Sopwith 1- 1/2 Strutter

[roy litchfield]

Hello all you aviation experts,

I've had these photots some time now. My son found them in a junk shop and bought them for my birthday. They are quite large being size 16in. by 19in. in old money. A caption says "Sopwith 1-1/2 Strutter Febry. 1917"

What puzzles me is the crew. British and French?

Best wishes Roy

[Guest]

  Hello all you aviation experts,

  I've had these photots some time now. My son found them in a junk shop and bought them for my birthday. They are quite large being size 16in. by 19in. in old money. A caption says "Sopwith 1-1/2 Strutter Febry. 1917"

  What puzzles me is the crew. British and French?

  Best wishes Roy

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The picture could easily be showing an RNAS and a French figure. At the given date No 3 Wing RNAS was operating from Luxeuil les Bains in the Haute Saone department of France with an advanced base at Ochey near Nancy. This was the first British strategic bombing unit pre dating the Independant Air Force.They were using both the fighter and bomber versions of the Strutter, flying their first operation in July 1916. Both the RNAS and French forces operated together from time to time and indeed on at least one occasion a British fighter version was flown by a French crewas part of a British operation. They also operated two Handley Page 0/100s which were flown on ops with a French guide on board. As a matter of interest the French license built a large number of Strutters (over 4,000 if my memory serves me correctly)

[Dolphin]

  What puzzles me is the crew. British and French?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Roy

I think it's likely that both men are French. Some French airmen wore a 'British-style' collar and tie with their tunic, as shown in the photo below of Sous Lieutenant Pierre de Cazenove de Pradines, a fighter pilot from Escadrille N81 who was credited with seven victories.

About 4500 Sopwith 1½ Strutters were built under licence in France, and were known as the Sop. 1.A2 (two seat fighter-reconnaisance), Sop 1.B1 (single seat bomber) and Sop. 1.B2 (two seat bomber).

Best wishes

Gareth

[roy litchfield]

Thank you to all who replied to the 1-1/2 strutter query. I would love to think that the young air gunner was British as he's such a cheeky looking chappie.

Thank you for your patience whilst I learn to do photographic attachments, say 5/10 for the first attempt. Training to be a space cadet at my age is to say the least quite challenging.

Best wishes Roy