Sopwith Camel B5174 at Mousehold Heath, Norwich.

[high wood]

I have purchased a collection of albums that came from a Herefordshire house clearance and I have the name of the family that the albums belonged to. There are some superb photographs of Royal Flying Corps officers, many of whom are recovering in a hospital that may or may not be in Norwich. From the family name that I have I know that one of the brothers was an officer in the Royal Warwickshire Regiment and that his wife's brother was a Pte in the Public Schools battalion of the Middlesex Regiment. I can find no connection with the RFC for either side of the family so far. So I thought that I would start with the low hanging fruit. There are several photographs of crashed aircraft of which the easiest to identify is the one below. I thought that identifying it's squadron might give me a place to start.

The aircraft appears to be a Sopwith Camel with the serial number B5174. Any help with identifying it would be appreciated.

[Dolphin]

Camel B5174 was delivered to No 3 Aircraft Acceptance Park by 12 October 1917, after which it crashed, and was sent to No 1 (Southern) Aircraft Repair Depot by 25 October. It looks like it was beyond repair, and written off.

I hope this is useful.

Gareth

[high wood]

Gareth,

extremely useful; many thanks. No 3 (Norwich) Aircraft Acceptance Park ties in nicely with the Norwich photographs in the album. It seems to have been founded on the 22nd March 1917 at what later became RAF Mousehold Heath. It seems that No 85 Squadron were present on this aerodrome between August and November 1917. I wonder if pilots from this Squadron might have been flying this aircraft particularly as there are a great many photographs of wounded RFC officers in the album.

I will post some photographs.

Simon.

[high wood]

The serial number on this aircraft is not completely readable as only the top half is visible. However it could be A5868 or possibly A6868. However, given that the aircraft is a Sopwith Strutter and that A5868 was an AVRO 504A and that A6868 was an R.E.8, the serial number must be A6060* which was a Sopwith Strutter.

*the correct number must be A5968 or A5969.

[high wood]

There is nothing other than coincidence to link these R.F.C. officers with either crashed aircraft but as they are in the same album there may be a connection.

[PhilH]

serial number must be A6060 which was a Sopwith Strutter.

I know nothing of Aircraft but the 2nd number shown there can only be a 5 - there's no way it's a 6 as shown by the 6 at the end. The other numbers have to be an 8 or possibly a rounded 9. To my mind it could be 5868, 5869, 5969, 5968

[high wood]

I know nothing of Aircraft but the 2nd number shown there can only be a 5 - there's no way it's a 6 as shown by the 6 at the end. The other numbers have to be an 8 or possibly a rounded 9. To my mind it could be 5868, 5869, 5969, 5968

Phil,

It isn't 5868 or 5869 as they were Avro 504s. But you are essentially correct as both A5968 and A5969 were indeed Sopwith Strutters.

Thank you for putting me right.

Simon

[barkalotloudly]

A lot of the brick built hangers still survive Fitzmaurice Carriers work shop is tagged onto one!

[high wood]

I wonder if the brick built hangers date from WW2.

[barkalotloudly]

don`t think so, all great war i missed out on a photograph of some RFC chappies seated in front of one !