McNally Encyclopedia of Military Aircraft, 1914-1980. New York: The Military Press, 1983 edition. ISBN 0-517-41021-4.
  • J.M. Bruce. British Aeroplanes 1914-18. Great Britain: Funk & Wagnalls, 1957, 1969. ISBN 0370000382
  • Jon Guttman, Naval Aces of World War 1, Part 1. Great Britain: Osprey Publishing Limited, 2011. ISBN 978-1-84908-345-4
  • W.M. Lamberton and E.F. Cheesman, Fighter Aircraft of the 1914-1918 War. Great Britain: Harleyford Publications Limited, 1960.
  • Kenneth Munson, Bombers: Patrol and Reconnaissance Aircraft, 1914-1919. New York: The MacMillan Company, 1968, Blandford Press Ltd. ISBN 978-0753721711
  • Heinz J. Nowarra, Bruce Robertson, and Peter G. Cooksley. Marine Aircraft of the 1914-1918 War. Letchworth, Herts, England: Harleyford Publications Limited, 1966. ISBN 0900435070