WWI Royal Flying Corps Sopwith Swallow Scooter Plane Tail

WWI Royal Flying Corps Sopwith Swallow Scooter Plane Tail. A unique original WWI 1918 period prototype fighter aeroplane tail that belonged to a Sopwith Swallow or possibly a Sopwith Scooter, although they were technically the same plane and 1 example of each was ever built.

The tail is made in 2 parts of stretched canvas over a tubular aluminium frame. There is the small front fixed part and the rear moveable rudder. The front part has been painted white with'THE SOPWITH AVIATION Company Ltd KINGSSTON UPON THAMES'. The rudder has the national Blue-White-Red colours. The lower part of the rudder has 2 transversal wishbones that would connect to the control wires. In June 1918, the Sopwith Aviation Company flew an unarmed parasol monoplane derivative of the Sopwith Camel, known as the Sopwith Scooter. It used a normal Camel fuselage, with the wing mounted just above the fuselage, with a very small gap. The wing was braced using RAF-wire (streamlined bracing wires) to a pyramid shaped cabane above the wing. It was powered by a 130 hp Clerget 9B rotary engine. The armed derivative was the Sopwith Swallow. It had a higher wing to allow for the two synchronised Vickers machine guns. It was powered by a 110 hp Le Rhône engine. The Swallow proved to have lower performance than Le Rhône-powered biplane Camels, and was discarded soon after testing was completed in May 1919.

Only 1 Swallow was built. The Scooter was used as a runabout and aerobatic mount by Sopwith test pilot Harry Hawker.

It demonstrated excellent manoeuvrability and was given the civil registration K-135 in May 1919 (after changed to G-EACZ). It was refurbished in 1925 and was used for aerobatic displays and for racing until 1927 when it was scrapped. Only 1 Scooter was built.

Condition is very good for its age. It shows evidence of wear from use, so is likely to have been taken off the plane, rather than a spare part. A unique piece of aeronautical history.

Size: 96.5 x 120cm (38 x 47inches) Weight: 2kg. Have a look at our other items. If you have any questions we are more than happy to help.

_gsrx_vers_841 GS 7.0.16 (841). The item "WWI Royal Flying Corps Sopwith Swallow Scooter Plane Tail" is in sale since Thursday, October 25, 2018. This item is in the category "Collectables\Militaria\World War I (1914-1918)\Field Gear". The seller is "paradeantiques_online" and is located in Plymouth.

This item can be shipped worldwide.

Type: Plane tail
Era: 1914-1945
Conflict: World War I (1914-1918)
Service: Air Force
Country/ Organization: Commonwealth
Issued/ Not-Issued: Issued
Modified Item: No
Country/Region of Manufacture: United Kingdom