Sopwith Triplane N.5486 

'The Lone Wolf of the Steppes’

Phenomenal was the word. For a test aircraft in mid 1916 the performance of the Sopwith Triplane prototype was extraordinary.  The triplane layout was innovative and produced a machine with a high degree of manoeuverability.  While most of the British fighters were single gunned it was the triplane that had six examples built to handle twins.   Due to politics the Sopwith Triplane only served in British Naval units ( 5  were loaned to France and later returned and one went to Imperial Russia on Skis.)  RNAS Naval 8 was one of 5 unit fully equipped with the Sopwith Triplane and operated with them from Feb.- Aug.1917.  N.5482 was delivered to 8 (N) sqdn on 10 April 1917.

This is the Eduard 1/48 kit #8075  . It was built mostly out of the box with the exception of the motor and the under carriage spreader bar.  The motor was replaced with a detailed white metal copy of a Clerget 9B 130 hp rotary from Copper State Models as the kit version is simply a “generic rotary”.   I did use the kit photoetch push rods provided. I chose to keep the kit horizontal tailplane.  This would put the machine being represented  1917 when it was ordered all examples be replaced with a smaller version.  The rigging is monofilament. The  decals were used . The spreader bar/axle was modified to represent a solid type that was installed when the aircraft was fitted with skis. I also opened up the area at the stern post as was seen on the original production aircraft.