Sopwith Scout A/1068

[Roger34]

I recently bought the propellor tip of a Sopwith Scout it had the names Lt A W Smith and Sgt L H Bradley inscribed along with the serial number A/1068.

I have been unable to find service records for the men or any other information about the plane.

Can anybody help to find the history behind this propellor?

Roger

[per ardua per mare per terram]

Have you looked in AIR 76 for Smith's RAF service record? To locate Bradley's RAF record you need his service number, there is an incomplete alphabetical index to the service numbers in AIR 78.

If this is you man, then unfortunately his record has not yet been released

Medal card of Bradley, H L

Corps Regiment No Rank

King's Royal Rifle Corps R 4413 Private

Royal Air Force 332581

[centurion]

I recently bought the propellor tip of a Sopwith Scout it had the names Lt A W Smith and Sgt L H Bradley inscribed along with the serial number A/1068.

I have been unable to find service records for the men or any other information about the plane.

Can anybody help to find the history behind this propellor?

Roger

Firstly A1068 was a Sopwith One and a Half Strutter [originally the Sopwith LCT], the title Sopwith Scout was usually applied to the Sopwith Pup. The One and a Half Strutter came in a number of variants 2 seat fighter reconnaissance, single seat bomber and single seat night fighter. A1068 was the first of these and the two men would have been its pilot and observer. The type was originally ordered by the RNAS. A1068 was part of the third batch built for the RFC. One and a Half Strutters were used by the RFC, RNAS and RAF and by the French air services. An excellent aircraft when introduced into service it soldiered on well past its sell by date.

[mickdavis]

The only record I have of A1068 is that it was with 54 Sqn at Castle Bromwich during the late summer/autumn of 1916. 54 Sqn operated a number of these machines including 7772, 7785, 7999 and A889. It shared the Castle Bromwich aerodrome with 28 RS, which was dedicated to training pilots for the type.

[centurion]

The only record I have of A1068 is that it was with 54 Sqn at Castle Bromwich during the late summer/autumn of 1916. 54 Sqn operated a number of these machines including 7772, 7785, 7999 and A889. It shared the Castle Bromwich aerodrome with 28 RS, which was dedicated to training pilots for the type.

Is that date correct? I was under the impression that the One and a Half Strutters that originally went to the RFC were transfered from the RNAS or diverted from RNAS production orders and aircraft from specific RFC contacts didn't start to arrive until later - towards the end of 1916. Of the numbers you quote 2 were ex RNAS and 2 from the very first RFC production order. A1068 appears to be from the fourth (not third as I erroneously quoted) production order

[mickdavis]

The date is correct. Looking at serials around A1068 :

A1060 was with 28RS and crashed, with fatal consequences on 17.9.16

A1061 was delivered to 45 Sqn at Sedgeford, ex Farnborough, on 22.9.16

A1064, A1066, A1069 and A1070 joined the war with 45 Sqn in October 16.

A little later in the batch, A1089 was delivered to the CFS ex Farnborough, on 3.12.16 (it was later lost in a collision) and A1090 was at the SAD Farnborough, allotted to the Training Brigade, on 24.11.16 (it, later, also went to the CFS). A1092 was delivered to 1 AD at St Omer on 26.11.16.

[Starlight]

Roger, "Airmen Died . . . " has a Lt Allen Wenman Smith, of 34 Reserve sqn (ex 6/King's Liverpool Rgt) aged 20 and a native of Crosby, Liverpool, being killed whilst flying in the UK (viz. accident) on 18/03/17 in Sopwith Strutter 7807. He was buried at Sefton, Lancs. He might be one of your men.

Steve