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Remembered Today:

Sopwith


battle of loos

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good Morning,

 

I would like to have more information on this aircraft :

Model, Squadron...
The photo was taken on Calais.
On the left of the plane there are three British officers and one French officer.

 

666397060_avion(1).jpg.33aa3066cb81477a801f726e9aed230c.jpg

 

Thanks in advance for your help.

 

Kind regards

 

Michel

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It's a Sopwith 1&1/2 Strutter.

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55 minutes ago, battle of loos said:

good Morning,

 

I would like to have more information on this aircraft :

Model, Squadron...
The photo was taken on Calais.
On the left of the plane there are three British officers and one French officer.

 

666397060_avion(1).jpg.33aa3066cb81477a801f726e9aed230c.jpg

 

Thanks in advance for your help.

 

Kind regards

 

Michel

Hi

This is a Sopwith 1 1/2 Strutter of No. 5 Wing RNAS.  This was divided into 'A' and 'B' Squadrons (later No. 4 and 5 squadrons RNAS).  This aircraft is from 'A' Sqn. hence 'A2' on fuselage, they were based at Coudekerque.  There is a photo of a line up of the squadron at this base in 'British Aviation Squadron Markings of World War 1' by Les Rogers, page 219, 'A2' (probably same aircraft) is included in this image and it along with 'A3' and 'A8' have the wing mounted Lewis, the other five Strutters do not.

 

Mike

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Good evening,

 

Thank you Mike for the information about this plane.

Otherwise, it is possible to date its parking at Coudekerque.

 

Thanks again for the answer.

 

Kind regards
  
Michel

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1 hour ago, battle of loos said:

Good evening,

 

Thank you Mike for the information about this plane.

Otherwise, it is possible to date its parking at Coudekerque.

 

Thanks again for the answer.

 

Kind regards
  
Michel

Hi Michel

 

I am not sure about the date of the photo you have posted, but the photo in Rogers's book is dated as February 1917, it has snow on the ground and roof of a building plus bare trees.  4 (N) Sqn. (ex-'A' Sqn) received Strutters during December 1916 and had them until March 1917, during which month they replaced them with Sopwith Pups according to Jefford's 'RAF Squadrons'.  No.5 (N) Sqn. (ex-'B' Sqn.) received Strutters during December 1916 and had them to July 1917 when they were replaced by DH.4s, but they had moved to Petite Synthe on 1 April 1917.  Interestingly C P O Bartlett's book 'Bomber Pilot' covers part of this period when he was on 5(N) Sqn. at Coudekerque and Petite Synthe and he has a photo inside a hangar at the latter aerodrome which includes a Strutter marked 'A2', this appears to be '9395', this aircraft according to 'Royal Navy Aircraft Serials and Units' by Air-Britain, was marked 'A2' when on 5 (N) Sqn., it had been on 8 Flight of B Sqn. of 5 Wing before that (from about 31.12.16), but I am not sure if it was marked 'A2' then.  The aircraft was 'wrecked' on 21.4.17.

If your photo is '9395' 'A2' then from this information it was on 5 (N) Sqn.

I hope that helps but the sources 'differ' slightly.

 

Mike

Edited by MikeMeech
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Good evening,

 

I will look at the photo with a magnifying glass in order to try to transcribe the information on the tail of the airplane.

 

Thank you for your very interesting information.

 

Kind regards

 

Michel

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Dumb question but where are the upperwing roundels?  I can't see any indication of them.  Am I missing something (other than the roundels)?

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51 minutes ago, Buffnut453 said:

Dumb question but where are the upperwing roundels?  I can't see any indication of them.  Am I missing something (other than the roundels)?

Hi

 

From the images available of Strutters with No. 5 Wing during this period it appears the majority did not have upper wing roundels.

 

Mike

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Just now, MikeMeech said:

Hi

 

From the images available of Strutters with No. 5 Wing during this period it appears the majority did not have upper wing roundels.

 

Mike

 

Thanks Mike.  Nice to know it's not just me! :)

 

Cheers,
Mark

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18 hours ago, battle of loos said:

Good evening,

 

I will look at the photo with a magnifying glass in order to try to transcribe the information on the tail of the airplane.

 

Thank you for your very interesting information.

 

Kind regards

 

Michel

Hi

 

I think the serial number was only on the rear fuselage of this, so sadly the tailplane is in the way.

 

Looking through the book 'The Royal Naval Air Service in the First World War' by Philip Jarrett, there are several pages the 'Disposition of Aircraft' of the RNAS as at 6 pm, 23rd February, 1917.  No.5 Wing at Couderkerke (sic) it has the following Strutters:

9376, 9379, 9382 (being repaired), 9385 (being repaired), 9394, 9395, 9672, N5082, N5093, N5096, N5114, N5221, and N5222, on strength. 

 

'9395' is also stated to be a 'Presentation Aircraft' and supposed to be named 'Tientsin Britons No. 1', this should be marked on the fuselage somewhere.

 

Mike

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On ‎03‎/‎08‎/‎2018 at 20:26, battle of loos said:

Good evening,

 

Thank you Mike for the information about this plane.

Otherwise, it is possible to date its parking at Coudekerque.

 

Thanks again for the answer.

 

Kind regards
  
Michel

I don't think its at Coudekerque.

Surely this is a forced landing on a beach i.e.

ships in the distance

civilians present

cowling missing from the Sopwiths nose.

         One of the ladies is wearing a white blouse ,no coat  , so the date cant be too early in the year.

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good evening,

 

good observation. :thumbsup:

spring or summer may be

 

regards

 

michel

 

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7 hours ago, nils d said:

I don't think its at Coudekerque.

Surely this is a forced landing on a beach i.e.

ships in the distance

civilians present

cowling missing from the Sopwiths nose.

         One of the ladies is wearing a white blouse ,no coat  , so the date cant be too early in the year.

Hi

'battle of loos' said the image was taken at Calais.

 

Mike

 

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good evening,

 

in this album, some picture are marking :

HP Calais 1914

HP Lewens :huh: 'I Don't find this hospital)

and another picture with 1915 ( french soldier wounded)

 

:poppy:

 

michel

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